Page 23 of Sins of His Wrath

“Are you hurt?” Azarn asked softly. Naya’s heart melted at his wide brown eyes. Although Azarn was as big as Drocan, he wasn’t as forceful. He was more thoughtful, and as a result developed a sharp, cunning side as they were growing up.

Idaya elbowed him, scowling. “Of course she’s hurt. Look at her face.”

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Naya said, slowly sitting up.

Drocan got up first and the other two followed, crowding around her bed before climbing onto it and hugging her all at the same time.

“We missed you so much,” Azarn mumbled into her shoulder.

“I missed you all, too.” Naya forced herself to swallow the tears building. “I thought about you all, a lot.”

Drocan’s brow was raised when he pulled back. “Did you kill whoever did that to you?”

“I will,” Naya said. “I’m just so glad to see you all.”

They settled around her on the bed.

“Is it true we’re about to be invaded?” Idaya asked. The question was casual, but as fierce and brave and opinionated as Idaya was, but Naya could hear the edge of concern in her voice.

“We are, but you don’t need to worry, Idi.” She patted her hand. “You’ll be safe.” But even as she said the words, Papa’s warning came back to her…“Warriors will die. Citizens will die, palace staff will die, and possibly some of us in this room, too.”Although she’d told Papa she was prepared for it, the idea of losing any of her family horrified her. She pushed the thought out of her mind.

“What was it like there?” Azarn asked, his curious mind getting the better of him.

“It’s very different.” Naya thought for a moment. “It was like being in a completely different world. Their weather is different. It’s their day when it’s our night. The clothes and the city and the food is all different. I think you’d all find it fascinating.”

“Not if they’re our enemies,” Drocan said sharply.

Naya inclined her head. “So we can’t learn from our enemies?” Strangely enough, the raw edge of anger she’d felt yesterday had softened. Maybe it was seeing her siblings, or getting proper sleep, but her rested mind felt light and abuzz with new thoughts. Her conversation with Mama had felt annoying and heavy and burdensome before she’d gone to sleep, but now she was rested, she needed to think properly about what Mama had said.

“Did you see their army?” Drocan asked.

“No, but I heard they’re big—and their leader is….” Naya swallowed. “He fights well.”

“How do you know?” he shot back at her.

“I sparred with him.”

Drocan scowled. “They can’t be better than the Lox.”

An uneasiness squirmed in Naya’s stomach. “They’re bigger. Sometimes that‘s enough.”

A new voice came from the outer door. “Naya, are you awake?”

“In here, Aunt Vic,” Naya called.

“Everyone wants to see you,” Idaya explained. “But we told them we have to see you first. Mama left us in charge.”

“And they didn’t give us much time,” Drocan said, annoyed.

“Oh, you’re up.” Auntie Vic arrived in the doorway with her children behind her. The three girls peered around their mama with wide eyes. “Sorry to interrupt,” she said apologetically. “The girls kept pestering me to come and see if you were awake.”

Naya laughed, her heart warm and happy. She waved them inside. “Join us, Auntie Vic. There’s always space for you and our terrible cousins.”

For the next half hour, it was like nothing had changed in six years. Drocan scowled, Idaya rolled her eyes, and their mischievous little cousins laughed and teased everyone while Auntie Vic oversaw their reunion. This time, she fussed over Naya’s wound and tried, unsuccessfully, to steer the conversation away from the war. Even so, it felt like they were young again when they all used to pile into her room on national holidays and make plans of chaos for the day.

An undercurrent of urgency flowed through her time with her siblings and cousins, but it didn’t feel as raw as yesterday. Mama was right—if she didn’t spend time with family now, when would she?

After about an hour, Auntie Vic ushered everyone out and left Naya and Drocan to talk. Naya filled him in on the strategy plans and some of her conversation about the plans with Mama.

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