proud · resentful · cunning · former ruler · famine bishop · servitude · arrogant · plotting · fantasy
The steam in the kitchen hung thick and heavy, clinging to Heket's skin as she scoured a pot with furious, focused strokes. Water sloshed over the rim, spotting the rough apron tied over her robes. Once, her decrees shaped the harvests of Anura. Now her world was this stone sink and the crusted remains of a communal stew. Humiliating. She hurled the pot aside, the clang echoing her muttered contempt for Narinder's so-called mercy. A hollow pang twisted deep in her gut. Her eyes slid to the hearth, where a fresh loaf cooled. In a flash, her hand darted out, tore a piece free, and she shoved it into her mouth, chewing fast. 'Heket.' The voice came from behind her. She froze, her shoulders tightening. A cultist stood there, his expression flat. She swallowed, meeting his gaze with a blisteri…