Backwards on the Way: Akahana, #2

By Blaze Ward

The god disguised as a goldfish doesn't command. Still, Akahana knows better than to refuse his "requests", especially to help a pair of lovebug crabs.

Even if it might turn out to be the greatest risk she will ever face.

"Backwards on the Way"--the second of your favorite militant lesbian tree octopus sorceress tales--presents love in all its varied splendor.

Make sure you have also read "The Eight Petaled Rose" and "Whimsical Beasts" for Akahana's crazy further adventures.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Knotted Road Press
• Release date: Mar 13, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386867739

Blaze Ward

Blaze Ward writes science fiction in the Alexandria Station universe (Jessica Keller, The Science Officer,  The Story Road, etc.) as well as several other science fiction universes, such as Star Dragon, the Dominion, and more. He also writes odd bits of high fantasy with swords and orcs. In addition, he is the Editor and Publisher of Boundary Shock Quarterly Magazine. You can find out more at his website www.blazeward.com, as well as Facebook, Goodreads, and other places. Blaze's works are available as ebooks, paper, and audio, and can be found at a variety of online vendors. His newsletter comes out regularly, and you can also follow his blog on his website. He really enjoys interacting with fans, and looks forward to any and all questions—even ones about his books!

Book preview

Backwards on the Way

Backwards on the Way

Akahana 2

Blaze Ward

Knotted Road Press, Inc.

Backwards on the Way

Last night, Akahana had walked her way up the tree that was her current home, tucked her mantle into a perfectly-shaped notch, set the camouflage patterns in her skin to a mottled gray-brown, and gone to sleep, with all eight of her arms tucked quietly in at the entrance in case something was stupid enough to get too close.

(I’m a medusa! Behave yourself.)

This morning, she found a simple scroll rolled up and resting perfectly balanced on a nearby branch. It had not been there six hours ago, and nobody had stepped on the branch.

Akahana knew the goldfish god would never command it in so many words, but she still treated the message it contained as a summons.

She had reached out one flexible arm and drawn the roll of paper back to her intimate, warm salon, using four more arms to open it and hold it just right in the first rising daylight. The paper tasted of happy magic, as if the scribe had infused it with vanilla and cinnamon as he wrote.

Eggnog paper, from the wizard’s shop that always tasted the same way.

Akahana doubted that Monty, the owner/wizard, had actually written the note. Well, maybe not doubted. She was unsure and unwilling to comment. Nobody understood they relationship between wizard and goldfish. Which was the familiar and which was the wizard?

There was no doubt in her mind, however, that the message originated from the being that inhabited a large brandy snifter that commonly resided on one of Monty’s display case. Visitors might mistake him for a small goldfish, but Akahana wasn’t deceived.

The goldfish was a god.

And the message, for all the vagueness, was indeed a summons.

No, a commission. Yes. The piscine demigod had always treated her fairly and traded well for her services as a thief.

If you are of a mind, there are deeds awaiting…

It was signed with a particularly complicated sigil at the bottom, where a human might have left their name, but again, she was not fooled. Akahana never considered how she ranked as a sorceress, especially against the human ones, but she recognized the magic bound into the symbol, the gate she could open with it, just by pushing.

She did not even bristle that the demigod summoning her to adventures was a male.

Granted, most of them were obnoxious fools that only thought with their reproductive organs, but he had identified her as a unicorn rider and helped her embrace her power and her immortality. (What if I don’t want to live forever? Then you are an even worse fool that normal. Hush.)

Akahana rippled all her muscles to emerge from her little den and looked around as the sun was just starting to gray the eastern sky. It was