Blossom

By Yancy Ball

Keya Oko is the first daughter of one of the Great Houses in the fabled city of Namu. She is a scholar and priestess, living a cloistered life, protected even from the sun that would damage her albino skin. Then her brother disappears while on a quest to destroy a demonic cult. With the help of her fierce handmaid Jinai, Keya ventures into the mangrove swamps to rescue him.

What she finds in the swamp will spark her hidden passions, forcing her to question everything she has worked for. Even if she saves her brother, will she lose herself?

"A dark, sexy must-read title." - Recipient of the All The Filthy Details podcast's Star Recommendation!

While the Gods Slumber is an erotic fantasy adventure series about love and legacy in a world rich with beauty, danger and ancient lore. If you like erotica set in well-imagined worlds populated by multi-dimensional characters - human and otherwise - these might be the stories for you. But they are not for the faint of heart! They contain mythical creatures that crave human flesh, and graphic sexual situations.

This book includes a sample of Tales of Fabulous Namu.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Yancy Ball
• Release date: Nov 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005410810

Yancy Ball

As an amateur writer with a vastly overactive imagination, Yancy Ball has been writing sexy heroines into African-inspired fantasy realms for many years. During the day, Yancy enjoys cycling, martial arts, and conspiring to build a brighter future. Read Yancy’s Smashwords interview at https://www.smashwords.com/interview/yibala.

Book preview

Blossom

by Yancy Ball

Published by Yancy Ball

Copyright 2020

Smashwords Edition

Cover Art by The Illustrated Page Book Design

and Sleepy Fox Studios

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Stigma

Nectar

Bloom

Blossom

Pollen

About the Author

Other books by Yancy Ball

Order of books in the series

Sample of Tales of Fabulous Namu

Connect

Prologue

There are far more species of demons than have ever been named. The lack of thorough study remains the greatest threat infernals pose to the civilizations of mankind. – Preface to the Infernal Compilation of Lady Keya Oko, scribe and Magister-Aspirant, c. 3123 by the Ummran calendar.

Stigma

Ijon River Delta, Southern Ikanje State, Month of Forebears, 3125.

Mangroves hugged the shoreline, as far as I could see to the north and south. Exposed roots arced over the bay’s turquoise water like marching millipede legs. Beyond the trees stretched the vast Ijon River swamp.

Somewhere in that great morass, living or dead, was my brother.

Stay on the ship, Lady Keya, Jinai insisted. Her rough, scarred hands gripped the wooden rail of the trading ship as if she were strangling it. Let Musa lead some of the House guards. You will be safe here.

Jinai’s expression might have cut stone. Her pinched brow and black eyes would never be called pretty. Hers was the brutal elegance of a panther.

Not for the first time, I wondered whether there was actual affection behind that scowl. Did she truly care? Or as my paid protector, did she simply prefer that I not get myself killed?

My expression, as it always was, remained hidden behind a golden painted mask.

I looked homewards up the coastline, north beyond sight, to where the great city of Namu stood. "Mother has already sent a full cohort of askari here. They returned without Zahar."

Then how can you–

I am now the oldest child of House Oko, I interrupted. I am a trained adept to the Temple of Ascendants. I have studied Zahar’s expedition. I have studied the lore of this swamp. I am going to find him.

Seku’s crewmen finished loading the large canoe with our baskets and gifts. Then the stout merchant and a pair of his sailors climbed down the rope net into the boat, followed by Musa, with his massive hunting bow. Jinai descended nimbly, the slit in her white caftan flaunting an expanse of dark brown skin and lissome thighs.

I glanced at my gown. It was fashionable but unwieldy. A flowing scarlet confection of cotton and gold thread draped over my bangled wrists, concealing billowing breasts, and covering my sandaled feet. The dress showed as little skin as possible, hiding my pallor from both the sun and hateful eyes. I often wore gloves of eastern silk, even during the most humid days of the Month of Abundance.

The idea that these roughened seamen might get a glimpse of my milky pale legs was… unsettling.

Two Oko men offered to help me. I waved them away. I opted instead to perform an ungainly roll over the railing, to a chorus of gasps. As my sunburnt fingers grasped the rough palm fiber, I wondered if I was indeed taking this too far. Zahar was the brave explorer, the slayer of demons. I rarely left the dusty galleries of the Magisterium.

I clambered down the ship’s side and into the canoe. My descent resembled a tumble more than it did a climb, but I managed to settle gingerly onto a bench in the boat.

The two sailors rowed us towards the river mouth, past a half-submerged sandbar alive with the nests of zebra-striped plovers. A group of fishermen were just now venturing out to trade, long boats piled high with dried fish.

I took one last look at the double-masted dhow, and the six askari – House warriors – in red and gold battle harness that I was leaving behind. Askari were not going to find Zahar. When the cohort had come to the swamp, weeks before, they had rowed to the cluster of fishing villages where Zahar was last seen. I guessed that no locals were willing to speak truth to them out of fear.

I would take a different approach. Drawing in a deep breath of salt air, I took off my mask, baring pallid features to the harsh sun.

Musa and Jinai were veteran retainers of House Oko. They had seen what lay behind the mask. The lean archer smiled nervously at me. Jinai only scowled. Perched beside me, eyes like flint, she scanned the channel ahead.

Seku and his sailors tried not to stare. Having seen many such attempts, I judged their efforts harshly. Since there was shade here, I unwrapped my headdress, revealing straw-colored, wiry hair.

I felt naked. I shivered at the thought. I was vulnerable. I was free.

Everyone knew of the cursed first daughter of Oko. The albino with bone-hued skin and yellow hair. I stuffed the painted mask into my satchel and eased closer to the merchant, ignoring the spectacle I had caused.

I asked Seku about his trade with the locals. How often would he ply these waters, meeting boats with baskets of prawn and crab for the markets in Namu? What did it cost him? What prices did he offer the fishermen? The man, with his tufted beard and easy smile, seemed to sour a little with the questions.

But he answered nonetheless. House Oko was his most important buyer. I was the acting leader of the House.

The sailors rowed us down a watercourse as placid as blown glass, so narrow that it would be difficult to turn the boat. The shining backs of porpoises crested the surface ahead and in our wake. Storm-colored shorebirds passed overhead, far above. This was the estuary of the Ijon. The river formed the border of the Ikanje State with the Flamingo Coast to the south, and the Hill Kingdoms to the west.

The channel twisted and turned until the lateen sails of