I WAVED A cautious goodbye to Ummi and Humusi, who’d walked Arwia and me home in the dead of night. After giving me their salute, elbows pressed into their hips, arms open like the goddess Linaza, they jogged away, and two other Koru warriors stationed themselves outside our home. Arwia and I pushed open the door, and I tapped the dust from my sandals before entering the house. Carpets covered the packed floor, and Arwia was constantly fussing about us dragging dirt in, so even in the midst of chaos, I wanted to please her.

At a time like this, kindness was more important than ever.

Nanaea and Dagan were standing, shoulders tense, in the center of the common room.

“Oh, thank Selu you’re home.” Nanaea flung herself into my arms, nearly knocking me off my feet. The heady scent of her rose oil enveloped me, and I was grateful for it. It smothered the sick stench of blood, of death and gore and violence, from my mind. It wouldn’t last, but it was all I had at the moment. I hugged her, worry and sorrow chewing at my guts like worms, and she eased away.

“Arwia, how is your ear? I heard about what happened! Are you all right?” Nanaea took my healing satchel from me and hung it on a hook near a basket of her colorful fabrics, where I always kept it.

“Your wonder of a sister has managed to save it.” Arwia bent to remove her sandals, easing down at our low wooden table, the dazzling moonlight shining over the top of bowls and flagons from an earlier meal, casting long shadows. She eyed me warily. We had to tell them what had happened. Neither of us wanted to do it, though.

“ ‘Wonder’ is a strong word. Especially since your hearing may be impacted for a while, and there’s little I can do about that while it heals.”

Nanaea crouched by the fireplace, stirring a pot of steaming wheat porridge. “I’m sure it will get better and everything will be fine after a while.”

Her ear might heal, but nothing would be fine for a long time. Not until we were all safe. Dagan engulfed me in his arms, burying his face in my hair.

“You’re back,” he murmured. “I knew the Koru could protect you both, but I was still afraid. Kasha is upstairs asleep. Iltani is in a drunken stupor in her room, snoring loud enough to call the Boatman from the river.” He pulled me back and kissed my forehead. “Are you all right? You’re—” He stepped away from me. “You’re covered in blood.” He looked from me to Arwia. “Is that all hers?”

“No,” I sighed, running a hand down my face. “It isn’t.”

Alarmed, Nanaea looked up at me swiftly from the fire. I took Dagan’s hands in mine and kissed them. The last thing I wanted to do was introduce more violence into their lives. We’d left all that. Manzazu was supposed to be a safe haven for us.