Babylonia

The women in the kitchens have their own secret map of the city. They know who is dying and who is lying before the nobles do.

“If they see only a face, they will never see the blade.”

Shammuramat proves that beauty is a weapon people use against you. She decides to pick up that weapon and use it back.

“They fear what they cannot name.”

Tradition is usually just a cage built by old men. Breaking out of it requires a specific kind of ruthlessness.

“At the summit, there is only the wind and the gods.”

The climb to the top of the ziggurat is a metaphor for her whole life. The higher you go, the thinner the air becomes.