Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 141492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
“Lacerations,” her grandfather corrected.
She nodded. “When I was climbing back up the cliff, there were a few jagged rocks poking out. It really was more the scare of feeling the dirt give way under me and then having to admit to myself that all these little accidents haven’t really been accidents at all.”
Her grandfather continued to look at her.
She sighed. “I’m sore, shaken up, but really, nothing broken or sprained, so I got off easy.”
Her grandfather remained silent far too long, thinking over her revelation. There had been too many small accidents lately. Both had become aware over the last few weeks that something was very wrong. Her father, too, had become suspicious. Even her brothers had grown quiet and exchanged worried looks between themselves.
“You’re certain all the animals are in for the night?” Amastan asked.
Safia nodded. “Usem and Farah brought in the sheep.”
Her brother, Usem, and his wife, Farah, were fast at moving the sheep. She was certain Usem had his own gift with animals. They always seemed to respond to him, especially the sheep. Usem was the third oldest and, like Izem, was steady and a hard worker, but much more inclined to laugh and take time to play pranks on his siblings. Farah was quiet and sweet, her gaze following Usem lovingly. She was a very good cook and did her best to help Amara learn. She treated Amara like a younger sister, welcoming her with open arms.
“Badis and Layla took care to round up the goats and get them into the shelters,” she continued, turning to survey what she could see of their land.
Layla was nearly as tall as Safia’s brother, Badis. Layla was confident and beautiful. There was very little she couldn’t do. She excelled in combat, just as she did in keeping house and making rugs. She was also kind and showed endless patience toward Amara. Badis and Layla were a wonderful match and were never far from one another, especially now that Layla was pregnant.
Her grandfather laughed unexpectedly. “That left your sister Lunja and Zdan to round up the chickens with their children.”
Despite the gravity of the situation, Safia couldn’t help smiling, too. Her two nephews and her niece loved the chickens. They spent quite a lot of their day chasing after them, naming them, collecting eggs, finding new nests—whatever they could do to interact with them. The chickens were given free range over the farm for the most part, being brought in only at night, when predators would attack and eat them. The children were very enthusiastic about their jobs.
Zdan, Lunja’s husband, was a great bear of a man, the largest in their family. He certainly looked intimidating, or he would to an outsider. It was difficult to think of him as scary when his children clung to his arms and legs, winding around him and riding on his shoulders every chance they got. Lunja looked at him as if the sun rose with him every morning, and for her, it most likely did.
“I love my family so much, Jeddi,” she whispered, more to herself than to her grandfather. “I’m so afraid I can’t protect them. My brain refuses to really acknowledge what’s happening because I worry I’m not up to the task. If something happens to any of you because I failed to train hard enough . . .” She trailed off.
Throughout the years, she had considered her training fun. It was extremely difficult and demanding, but she had fast reflexes that only sharpened as she got older. Every muscle and cell in her body sang when she ran or climbed or when she picked up weapons or fought hand-to-hand.
“You are ready, Safia,” Amastan confirmed. “You must have faith in yourself and in your training. You were chosen. You have two older sisters, but the gift was not given to either of them. It was given to you. You were born with the talents you have, Safia. You must know, when you train with your brothers and father, when you did with your mother and grandmother or with Aura, no one is faster or more intuitive than you are.”
She took a deep breath and let it out before she nodded. “I just never believed it would come to this.”
“None of us wanted it to come to this, not in our lifetime, but it has, and we’ll do whatever is necessary to defeat our enemies, just as our people have done for over two thousand years.” He opened the door and waved her inside.
At once, Safia’s stomach reacted to the delicious aroma filling the house. Amara had been busy in the kitchen, and her efforts filled the house with the inviting scent of one of the staples the family often relied on. Tajine was a delicious stew Safia particularly enjoyed after a long day working in the field. She was suddenly very, very hungry. She knew Amara had been trying hard to get the tajine just right.