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Chapter Thirty-Six: The Enchanted House
Ilyria was still a street away from the House of Madame Skia when she was forced to stop running by a crowd milling about in the street. She was out of breath and sweating and used her frustration to propel herself forward, bumping and pushing past people with her head lowered and muttering half-hearted excuse-mes as she went.
As she neared the House, the crowd thinned and she understood why when she took a breath and coughed out a lungful of chariko. A thick fog of the spice surrounded the House. Those who were close to the House looked dazed and happy but tended to wander away, having lost interest in what had drawn them there in the first place. Light pulsed from the House, emanating from the courtyard at its centre. She guessed this was what had attracted the crowd. The chariko and the light were alarming enough. The complete silence that enveloped the House felt worse somehow. It was an absence of sound like black is the absence of color.
She h
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Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Chapter Thirty-Eight: Man and Monster
“There is more,” said Ilyria, “The Mogul was disguised. My mother was convinced that he was a woman—in fact, an Orenian spy.” She watched as Nicos, Madame Skia and the ascetic exchanged glances. “It would make sense,” said Nicos, He stood, folded his arms and began pacing. “It would make sense if he knew about the place of the three stars, Utzed,” Ilyria heard the sharp intake of breath from Madame Skia. Nicos stopped pacing. “Skia, we must say its name. She must know. We will even have to help her find it.” Skia shook her head but to Ilyria’s surprised her response was the opposite. “Yes I know that’s true,” she said, “But we have to help her.” “How,” said the ascetic, “None of us can accompany her. You and I, Skia, we cannot leave here or our lives will be forfeit. You know that. Nicos would not survive.” “I’ll…ow!” said Thassa as Bonbon punched him in the arm. He rubbed his arm and looked at her. It was strange to see Thassa’s scarred face,
Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Chapter Thirty-Nine: A Journey and a Companion
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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
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Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Chapter Forty-Four: Siren Song
Time passed and the light never changed in the room. Ilyria and Suluu slept, they woke, they made love, they slept again. In her dreams, she joined her mother at the dining table in the mansion of her childhood. Daria Agrio was young and beautiful. Her hair shimmered with jewels and her robe was woven of a silk so delicate her nipples appeared rosily through the thin fabric. At her side appeared a series of suitors. As each left, he kissed Daria’s pale cheek, picked up the small gold scissors on the table before her and snipped off a lock of hair bearing a jewel or a thread of silk from her robe. Her mother appeared not to notice. In the dream, Ilyria was seated at the far end of the table, unable to move or speak. She watched helplessly as Daria was stripped of her fine robe and all her jewels, her beautiful hair shorn, and still the suitors appeared. One of the suitors finally noticed Ilyria and walked toward her, his smile stretching across his mouth, wider and wider until it see
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