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Chapter Thirty-Five: The Woman in the Desert
Zlo stood aside for her to enter. Ilyria felt numb. What had Madame Skia said? That there were few certainties, all they could do was to stand together and protect each other. Her mother swayed in the hall and Ilyria’s heart could not hold on to the anger she felt for her. Not with true evil standing directly before her. She walked past Zlo into the entrance hall with as much confidence as she could fake.
The door clanged shut behind them and Ilyria felt a buzzing under her skin as the enchantment took hold. She tried to concentrate on her mother. She thought she saw her lift her head, the pale and glassy eyes almost-focus on her then slide away.
Zlo brushed past her and she shuddered. It stank of Dirk’s rotting flesh which it seemed unable to cast it off. Its own calloused grey hide showed through where Dirk’s skin had stretched too tight or torn. She felt her sanity slip.
My mother, she reminded herself, she will know what happened to the traveller. What tr
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Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Chapter Thirty-Seven: Sisters
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Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Chapter Thirty-Eight: Man and Monster
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Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Chapter Thirty-Nine: A Journey and a Companion
Ilyria turned to look back at the gates of the city. She had to hold tight to the horn of the saddle beneath her as the unfamiliar sway of the camel threatened to unseat her at every moment. Sand stung her eyes and she faced frontward again, wrapping her head scarf around her face. The tears were from the sting of the sand, nothing more, she told herself. At each moment during the days of preparation for her journey, she had hoped—even expected—that Astrapi would come to her, asking her forgiveness and offering her an explanation that would allow her to let go of her betrayal and anger. Yet he had remained infuriatingly away. Skia, Thassa, Nicos and Bonbon were trying to help Ilyria find her way to Utzed. Each time they presented her with a new idea, they would preface it with “If only one of us could be with you …” until she could no longer bear it and told them that even if they had been able to be with her, she wouldn’t want it. This outburst seemed to set their m
Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Chapter Forty: A Desert Night
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Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Chapter Forty-One: Antidote
The mercenary still held the stick, though loosely. The splayed form of the traveller did not stir. “He will wake with a headache in the morning,” said the mercenary with a smile that was at once shy and a little pleased with himself, “He is a known scoundrel. He will do anything for any money. Please let me introduce myself, Ilyria,” he bowed low, “I am Suluu of Isfap.” Ilyria lay looking at him. She still could not move. “Oh,” he said, “I think you would like to be released from the poison?” “That would be nice,” said Ilyria with as little annoyance as she could manage under the circumstances. “It’s the Zaraqi,” said the Suluu, “Most of the time it can be used to kill any biting creatures but if the concentration is too high, then it becomes, well …” he spread out his hands indicating Ilyria’s prone form. He only then seemed to notice that she was nearly naked. His eyes widened in shock and Ilyria felt her whole body blush. If she w
Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Chapter Forty-Two: Water
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Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Chapter Forty-Three: Utzed
Ilyria watched the sky darken from the safe haven of the oasis. Fierce emerged from behind a tree with a small gecko in her mouth, then lay beside Ilyria crunching happily. Ilyria stroked her, trying to understand what could have happened. Would he have just left her? Maybe. You fool, she berated herself, you hardly knew him at all and you just gave yourself to him. Yet, even so, even with Suluu gone, even without a supper to look forward to and no place to go, even so she smiled at the memory of the water and his body and his mouth. When it was full dark she knew she could not put it off any longer. She stood, gathering Fierce up and settling the little cat in her bag. She put on her sandals then scooped water into her mouth, regretting that she had not thought to include a canteen in Fierce’s bag. Though she didn’t think the cloud silks would have tolerated it. It was a whole other world in that bag now. It made her miss Miasma with a deep ache. What had Miasma sai
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