I wrap my loins and pin a strip in place. From our chest, I lift out linen strips: light blue today like the sky. It has to be from last night, when I was holding my new-born niece, and not looking where I was walking. I tie my sandals, and notice there's a scuff on one heel. I think the day promises to be warmer than yesterday. In our courtyard, the shadow of the eastern wall covers everything, except our water charm at the tip of its reed pole. My husband lies still, and his snore is restarting. At the curtain, I bunch the beads together so they won't rustle. I scoop up sandals and balance my charm box in the crook of an arm.

Don't worry.' The bed creaks as it loses my weight. I lean over him, and find a stubble-free patch of cheek to kiss. A short-story of fate and destiny from the Lands of the Sweet Waters. But to make it hers, Emily must challenge fate. For Emily desires a gift more precious than charms, and more valuable than silver. Description: Another Side of Destiny Emily has a secret she dare not tell her husband, one she won't even confide to the shades of her parents. It’s been lovely to be able to do this decipherment, and even lovelier to found what I’ve found. I live quietly, with my partner and cat, in a small village you’ll never have heard of.Īfter my studies, I didn’t really think I’d ever have chance to do work on languages again. I’m a linguist, by training, with a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics and a fascination for the older languages: Sumerian, Akkadian (Assyrian and Babylonian), which means I teach kids for a living, because of course there are no jobs in ancient linguistics… smiles. It’s the stories of people’s lives that matter.

[Excerpt from the prologue of the Secret History of the Lands of the Sweet Waters, I don’t want to say too much about myself. After my studies, I didn’t really think I’d ever have chance to do work on languages again. I live quietly, with my partner and cat, in a small village you’ll never have heard of. I don’t want to say too much about myself.

Another Side of Destiny by Harper Peace