Azeel Sanchez is a former enslaved woman and associate of Lord John's.
Personal History[]
Azeel was brought on a slave ship from Africa as a small child. She was extremely traumatized by this experience. Thereafter, she resided in Jamaica as an enslaved woman and was eventually hired or purchased to work in the governor's house as a maid.
Events of the Novels[]
"A Plague of Zombies"[]
Azeel is a young woman enslaved at the King's House, the governor's residence of Jamaica. She is working as a maid for the current governor, Derwent Warren. While working for him, the governor sexually assaulted her. Azeel fled the house for a settlement of maroons led by Captain Accompong. She also sought out an Obeah, who went to the governor's house and cursed him with a plague of snakes, because "the snake is wisdom, and [the governor] had none."
However, when she told another servant at the governor's house, Rodrigo, he was angry and called on another man, a houngan named Ishmael, to create "zombies" to kill the governor in revenge for his actions toward Azeel.
Rodrigo and the zombies murder the governor, but the maroons are angry at Rodrigo's actions, as he has engaged in unclean practices as well as put them in danger of persecution by the colonial authorities. As punishment, the maroons paid Ismael to turn Rodrigo himself into a zombie.
Lord John Grey arrives at the settlement to negotiate the return of Rodrigo and several men recently kidnapped by the maroons. Captain Accompong calls on Azeel to tell her side of the story to John, which she does. John is disturbed by Rodrigo's "zombie" state — sluggish, non-verbal, and smelling strongly like death — but asks Azeel to take care of him and nurse him back to health, to which she agrees. After more negotiation, John is allowed to leave with his men and Rodrigo, and Azeel accompanies them.
"Besieged"[]
Azeel has been nursing Rodrigo back to health for the past year, while working as Lord John's housekeeper. She and Rodrigo have married in King's Town and she has taken Rodrigo's surname, now going by Azeel Sanchez. John has also had her manumitted from slavery. Rodrigo is significantly healthier, but Azeel still helps him by translating English into his native Spanish for him, since his English has not fully returned since his time as a zombie.
John tells Azeel and Rodrigo that he intends to go to Cuba to evacuate his mother before the upcoming siege of Spanish-controlled Havana by the English officially begins. He offers them the choice between accompanying him to Cuba, where they might encounter some danger, or if they prefer, he will give them money for passage to the American colonies where he will provide for them there. Azeel wordlessly discusses this with Rodrigo and tells John that they will go with him to Cuba.
When they arrive in Cuba, Azeel and Rodrigo tell the Spanish officers that John is visiting his sick mother, and they allow him to pass. Azeel and Rodrigo accompany John to visit his mother Benedicta Stanley at Casa Hechevarria, and then carry a note from John to Casa Valdez where John's cousin Olivia Stubbs and her children are staying. However, when they arrive, they find that members of the house have yellow fever. On their way back to inform John, they encounter John's mother Benedicta who is rushing to be with Olivia Casa Valdez after receiving news of the yellow fever from another source.
When Azeel and Rodrigo return, they accompany John to speak to some of the Spanish-speaking enslaved residents of two local plantations, who are restless to rebel but to whom John has promised official freedom in exchange for their help sabotaging the Spanish defenses on the island, in order to increase the success of the planned English siege. Azeel acts as translator for Lord John's message as well as Rodrigo's story of his time as a zombie and helps negotiate the terms of the men's help.
Azeel remains with Benedicta while John and the men pursue their mission. Upon John's return, she, Rodrigo, and John's family evacuate Havana.
Personality[]
Physical Appearance[]
Azeel is somewhat petite but well-proportioned with a queen-like bearing. She is very attractive, with dark eyes.