Spears of the Lel'ult Series

Azzah and her spear-sister Reem have never lost. Whether against human or animal, they are better than all opponents. But while protecting the house of their leader, the unthinkable happens. An ambush destroys them. Separated from her spear-sister, having failed her Lel'ul, Azzah no longer has purpose. The two women were better than everyone else and this loss has devastated her. Injured and wandering alone, Azzah meets an Unclean girl with dreams of the north - a paradise from her bedtime stories. While most Unclean are disgusting, thoughtless troublemakers, Azzah cannot turn a blind eye to Talei. The girl does not know how to fight against wild animals, let alone those taking part in the Cleansing meant to eradicate the Unclean from the lands south of the Arch. And even in her current state, Azzah is still a warrior. It is not Azzah's problem, but it is a purpose. It does not matter if Azzah fails an Unclean. Azzah doesn't like to fail though. She likes being better.

Talei has agreed to become the Emperor's sole heir, the Lel'ult. To better the relations between her father's and her mother's people. But when she comes of age, Talei must take part in two traditions. During the first, she kills an assassin who interrupts her hunt. Yigdu tradition insists Talei be guided by the ancestors to learn more about herself, alone. As the last heir, she cannot, and must bring her three closest spears: the spear-siblings, Lebna and Lulu, and her most avid protector, the deeply scarred Adanech. They watch out for those angry Talei is of Yigdu descent, while Talei struggles to see where the ancestors guide her. She struggles between her position as a leader and a woman, as well as a past that taught her to be quiet to protect herself. Her people aren't all glad to see her and Talei wonders what she's been doing the last couple years. Despite not following the tradition to the letter, Talei hopes she will discover herself. Whether she was meant to be Lel'ult at all. So she has to be better.

Lebna and his spear-sister Lulu are two of the Lel'ult Talei's most trusted spears. Talei takes them with her to witness a union of two women - one of them Yigdu. But to make sure this union goes smoothly, Talei leaves Lebna and Lulu in charge in Badjeba. And they wait for the return of their Lel'ult from Masiwava. Of course, everything must go wrong. Masiwava send people to try to chase away the Yigdu in Badjeba. Lebna learns of an illness the Yigdu experience here by the desert, which requires certain medicine to combat. Medicine Masiwava does much to make sure they cannot have. Then, one night, the Yigdu bride disappears into the desert. Lebna and Lulu struggle to determine what the right course of action is, as their Lel'ult trusted them with the safety of all Badjeba. All the while, Lebna dreams of his dead lover, long after he had thought himself accepting of her loss. Lebna hasn't been a warrior for long. He must find a way to fight better.

Lulu, Lebna, Adanech, and the Lel'ult Talei head to the east, searching for the fourth of the handed beasts. The coast is Lulu's childhood and she is excited to return and to find what the last beast is. But there she meets Negasi, a Yigdu she does not remember.   He remembers her though. She was there during the Cleansing and is the reason he is alone.   Lulu isn't the type to dwell, which is why coming face to face with a life she has ruined catches her off guard. She wishes to prove she isn't the same foolish spear who followed the traitor Masozi, but Negasi refuses to give her that opportunity. Others, including Lebna, think she should leave well enough alone. But as Yigdu assassins who refuse Talei as Lel'ult close in, Lulu doesn't have the time to consider how she is right or wrong. And this cuts deep when it never had before. Atoning is bigger than herself, Lulu doesn't want anyone to think Talei's bid for peace is wrong.   Lulu regrets ever having followed Masozi.   So she must prove herself better.