Page 117 of The Eyes of Tamburah
“You already know I can’t fill in all those gaps,” she said.
Settling into a big brown and gold cushion, he crossed his legs. “Are you sure?”
“Quite sure.”
“Then you haven’t spent enough time in reflection.”
“You believe if I sit around and think about it long enough, I’ll find answers to how and why the Invisible Sword can use magic? Why I can? Why Jayden saved me even though I’m not member of his organization? Who betrayed them, and the reason Rendor’s still here?”
“Yes.” He beamed as if proud.
A familiar frustration built inside her chest. Eventually, she’d storm out of his office about to burst from the pressure of it.
This time, she centered her emotions and released them in one long exhale.
“Any chance you can help me out?” she asked.
“Yes. You can ask Rendor about his motives. No need to waste time contemplating that,” Hanif said.
After a few moments grappling with the desire to shake him, Shyla drew in another calming breath. “One last thing.” She described her “conversation” with the Sun Goddess. “Was it a delusion or real?”
“Does it matter? Delusions are manifestations of your inner thoughts and feelings. Or the Sun Goddess has truly spoken to you. Either way the message is the same. You need to have faith.”
“In the Sun Goddess?”
“No. In yourself.”
CHAPTER
18
Faith? In herself? What a laugh. She trusted all the wrong people. Vagrants had died because of her. Why would the Sun Goddess askherto make the suffering stop? Shyla had even caused some of it. Why not Jayden? He obviously cared deeply for the welfare of Zirdai’s citizens and had dedicated his life to helping them. Except now the Heliacal Priestess had him. A couple doses of holy water and he’d spill all the Invisible Sword’s secrets. Or would his magic protect him? Shyla ran her fingers through the stubble on her head. She doubted his magic could counter the pain of torture.
A strange idea struck her. Could Jayden be rescued? Gurice and Mojag might know where he was being held. If enough members of the Invisible Sword survived…
Stop it.
She left Hanif’s office and swung by the dining area. Only a few angles were left for second meal so not many people occupied the tables. A hard-to-miss figure sat at a table near the back, but he wasn’t alone. Jaft, Elek, and Lian chatted with Rendor. Shyla quickly ducked out of sight. She snagged a bowl of velbloud stew and carried it back to her room to eat.
However, after she ate, the food settled like a heavy mass in her stomach. In an effort to ignore the discomfort, she picked up her pack. It had endured her adventures in the desert and been brought to her room. Opening it, she found Rendor’s pouch still full of coins. The idea of using it to relocate to another city had been tempting. But deep down, she knew she’d never keep the osees. Time to return the pouch to its owner.
Shyla left the door to her room ajar and waited for the sounds of footsteps. Apprehension burned up her throat and she wondered if she’d have to bolt to the collection station to expel her meal. Curious that she’d faced deacons with more aplomb. Finally boots drummed on the stone floor. They paused outside. Did Rendor spot the gap in her door? No. The creak of hinges sounded followed by a click.
Now or never. Shyla grabbed the pouch, gathered her courage—which took longer than it probably should—and knocked on Rendor’s door.
“Come in,” he called.
She hesitated a moment, but then entered his room only to stop after a few steps. He lounged on his sleeping cushion without a shirt. At least he wore pants and it appeared as if he was studying a tablet. A bright purple scar marked his left shoulder and another one curved up from his hip. She jerked her gaze to his eyes. He studied her with a cautious expression.
“You’re right,” she said. “I lied to you about the treasure hunters, Invisible Sword, and the fake eyes. I thought I was protecting them and I didn’t trust you.” When he didn’t say anything, she set the pouch next to the cushion. “This is yours.” She turned to go.
“You were smart not to trust me,” he said.
Shyla faced him. “What would have happened to me and Banqui if all had gone according to plan?”
“Banqui would have been killed,” Rendor said bluntly. “You may have survived. The Water Prince was intrigued by your skills in finding lost artifacts. He may haveassignedyou to work with his new archeologist.”
A nice way to say she would have been indentured for the rest of her life. “And when I disappeared that first time?”
