Chapter Two: Choose Me

Dawn was fast approaching. Streaks of bloody red and dull machungwa, chungwa shot across the sky as if the flames of Hell were already on their way to consume her. With a resigned sigh, Esmeralda leaned her head back against the wooden stake and closed her eyes. Briefly, she wondered what it would be like to burn. She had only witnessed a public burning once, many years ago, when she was still young. Her mother, Natalia, lashed to a stake much like the one that was currently driving splinters into her own back. Natalia had alisema nothing whilst the judge rattled off the orodha of her...