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CHAPTER SEVEN

A fter breakfast, Naya found herself swept into the gentle chaos of children at play.

The communal dining area had transformed as small voices rose in excitement, cushions scattered across the stone floor becoming islands in an imaginary sea.

Nnimi had claimed Naya’s hand the moment the meal ended, her small fingers warm and sticky from the preserved fruits.

“Princess, you must be the sea monster,” Nnimi declared with the absolute authority only a child could possess. The loose frizz of her half-styled hair created half of a wild halo around her face.

Other children gathered around them, girls ranging from toddlers to those approaching their teens. Their laughter echoed off the canyon walls, pure and unguarded in the way that made Naya’s chest lighten. For a moment, she could almost forget everything—storms, history, secrets weighing on her.

She growled theatrically, chasing giggling children between the scattered cushions. Nnimi shrieked with delight when Naya caught her, spinning her around until they both collapsed in breathless laughter on the soft furs.

“Again! Again!” Nnimi shouted, her golden-brown eyes bright with joy. But before Naya could respond, footsteps sounded across the stone floor.

An Omega Naya hadn’t met before stood at the edge of their play area. She was older and her expression was solemn despite the children’s laughter surrounding them. “Princess,” she said, her Common Tongue accented but clear. “The Assembly requests your presence.”

The older children quieted, sensing the seriousness in the woman’s tone. Nnimi pressed closer to her side, small fingers clutching at Naya’s tunic with sudden uncertainty.

“Of course.” Naya gently extracted herself from small hands, smoothing Nnimi’s wild hair. “I’ll see you later, little one,” she said grinning. Nnimi relaxed and grinned back at her.

The path the Omega led her down wound deeper into the canyon than Naya had ventured before.

Stone corridors carved with intricate patterns opened into chambers she glimpsed only briefly; workshops where women bent over delicate crafts, storage areas lined with clay vessels, alcoves glowing with the soft light of embedded crystals.

The air grew cooler as they climbed, carrying the mineral scent of deep stone and the faint fragrance of burning herbs.

They entered a chamber that stole Naya’s breath.

Circular and vast, it rose toward a natural opening in the canyon roof where afternoon sunlight poured down in golden columns.

Intricate decorative carvings were etched into the stone walls more elaborate than any she’d seen.

Beautiful spiraling patterns that seemed to move in the shifting light and symbols that tugged at the edges of her understanding.

Twelve women sat in a perfect circle around the chamber’s center, their positions clearly deliberate. Their ages were varied; some were younger than Naya while others were elders. But they all carried themselves with the composed dignity of those accustomed to making difficult decisions.

Oshrun occupied a carved stone seat slightly more elaborate than the others, her crystal staff resting against the armrest. Her amber eyes met Naya’s as she entered, welcoming her with a subtle nod.

“Please, sit.” Oshrun gestured to a cushioned stone bench positioned within their circle, at the very center of the chamber. “We are discussing whether to offer assistance regarding the approaching nnin-eellithi storm. Your insight would be valuable.”

Naya settled onto the bench, the stone cool beneath her palms as she gripped its edge.

Surrounded by the circle of women, she felt both protected and exposed—as if she sat at the heart of something ancient and powerful.

The weight of twelve gazes pressed against her from all sides, measuring, evaluating.

Sacred silence filled the space, broken only by the distant sound of water echoing from deeper chambers.

“I welcome any questions you have,” she said, keeping her voice steady despite the flutter of nerves in her chest.

A woman to Oshrun’s left leaned forward. Her hair was completely silver and her frayed braids swung forward with her. Deep lines around her eyes worn there by years spent squinting against desert sun.

“ Nnin-eellithi storms are frequent in our land,” she said, speaking with the ease of someone used to being heard. “What makes this one different?”

Naya turned toward the speaker, straightening as she drew on everything Akoro’s council had told her during those tense meetings in the palace. “This storm will follow a pathway that takes it directly through Onn Kkulma. Usually they curve away from populated areas, but this one won’t.”

“How do you know this?” The question came sharp and immediate from her right side—a middle-aged woman with intricate tattoos marking her temples.

“King Sy’s council told me.”

No one spoke. Naya found herself turning slowly, taking in the faces around her.

Two of the Omegas exchanged glances across the circle.

Another voice broke the stillness from directly behind her.

Naya swiveled to face the speaker, a woman perhaps her own age with curious dark eyes. “How did you intend to stop the storm?”

“I came to find the Solution—” Naya began, but quiet chuckles interrupted her words. She looked toward the sound—three of the younger Omegas to her left shared amused looks, their smiles holding bitter edges.

“The Solution is a myth,” one of them said, her tone gentle but firm, “created by people who couldn’t let go of the old life. They believe there is some perfect answer that will restore what was lost.”

“Quiet.” The sharp command came from the woman who’d asked the question, cracking like a whip. Her dark eyes sparked with irritation. “Let her answer.”

Naya pushed forward. “I intended to find the Solution to create a permanent way for Onn Kkulma and all residents of the region to be safe. I could only accomplish this through experimentation of my way of using magic, the Ancient Tongue, along with anything from your culture that would give me advantage.” She paused, thinking for a moment.

“The biggest advantage I saw was the magical tools. If you have tools that repel the nnin-eellithi , there must be a way to stop the storm. I also spent time learning about the history of magic in your lands; it seemed like a good place to start.”

The woman nodded slowly, satisfaction flickering across her features. Naya found herself relaxing slightly, though she remained alert to the voices that might come from any direction around the circle.

“How far did you progress in studying the magical tools?” Oshrun’s question carried clearly through the chamber.

Naya sighed, remembering her frustrations. “King Sy’s council was very protective about the magical tools because of military concerns. I never got substantial information or the chance to examine one until the day I touched the stone that transported me here.”

Oshrun leaned forward in her carved seat, the crystal atop her staff catching the golden light streaming from above. Several other women shifted too, as though their attention had sharpened.

“Were you working with King Sy’s council to stop the storm?” Oshrun’s voice carried new intensity.

“Yes.”

Shock flickered through the circle and everything went still.

A woman directly across from Naya shifted forward, her movements graceful despite the carved stone seat.

Her skin was a rich, deep brown, and when she spoke, her voice held a warm, melodic quality that settled into Naya’s bones; the sound had an undertone that made tension ease from shoulders she hadn’t realized were rigid.

“Princess,” she said, “I’m puzzled by something you’ve shared.

” Her dark eyes held genuine curiosity rather than challenge.

“How does one find themselves in the position of speaking with King Sy’s most trusted council?

These are the people who craft policy for all of Tsashokra, who guide the fate of millions.

It’s... unusual for outsiders to gain such access. ”

Naya’s fingers tightened on the stone bench beneath her.

“They asked for my help.”

The words fell into stunned silence. Several of the Omegas exchanged confused glances, while others leaned forward as if they hadn’t heard correctly.

The silver-haired elder who’d spoken first raised her eyebrows so high they nearly disappeared into her hairline.

“They... asked? The Sy Dynasty council requested assistance from a kidnapped prisoner?”

Heat crept up Naya’s neck at the way it sounded when spoken aloud. “Yes.”

“Princess,” Oshrun said. “I think you need to explain this fully from the very beginning. The way you told me when you first arrived here, but with more detail about these interactions with the council.”

Naya drew a deep breath, the cool air of the chamber filling her lungs as she gathered her thoughts. Around her, twelve pairs of eyes watched with varying degrees of skepticism, curiosity, and concern. The golden column of sunlight seemed to press down on her shoulders as she began.

She told them about her kidnap and imprisonment, her escape and negotiation to come back, explaining the council’s continued presence in the events.

She left out everything about her and Akoro’s true connection and personal moments between them, including her heat.

“The approaching nnin-eellithi storm became a priority when they realized it would arrive sooner than anticipated,” she said finally.

“They were desperate enough to listen to ideas from someone who used magic differently than they understood.”