Essien of Alkebulan
2 primary works
Book 1
What would the world be like if Africa had never been colonized—and if the transatlantic slave trade had never happened?
The only daughter among five brothers, Essien was raised in a village where women are bred to tend to their husbands and bear children. One night, after she is led by akukoifo—mythical beings of Alkebulan folklore—to a fabled river, Essien emerges from the waters with superhuman abilities: hands that burn with the flames they contain, and the strength to overpower any of the men around her.
Unsure of what this newfound power means, Essien returns to an unfamiliar world a changed woman. And when militant rebels destroy her father’s fields, leaving him crippled for life, Essien is left with no choice but to defy the social conventions of her upbringing and become the first woman to enlist in Alkebulan’s formidable military. Without the presence of her family and friends, surrounded by fellow soldiers who want her dead and powerful forces that seek to manipulate Essien’s inner magic for evil, Essien must learn to control and harness her new powers, even as she fights her destiny to become her country’s long-awaited goddess. But not everything is as it seems. Will Essien step into her destiny as Goddess of Alkebulan, or will she make a decision that will alter the course of Alkebulan history forever?
Fueled by ancestral magic and the power of gods on earth, Descendants of Fire & Water is the thrilling first book in the powerful new Essien of Alkebulan series.
Book 2
Essien of Alkebulan returns in this gripping sequel to Descendants of Fire & Water.
Rescued from the clutches of President Gabriel by Enyemaka, Essien flees into the wilderness of Alkebulan, finding herself amongst a group of rebels who seek to dismantle the very regime she used to serve. She quickly becomes a reluctant participant of the rebel cause, desperate to gain control over the flames that threaten to overwhelm her, only to discover she’s simply traded one captivity for another.
Determined not to be caged, she goes on the run from both the rebels and the President. But Gabriel cannot be so easily shaken, nor ignored. Using Enyemaka as leverage, Gabriel convinces Essien to return to him, this time bonded, to fulfill the Mothers’ prophecy of the pair ruling Alkebulan together. But first, Essien must convince all of Alkebulan to crown her Queen. As the pressures of the campaign and Gabriel’s desire threaten to break her, Essien must decide what pieces of herself she’s willing to sacrifice for the good of her people.
Seductive and disturbing, Wielders of Floods & Flames takes readers on a journey of captivity, resistance, and reclamation.