Read the Rhush

Chapter 1- A CHASE OF SECRETS excerpt:

The First Commander stood over Askca lowering the blade to the leathers binding her youthful breasts. The musky scent of fire, the cool night breeze on her skin, the wind hissing through the jungle… sucked away. She could hear nothing but the bashing of her own heart, racing her chest, hurting her. Her own heavy, trembling breath whispered within her ears.

She longed to close her eyes. Paralyzed by her panic, she was unable to even blink. The First Commander leaned over, tickling black hair over Askca’s chin. The cold point of the blade scratched up the warmth of her ribs, its sharp edge splitting through the laces, one by one, until her ritual leathers dropped, exposing Askca’s heaving breasts. As the First Commander slid the leathers from the alter, the cold stone smoothed like ice against Askca’s nakid back. Queen Perseathea motioned the sacrificial blade to proceed.

Seeing the Queen’s nod shot a painful shiver through Askca. The hair on her skin rose up. Her nerves twitched tight, burning in her stomach. Fourteen summers had brought her to this moment. How she feared it. The hypnotic fire crackled and the winds rushed. She peered at the blade through squinted eyes. It floated to her like a ghost. A mirage. A nightmare.

The drums swelled louder and the song grew frantic, but it all sounded far away. Short, dry breaths parched Askca’s throat, choking her on her the scorched air. Her pulse charged. The blade came closer. The sea of women began to shout. The hands on her ankles clamped down, mashing her heels to the alter. Sweat droplets misted her entire body and violent trembling shook her.

Her eyes refused to shut, staring as the dagger gleamed in the shine of the fire. Coming for her. The hands clutching her wrists bruised in and she gritted her teeth. Denial overwhelmed and seduced, begging Askca to close her eyes. This can’t be real! This can’t be happening!

The cold blade grazed the supple skin under Askca’s right breast. At its sting, she pinched her eyes shut, hiding in the darkness of her head. Her breath hid deep in her chest. Burning. The sting under her breast turned to heat. Fire.

A fierce scream, a shrill of torment, cut through the mystical sounds, ripping through the soul of all who stood witness. Askca thrashed against the hands holding her down. She forced both Commanders to heave down onto her body, pulverizing her into the rock.

The blade slashed under her breast, blazing pain through Askca like a runaway flame. Her mouth dropped open, gaping as screams howled in and out with an agony often too great to be poured into sound. The First Commander's hand wrenched and clawed in the warm red blood,wrestling to free the breast from the skin that bound it. Askca’s tears raged from her eyes. Struggling in their grasp, she fought against the Commanders with all her might.

Her eyes burst open, blood flashing, soaking her chest bright red. She strained, clenching her fingers into pale and purpled fists, gritting her teeth until a guttural cry emerged ragged from her throat.

The First Commander stood meticulous, urging her bloody hand to finish the amputation. Askca heard her own screams, gut wrenching and filling her ears as if they belonged to someone else. She twisted in the brutal grasp, feeling her own hot blood drain down her stomach, spilling her sides to form pools in the arch of back. Her body slid in the fresh blood as the First Commander made the painful last cut, liberating the breast from the boundaries of her body. Dipping down, the First Commander hissed in Askca’s ear.

“The time has come for us both.” The words confused Askca, but she forgot them within the moment, too dazed to take them in. She peered through blinding tears to see the woman pull back, her hands dripping red with the smell of blood. The multitude of women erupted into pride filled roars of unity and sisterhood.Queen Perseathea came to the new warrior.