maya 2

“never been one of those people who seemed to court good luck wherever they went—but she certainly couldn’t complain of chronic misfortune, either. Well, except for the past few months, during which everything that had been dearly important to her had almost entirely vanished. Taking her grandfather’s advice, Anna turned her head toward the sky. Clouds were”
― Catherine Shepherd, Fatal Puzzle

“door swung open and banged against the wall. A fat, balding guard with dozens of gold earrings glanced at them with an expression like he’d rather be home sleeping. His meaty hands held twin short swords, sheaths strapped across his bare chest.  “Keep quiet and follow close… You won’t like the alternative.” They followed”
― John Forrester, Fire Mage

“to itself, is arid, wind-swept, and unproductive. The land is flat and river-made, and therefore has no minerals whatever and almost no stone. Except for the huge reeds in the marshes, it had no trees for timber. Here, then, was a region with "the hand of God against it," an unpromising land seemingly doomed to poverty and desolation. But the people that inhabited it, the Sumerians, as they came to be known by”
― Samuel Noah Kramer, The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character

“close your eyes. The stars will tell you a story. Their soft gleam will embrace and comfort you and lead you confidently toward your goals.” Wandering through the streets of the small medieval town of Zons on a frigid winter’s evening, Anna smiled as she remembered her grandfather’s words. Although the icy air made her shiver, she sat down on one of the many benches along the bank of the Rhine. She thought about following her grandfather’s advice, and”
― Catherine Shepherd, Fatal Puzzle