Empress of Mijak

Empress of Mijak (known as Empress in North America and the United Kingdom) is the first novel in the Godspeaker series by Karen Miller. It was published in 2007.

Plot summary
Hekat, the protagonist, is a girl-brat, born an unwanted burden to her family. Her father beats his wife and threatens to rape Hekat on the insistence that she should birth him more sons to plough the fields in the dry desert wasteland known as the savage north.

Hekat is sold to the slave traders Abajai and Yagji. Once sold, she begins her journey to the south, through the wealthier, greener Mijak, to reach the traders' home city of Et-Raklion. Along the way, Abajai teaches her how to speak courteous Mijaki, how to dress, and how to sing and dance, and keeps her away from the rest of the slaves. Hekat realizes too late that Abajai still sees her as just a slave who would fetch a good price from the warlord Raklion.

Heartbroken, Hekat vows to be a slave to no man. She escapes and joins Et-Raklion Warlord's warhost with the help of the nameless god.

Hekat's zealous devotion to the god fuels her every decision, placing her on a path no woman has before tread, chosen by the god.

Has Mijak seen anyone like Hekat before? I think it has not.