Beneath Ceaseless Skies #461, July 9, 2026

“They Rob the Hybla Bees” by Louis Morris

“The Teahouse” by Prashanth Srivatsa

Reviewed by Budd Trippet

As usual, this issue has two stories.

“They Rob the Hybla Bees” by Louis Morris is a story with allusions to Greek mythology set in a parallel dimension to Earth in the Roman era. The central character, Melissa, owns a restaurant. The reference to The Sword of Damocles is the ever-present threat of extortion by a criminal mob. The characters reference Pythagoras or Archimedes in their belief systems. Melissa has hired an arsonist to burn down the restaurant to get out from under the mob threat and to cover up bribery to a corrupt policeman. Clever dialog and plot.

“The Teahouse” by Prashanth Srivatsa is a story steeped in atmosphere, just as the teas that are brewed and served to all passers by. The main character, Poonji, is a young woman of years but her sensitivity and precise care in her brewing and serving of the various teas reveals her to be a master of the craft. The prose is evocative and beautiful. The reader can feel the emotional undercurrents between Poonji and her grandmother Aachi. The mood of the story lingers after it is finished.