The next letter she picked up was in fact from her brother Dayo, and it did nothing to ease her distress.

Kebi, he wrote.

I have missed you. You have done well, and I’d expect nothing less. The Sha have blessed us with Father’s recovery, but still I urge you to be careful. With Father’s health improved, those who were counting on the chaos of his death to make their move may now turn their attention to you. Yes, we have cordial relations with the other tribes, for the most part, but if history has proven anything it’s that there are always those in each tribe who lurk unfulfilled, imagining themselves revolutionaries and hungry for power. And for such opportunists a princess of the Yirba would make for valuable bargaining stock. Though I have faith in the Almighty Mothers and Fathers, and faith in you, my strong and stubborn kebi, please proceed with caution.

The rest of the letter was an update on life in the palace compound and on the main Island. He ended the letter by saying he hoped to see her very soon. It mentioned nothing about this threat her mother had mentioned. Perhaps he wasn’t aware of it.

I miss you dearly, Kebi, wrote her sister Ifeh in the next letter. We are already planning a huge feast in your honor upon your return.

Natahi ka Gunzu has been by to pay his respects to N’baba, wrote Jayeh. He seems quite taken with you. I think you will receive a special present from him soon.

Yenni’s breath caught in her throat at that, for what else could her sister mean but marriage beads? It was the custom among the Northern Sha Islands for a man to send a beaded necklace to his intended. An acceptance of the necklace would be a tacit acceptance of the engagement. To reject the proposal she would have to snap the necklace and send back the scattered beads.

Time was running out. Yenni cradled her head in her hand, sighing. If only she knew more about this threat her mother referenced. How could she put her family and her tribe in further danger by rejecting a prince of the Gunzu? And what would it look like, her engaged to a common Creshen? What would people think?

Who cares what people think?

She did. She shouldn’t, but she did. The comparisons to her sisters, the comments that she was unladylike, that she should grow up and settle down, they infuriated her.

And shamed her.

Wearily, Yenni reached for the last unopened roll.