Page 22 of Storms of His Wrath

Oshrun turned back toward the sunrise. “When the First Mother was coming and going from her land to ours, she created the gateway to make it easier to form the portal. She wanted to give Omegas of thessukkurianthe option to go to her land, meet the Omegas there, and have support. So she taught us all the Common Tongue. But the portal only worked when wild magic was contained and in the same manner your Omegas use magic. After the first wave, it wasn’t possible to use it that way anymore. So our founders and Kaharine worked together to create tools that repel wild magic. Kaharine helped install it in this canyon and used it to find and protect other Omegas that were still alive. Still, we feel that learning the Common Tongue, the language of the First Mother, is important to remember why Ilia was started, and to give us an advantage if we ever met an Omega from the Known Lands. You are the first.”

Naya pursed her lips in thought. Mother Freya hadn’t seemed to know anything about the Northern Lands when they spoke. So either Kaharine chose not to tell anyone back home about Tsashokra, or the Northern Lands as she might have called it back then, or she died before getting back home. “What happened to her?”

“She survived the second wave, but she didn’t return to the canyon.” Oshrun shook her head. “It is thought she either died in the desert, fighting for a way to stop the wild magic, or she found a way home and couldn’t return.”

Naya made a noise in the back of her throat. Neither way was a fitting end for that Omega. Another question came to her. “Why do you all havennol ttaehh maelscars?”

Oshrun was quiet for a moment. “When we heard about the Omegas who had died that way just before the second wave, it hit the community hard. Any one of us could have been those Omegas—some of us were Omegas from the first wave who hadn’t overcome the trauma. After a Sy took power again, wemade sure we kept the knowledge of the severing procedure so we could help in case he decided to continue using it. We perform it on ourselves as a ritual reminder and honoring of those Omegas.”

Naya exhaled a long slow breath. That was a dangerous way to honor those lives, but she wouldn’t judge them for it.

“You said you had questions,” Oshrun said briskly, after a moment. “We will allow you today to ask anything you need to know, but you still need to leave by the end of the day.”

Naya stared out over the canyon. “Are you not worried about thennin-eellithistorm?”

Oshrun inhaled and thought for a moment. “I am worried for the region, yes. And I am worried for the Tsashokra people.”

“You’re not worried for yourself, for the Ilia community?”

Oshrun shook her head. “It won’t come near us.”

“Because of your device?” When Oshrun nodded, Naya leaned toward her. “Then will you help me find a way to stop it?”

The Omega leader was silent for a moment. “We cannot get involved if it will reveal us to the region, princess. We’ll need to consider it carefully, and we will.” She rose to her feet. “It’s time to eat.”

Oshrun led off the stone ledge and Naya deeper into the canyon, the path winding between towering walls of striated red stone. The morning air was pleasantly cool against Naya’s skin. Small, delicate flowers in shades of purple and white sprouted from crevices in the rock, their fragrance subtle yet sweet.

“This is incredible,” Naya breathed. “I didn’t think anything like this existed in Tsashokra.”

The canyon opened into a wider expanse where morning sunlight, illuminating a lush oasis that seemed impossible after the barren wasteland she’d traversed with Akoro. A clear stream meandered through the center, its waters catching the light in flashes of silver. Trees with gnarled trunks and broad leavesprovided patches of dappled shade. Birds called from hidden perches, their songs echoing off the stone walls.

“When the council showed me maps of the region, there was nothing like this marked anywhere,” Naya said, her fingertips trailing along a moss-covered rock as they passed. “How is this not known?”

“Thessukkurianthink this canyon is dead and dry,” Oshrun said. “We have ways to keep it that way.”

As they followed the path around a bend, Naya caught sight of a group of Omegas gathered in an open area near several large boulders. The women were busy fastening shoes, adjusting bags over their shoulders, and checking small items tucked into pouches at their waists. Their clothing differed from Onn Kkulma citizens, but were similar in style and cut. They moved with purpose, their conversation animated but hushed.

Oshrun approached them, speaking rapidly in their language. The women nodded, responding in kind, their expressions serious. They hefted their bags and walked toward a narrow fissure in the canyon wall.

“Where are they going?” Naya asked, watching the women disappear one by one into the crack in the stone.

“The factories are opening soon,” Oshrun explained, turning back to her. “They need to be in one of the districts before that. Don’t worry, they will avoid the king, give him a wide berth.”

Naya frowned, her gaze lingering on the fissure where the last woman had vanished. “So Omegas frequently leave the canyon?”

Oshrun made a sound that was almost a scoff. “Of course. How do you think we survive here?” She tilted her head, her expression challenging. “How do you expect us to get supplies, feed ourselves, protect ourselves?”

“How will you get pregnant?” Naya asked pointedly.

Oshrun’s body tensed visibly, her shoulders drawing back. She shot Naya a cool look, then beckoned with a hand. “Walk with me.”

They continued along the path, climbing gradually higher. The sound of the stream grew distant as they followed a different route.

“When this community began,” Oshrun said after a long silence, “children were not discussed with any great thought. We were the minority then. Most Omegas were bonded and had children and families. The Ilia community was young and cautious, focused on safety and survival.” Her voice took on a somber edge. “But then, suddenly, we were the only Omegas left alive. We then had to consider it.”

“What was there to consider?” Naya’s frustration bubbled to the surface. “I assume the children never know their fathers? That Omegas are having sex with random men across the region? That seems dangerous and unnecessary.” The words tumbled from her lips. “I don’t see how this lifestyle is sustainable. I don’t understand how men haven’t realized you are Omegas. What about boy children? And heats—how are they dealt with safely and ethically?”

Oshrun held up a hand, stopping Naya’s rant, her expression oddly bemused. They crested a rise in the path that revealed a wide, flat area carved into the canyon wall.

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