The Moon Hunters by Anya Pavelle

Author:Anya Pavelle [Pavelle, Anya]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781949964158
Publisher: Chandra Press
Published: 2019-09-02T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

What is impurity but the betrayal of vows to one’s self, one’s family, or one’s community? Lillian Ani’s initial betrayal was to her first husband when she had an affair with Gerald Ani, her new costar. She also broke a sacred vow when she left Gerald, who was by then her second husband, and her children. Lillian Ani was impure, and Lehom smote her for it by forever isolating her from her family. She exists in the netherworld now as an angry ghost who roams the jungle at night. You’ll hear her tortured breathing if you venture among the trees after the sun sets. Women must model themselves after the Ethereal Queen in order to avoid the fate of Lillian Ani. Sisters of Lehom, be tempted not by the impurities of the world. Impurity of thought or of action, for both are equally horrible.

-The Book of Lehom

~~~

Golden morning light streamed in through the circular window Deanne had called a “porthole.” The doctor placed a fresh cup of coffee and a plate containing scrambled eggs, a meat called bacon that comes from a pig, and a few pieces of strange looking fruit in front of me. My stomach rumbled, so I inched my chair closer to her desk so I could partake of this delicious-smelling feast. She’d offered to take me to a place called a cafeteria to eat and speak her crew members, but I wanted to stay close to my husband in case he woke up. The only time I left him alone was when I took a brief shower in the adjacent bathing room. Thankfully, when I’d returned, he still slept.

“So, did your grandmother’s plan work?” Deanne asked.

I took a sip of coffee and let the warm liquid slide down my throat before answering. “Unfortunately, not. King Marit said all the virtues had to stay at the palace until he selected his concubines. He thought outside influences would corrupt us while he assessed our characters.”

The doctor balked at this. “What? He thought your grandmother would corrupt you? But you said her father was Lehom’s emissary.”

“I’ll explain more after I eat my breakfast,” I said, hungrily eyeing the food in front of me.

Deanne was as eager for information as I was for food, but that didn’t excuse her impatience. I’d told her above my move to the palace and my confrontation with Dirmisu as soon as I woke up, but I wasn’t about to relay the next part before I finished eating, especially not with blood on the menu. In response to my firm, steely expression, the doctor gave me a sheepish grin and nodded. “Of course. Forgive me.”

Forgiveness is a funny thing. People beg for it for the tiniest of things, offenses forgotten in the blink of an eye. But those who cause genuine harm? It often takes them longer to realize the damage their errors cause, if they come to that realization at all. I pondered that truth as I finished my plate of food.

***

Because my

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