Page 65 of Sins of His Wrath

Naya didn’t even bother to look at him.

“Nanaek Unn of the ssukku?rian,” Prillu continued, indicating the administrator, “manages our treasury and administrative affairs.” Nanaek had a stern look to her, with narrow, watchful eyes and a set mouth. Her sharp eyes assessed Naya without warmth.

Prillu gestured to the man at the table. “Ranin Tol of the ssukku?rian oversees our ritual and cultural law and policy.”

Naya remembered him from the meetings with the council, though she’d only met him and Nanaek once. Although gray streaked from coiled hair at his temples, his black skin was glossy with no sign of a man older than thirty. He usually had a calm expression. Today, his eyes held a calculating watchfulness that made her skin prickle.

“Tshel Nekku of the Enru.” Prillu’s hand indicated the red-robed woman, who still watched Naya thoughtfully. “She is a Hearer for the Sy Dynasty and can guide on the Voices of the Sands.”

Naya squinted at her. Maybe that was some sort of religion.

“And Oppo Sy of the Sy Dynasty. He specializes in healing and medicine,” Prillu finished, nodding toward Oppo who smiled, though his enthusiasm was somewhat muted now.

“And I’m Prillu O?llehh,” she added, “I have some knowledge of all these areas to better represent the Sy Dynasty’s interests inside and out of the region, and in trade and negotiations.”

Naya nodded again, looking around the room as she considered carefully. She didn’t need Nrommo, and he probably wouldn’t be pleasant to deal with. He’d been annoying when she was first here, no doubt he would get in the way now. But the treasurer was also hostile, and the policy maker seemed calculating. She needed allies, or at least people who wouldn’t actively work against her.

She made her decision quickly. “I’ll need Tshel, Oppo, Ranin, and yourself. The others may go, but I might need them later.”

The council stilled for a moment, relief flashing across some of their faces, then Nrommo bowed stiffly to Akoro and strode from the room, followed by Naneak.

Naya eyed who was left, a question rising to the forefront of her mind. “Why do you introduction yourself as sukk…”

“Ssukku?rian?” Priilu asked

Naya nodded.

“Ssukku?rian is the name for the people across this region. We include it in our introduction to make it clear that we are of the people. We don’t come from a Dynasty—” She gestured to Oppo. “—or the Enru.” She gestured to Tshel.

“Hm.” That was a surprise. The council had always held themselves like they were from powerful backgrounds. “There are other dynasties?” she asked.

Prillu hesitated. “That is tricky to explain, but historically, yes.” She walked to the door and gestured for Naya to follow. “Let’s go. The Archive is in a secure section of the palace.”

As they walked through the corridor, Naya sensed rather than saw Akoro fall into step behind her. She turned, finding him much closer than she’d expected. “You weren’t one of the people requested,” she said, keeping her voice low.

“No, I’m not.” Surprisingly there was amusement in his tone, and his eyes shone with a strange mirth. “I go where I please in my own palace,tmot zia.”

That name again—whatever it meant. The way he said it sent shivers down her spine. Naya forced herself to turn away from him. Whatever mood he was in now was one she hadn’t seen him in before. Maybe he was finding all of this pathetically humorous—a source of entertainment before leading up to enjoyment of her heat, but for Naya, this was her one lifeline. She resolved herself to ignore him and focused instead on following Prillu through a series of corridors.

Their small group moved deeper into the palace, down hallways Naya had never seen before. They entered a different wing of the palace, older with a subtle change to the architecture—the ceilings were higher, the decoration more austere. The air cooled and carried a distinct scent: woody, spicy, and smoky. Guards stood at intervals along the corridors, formally dressed and armed.

They descended a wide staircase carved directly into stone and reached a massive doorway guarded by four warriors wearing ceremonial armor that differed from the regular palace guards.

Naya tried not to gape at them. “Why are there so many guards here?”

“Our Archive is sacred,” Prillu explained. “These guards protect our history. Generations of knowledge lay beyond these doors.”

The guards straightened as the group approached, pressing fists to their chests in salute to Akoro.

When the guards stepped aside, the doors swung open revealing a vast chamber that took Naya’s breath away. The ceiling soared high overhead, supported by patterned columns. Shelves lined the walls, reaching from floor to ceiling, filled with scrolls, bound volumes, and tablets of stone and clay. The air was dry, stuffy and still, as though time had stopped here, but small, high windows were tucked into various areas around the room, allowing in enough sunlight to make it mellow and comfortable.

To the left stood a large stone table with smaller reading desks positioned throughout. Prillu walked into the room and stood next to the table, and turned her gaze to Naya. “How do you wish to begin?”

Naya inhaled deeply, a strange buoyancy rising her mood. The vast knowledge surrounding her both intimidated and thrilled her. Not only did it remind her of the Record’s Keep and the hours she spent studying her own history, but somewhere in this cavernous chamber lay answers that could save not only her people, but Akoro’s. She turned to the council members. They all looked wary, and a little uncomfortable. Still, she had to use them wisely if she was going to make the most out of the day.

“I’d like each of you to gather specific records,” Naya said finally, her voice echoing slightly in the vast space. “Tshel, bring the earliest accounts of magic manifestations in the desert. Oppo, I need medical records concerning those affected by wild magic. Ranin, gather documentation on previous Solution attempts. And Prillu, maps showing the progression of magical devastation over time.”

She paused. “Gather the materials and documents and sit along here.” She gestured to the left side of the table.

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