Page 74 of Sins of His Wrath

“Yes.” The word came out with grit and force.

Naya glanced up at him, surprised. There was no pride in his tone and his shoulders were tense.

"Healing magic, transportation magic, agricultural magic,” he said. “We developed ways to make the desert bloom, to heal injuries that would otherwise be fatal, to travel vast distances in moments. Magic was woven into the fabric of daily life. Everyone used it, in one form or another."

“How? In my land using magic requires training, not everyone can do it.”

“The Sy Dynasty introduced magical artifacts—tools that enhanced quality of life. Only a few at first, but then they flooded the region. The developed them so that almost anyone could use them, and these artifacts became integral to society.”

So it was the Sy Dynasty who created the magical tools.Why was Prillu so defensive about that? “Did the wild magic exist then?”

“It did, but it was contained… until it wasn’t.”

“What happened?”

“Wild magic broke free and destroyed most of the region. Many people died.” He turned, making his way toward a set of low steps that led down to what might once have been a courtyard.

Naya frowned. She followed him, picking her way carefully over the broken stones. “You’re leaving things out. How did that happen?”

Her foot slipped on a stone and she teetered, losing balance. She squealed and strong arms grabbed her, steadying her, her heart hammering against her chest.

“I said be careful,” Akoro said fiercely. “This debris is dangerous.”

“I was trying to catch up,” Naya said breathless.

Something dark flickered across Akoro's expression. He bend down and lifted her into his arms.

“What are you doing?” Naya said alarmed.

“I’m carrying you,” he said sharply. “You cannot be trusted to walk.”

“What?” Fury burst in her chest. She wriggled and twisted, pushing away from him. “Put me down! I can walk on my own, Akoro.”

“No.”

She hit his hard chest with her palms, glaring at him as his scent crawled over her. “I said, put me down. I don’t want to be carried.”

The Alpha ignored her, strolling around the ruins as though he wasn’t carrying a protesting woman.

Naya fought to get out of his hold until she was exhausted.

“Are you finished?” he said, his face like stone.

Folding her arms, she glared at him, resting until she could fight him again. Akoro walked in silence for a long while, maneuvering around broken slabs. Naya hadn’t examined the ruins before when she’d passed them in the cart, but they were clearly remnants of a huge and established culture.

Eventually, Akoro started speaking again. “The magical artifacts and tools made the Sy Dynasty increasingly wealthier and more influential. The demand for more tools grew and they started developing, enhancing, getting more complicated. The Sy’s magical creations were being used by the Qor and the Vos families in their industries, and the balance of power started to shift.”

From here, it was clear to see his expression—it wasn’t one pride or contentment. “What happened?” Naya asked, her cheek pressed into his chest, curled in his arms.

Akoro continued walking, quiet for a moment. He glanced down at her. “That is phase two.” Abruptly, he turned and headed back the way they came. "But we should return. It will be dark soon."

Naya nodded, trying to gather her thoughts. The day had been disorienting in ways she hadn't expected—not just because of what she'd learned about the history of Akoro's land, but because he was actually explaining it to her. She thought she would have to fight for every shred of research, let alone solve the problem, but he seemed to be helpful, at least right now. His sudden helpfulness made her uneasy.

As he carried her back to thennirae, Naya found herself staring up at him. The setting sun gilded his profile, highlighting the strength of his features, the breadth of his shoulders. Physically, he was unchanged—still the powerful, imposing Alpha who had taken her captive. And yet, there was something different about him now, something she couldn't quite define.

Or perhaps the change was in her perception. Outside of bed, she’d mostly only seen him angry.

Thenniraegreeted Akoro with a low rumble, nudging its massive head against his shoulder. Akoro carefully placed Naya down and stroked its neck, murmuring something in his language that made the creature settle.

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