A shadowy figure appeared like a strike of lightning near my old wooden rocking chair, then vanished.

I clutched my quilt to my chest. “Nobody wants you here. Nobody! Do you hear me?”

But there was no response, save for a lone dog barking somewhere in the distance.

“Sister?” Nanaea murmured, stirring. “Dreams again?”

“Shhh. Go to sleep. It’s okay.”

I stroked her hair with a shaky hand and stared at the corner of the room until my eyes burned and the sound of his voice faded from my ears. Until the cold fear gripping my heart relaxed enough that I could lie down and drift off into blackness.

THE CROOKED STREETS that led to Tabni’s Palace were crowded with merchants coming to the Libbu to trade. Despite people milling about like any other day, the caution in their eyes made it clear that word of the assassination attempt had spread and orders had been issued.

The sarratum’s army was present in full force, sickleswords in hand, spears tucked against their sides, faces resolute. War carts and chariots were lined up in the Libbu, workers tending their wheels and loading them up with provisions and weaponry.

“Kammani, look what is happening in this city right now.”

Arwia’s brow was furrowed, the small birthmark that hovered above her lip standing out starkly on her face, which had paled due to the stress of last night. Her attempted assassination. The injury. And now, the question she was going to ask Sarratum Tabni.

Gnats tumbled in my belly, and I took a long, shaky breath. “Yes, I know. War is on the horizon.”

“Just as we thought.” Manzazu, our safe haven, was definitely preparing to retaliate.

Iltani shifted Nanaea’s basket of dinner linens on her hip as she, Arwia, and I approached the Libbu. Dagan and Kasha walked a few paces back, both of them with daggers in hand. Dagan had been teaching Kasha to throw, and though my brother’s aim was improving, I prayed to Selu he didn’t need to fling the blade. Someone would likely lose an eye.

Behind them, two Koru warriors marched, hands on weapons, eyes on the people around us. One was Humusi, who always seemed to radiate a nervous energy, bouncing on the balls of her feet. The other was a bulky warrior named Higal, who had a scar down her left cheek and a scorpion tattoo on her right. They’d been stationed by our home and had immediately followed us when we left, though Higal looked aggrieved that she’d been forced to watch us.

Next to me, Iltani was bleary-eyed, her continuous revels over the last several moons no doubt taking a toll. I placed the back of my hand against her forehead and pulled it away when she batted at me.

“Iltani, the last thing I need to worry about right now with all that is going on is your health, so I beg you to keep it together. You’ve been drinking too much brew. Staying out too late time and again. Last night Dagan said he searched for you for almost a full hour and had to pull you, half-dressed, out of the bushes.”