Nightfall: Book Two of the Chronicles of Arden by Shiriluna Nott, SaJa H

goes through when her babies go off seeking danger—”
    “Danger?” Joel chuckled. “I was in Shantar, Mother, perhaps one of the most peaceful nations this side of the sea—”
    “Even so! A thousand things could have gone wrong,” Mrifa fretted. She paused, toying with a strand of blonde hair. “A lady at court told me of all the venomous snakes in Shantar. What if you’d been bitten by one, Joel? You might have died !”
    Joel pressed his lips together to contain the ridiculous smile threatening to spread across his face. “The people of Shantar have been dealing with snake bites for centuries. Their healers are as well trained as ours in Arden. Had it happened—which it didn’t—I would have been fine.”
    Mrifa rested one of her small hands against the side of his face. “Promise you won’t worry me again, Joel.”
    Now it was Carmen’s turn to snicker. The youngest of Joel’s siblings crossed her arms over her bosom. “Chhaya’s bane, Mother! What do you plan to do? Lock him inside the estate for the rest of his life?”
    “Don’t give her any ideas,” Heidi groaned.
    Joel managed to escape Mrifa’s grasp and went to greet his sisters, giving each a hug. He held the younger of the two at arm’s length after the embrace had ended. “I think you’ve gotten taller.”
    “I have.” Carmen beamed.
    “She’s blossomed into a beautiful young woman.” Mrifa gave her daughter a hard look. “Not that anyone can see her beauty beneath all those boy’s clothes she chooses to wear.”
    Carmen stuck out her tongue. “I’m going to be a royal guardswoman one day.”
    “It wouldn’t pain you to wear a dress once in a while—”
    “Mother, I don’t like dresses! Just because Heidi enjoys dolling herself up like a princess doesn’t mean I do!”
    Joel looked down so Mrifa wouldn’t catch his smile. As the young lady bested her mother with a sharp tongue and wit, Carmen sounded very much like Gib’s friend, Kezra Malin-Rai. In fact, since that first year when Gib and Kezra had shared weaponry class together, scores of young girls had made the decision to join the military—Carmen included. The trend to forgo basket-weaving and cooking classes in favor of physical training and politics seemed to be growing in popularity among the young women of Arden.
    “Are you hungry, Joel? Gib?” Mrifa asked, face still pinched. “Tabitha is cooking us a lovely stew for dinner.”
    Joel nodded even as his stomach gurgled.
    Likewise, Gib’s eyes lit up at the mention of food. “That sounds wonderful, Lady.”
    Taking hold of her heavy velvet and lace skirt, Mrifa marched toward the kitchen, stopping long enough to give Gib’s cheek an affectionate pinch as she passed. It seemed as though her jubilant demeanor had once again returned. “I’ll inform Tabitha to set two extra plates at the table.”
 
     
    After bellies were full and he’d told his mother and sisters every detail of his journey, Joel excused himself from the table. Tabitha had taken it upon herself to draw him a warm bath, for which the mage was grateful. The day’s excitement had begun to take its toll, and by the time Joel finished climbing the marble staircase and stripped his clothing, nothing in the world sounded more wonderful than a bath.
    A sigh escaped Joel’s mouth as he slid into the tub. The water verged on scorching hot, and it turned his fair skin a lovely shade of pink within moments. He settled into the water and quickly found his weary muscles relaxing.
    As the steam danced across the top of the water and dampened his raven hair, Joel’s eyelids fluttered closed. The aromatic oils Tabitha had placed in the water seeped into his skin, bathing him in drowsy heat. The spicy, floral scents reminded Joel of those in Shantar, and despite his excitement to be home, he found himself missing the city of Raja and its colorful culture. Thinking back on his time there, it seemed to have passed by so fast.
    Yet he’d been there