Allies

The walls of the House of Bouden had withstood the trials of years. Wind. Rain. Fire. Riot. All had left their marks upon the blocks of granite that guarded the house. None had toppled the walls. Yet, the house was in a more precarious position than it had been in many generations. Owing to the … Read more

The magistrate peered at Sabit and Rayshabu from beneath his bushy, dark eyebrows. The two fugitive women pulled their hoods closer, shying from his inquiring glare. “Magistrate!” came the voice of one of the quarrelling men—a merchant from the look of him. “All thanks to the divine King that you have finally arrived! This man … Read more

In the marketplace, Sabit and Rayshabu traded the shelter of their wagon for the concealment of hooded robes. As Verdandi haggled with a wine merchant over the delivery of their smuggled goods, Rayshabu shook the last mists of dream from her mind. “We are here! You have done it! I am nearly home,” the young … Read more

Squeezed between amphorae of wine and buried under piles of straw, Sabit made her way back into the city of Bahteel. Crammed next to Rayshabu, the spear woman crouched in the center of a ring of wine amphorae, covered with burlap and straw. Her spear would be useless in such a tight space, but she … Read more