Podcastle, Episode 910 for Tuesday the 23rd of September 2025.

Tusker Blue by Lalany-Shanela Ranaraja, read by Shvetta Adyam, produced by Eric Valdez,

and rated PG-13 with content warnings for animal cruelty, blood, and suicide.

Good morning. Good morning. good day, good afternoon, and good evening, and welcome to Podcastle, the flying castle of fantasy fiction.

I'm your host for this episode, Eric Valdez, and it is my privilege to present for your enjoyment.

Tusker Blue by Lalanie Shanela Ranaraja, and read by Shveta Adyam.

This story was previously published in Strange Horizons, August 15th, 2022.

Before we begin, it is also my duty to briefly remind you that, starting in October,

escape artists will indeed

be running brief, tasteful advertisements at the beginning and ends of our episodes to help

safeguard our future as a group of publications by and for human beings committed to one

story told well, free of charge.

But fret not those of us who are categorically affronted by the traditional capitalist

attention market, our patrons have access to an exclusive feed that will remain ad-free.

And if you are not currently subscribed, getting in before October 1st guarantees that you get grandparented in to our historic rate of $5 a month forever.

The price for new subs will increase to $7 on the 1st of October, which I think is our first

rate hike ever?

If I'm wrong about that, dear supporters, please gently roast me over on the Escape Artist Discord

server that you also have access to?

And thank you, as ever, for keeping the fortifications flying and the dragon from getting

too hungry.

Lallini Chanel Rana Raja writes about imperfect lives, best beloveds, and luminous worlds.

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