The Guardian of Cahokia - Paperback

by Douglas L. Gifford (Author)

In 1175 AD, at the height of its power, the great Mississippian metropolis of Cahokia stands as the largest city north of Mexico-a place of towering mounds, sacred temples, powerful priesthoods, and restless political ambition. Walking Stick is a middle-aged merchant who wants nothing more than a quiet life among Cahokia's markets and his copper workshop. But when a series of brutal murders shatters the immigrant communities north of the city, he is summoned by Muskrat Waits, Cahokia's cunning and enigmatic Minister of Security. The victims' families refuse to trust the authorities, yet they are willing to speak with Walking Stick, a man who is clever but not threatening. Reluctantly, Walking Stick accepts the task of uncovering the truth. He is joined by War Captain Spotted Lynx, a feared and disciplined commander; Gray Crane, a young priest from the Emerald Acropolis; and Green Heron, a skilled guide and translator who knows the countryside beyond the city. As the investigation deepens, the trail grows darker. The murders appear to implicate Cahokia's own Warriors. A blood-stained farming hoe becomes the first tangible clue, suggesting that one of the killers was wounded by a victim. Fear spreads through the immigrant districts as families abandon their homes, convinced that no one is safe. Caught between political intrigue, religious fanaticism, and growing unrest, Walking Stick finds himself questioning everyone around him-his allies, his protectors, and even the man who set him on the path. In a city where power flows from the Sun King to the temples and secrecy is a weapon, the truth may be more dangerous than the murders themselves. Set against the richly imagined world of Mississippian North America, The Guardian of Cahokia is a historical mystery of politics, faith, loyalty, and courage in one of the greatest cities of the ancient world.