Page 130 of The Eyes of Tamburah
Rendor had just proven himself to her heart. He didn’t even know it. And he wouldn’t. Not for a while. He needed to show this commitment to be a better person to the others, especially if they were to successfully rescue Jayden.
“You should get some sleep. Do you need help?” He wanted to carry her, but he doubted she’d let him. Rendor offered his arm instead.
She clasped it and leaned on him as they returned to her room. The first thing Shyla planned to figure out was how to block Rendor’s emotions. She’d learned what she needed from him. He could tell her the rest in his own time.
After getting her settled on the sleeping cushion, he fetched a tray of food. Then he stood “guard,” ensuring she finished eating.
When she was done, Rendor said, “Do you want me to cover the druk before I go?”
“No.” She shuddered. She’d no desire to be in the dark ever again. “Thank you, though.”
A smile and a slight bow, then he was gone.
It was a relief when he left. And she was glad they were in an isolated part of the monastery. Distance certainly helped—she was finally alone with her own thoughts and feelings—although, if she concentrated… she could reconnect with Rendor.
Closing her eyes…were they really hers? If someone removed them, would they turn back into precious jewels? Obviously, she had a lot to learn about them and the extent of her powers.
For now, exhaustion pulled her into a deep dreamless sleep.
* * *
Hanif woke her a dozen angles before the sun started its jump. He held an open scroll. Excitement pulsed through him despite his fatigue. She almost groaned as his racing thoughts invaded her mind.
“I found a guide for The Eyes,” he said. Hanif’s search through the Third Room of Knowledge had taken him all darkness. “It’s a bit cryptic.”
Of course it was. Shyla sighed. Why can’t anything be easy?
“Don’t make that face,” he admonished. An image of a much younger Shyla flashed in his mind. Her forehead creased as if in pain. “I think I figured out a few basics that will help you get through the next couple of sun jumps.”
She sat up. Good news. “Please go on.”
“You can block unwanted thoughts and emotions by envisioning a…shield around you. But you don’t want to think of something…permanent, like something made of stone. You’ll want to be able to lift it or move it aside so you can…” He glanced at the scroll. “Read a soul.”
Interesting. “Will I need to be constantly maintaining this shield?”
Turning the scroll sideways, he squinted at it. “It doesn’t say. Hmmm…when you close your eyes does it block my thoughts?”
“No. But I think I only read the people who I made eye contact with. You, Rendor, and Zhek.”
“Well, you can’t go around avoiding eye contact.”
As a sun-kissed she had done exactly that all the time. But not as Shyla Sun Kissed, Leader of the Invisible Sword. A scary prospect despite her new magical powers.
“You’ll just have to try it and see what happens,” Hanif said.
Shyla considered. What would be strong enough to block thoughts and emotions, but light enough to sweep aside? A sun cloak! A laugh burst from her. Hanif cocked his head, curious as to what she found funny, but she waved him off. Instead, she closed her eyes and imagined pulling on a long voluminous cloak made from velbloud fibers. It covered her from her neck down to her fingers and toes. Then she drew a large hood of the material over her head and face. Shyla pictured the material blocking unwanted thoughts just like it prevented the sun from damaging her skin.
Hanif’s curiosity ceased. Opening her eyes, she met his gray-eyed gaze. His thoughts were hidden from her. The tightness around her chest eased.
“Did it work?” he asked.
“Yes. Let me try to reverse it.” She mentally pushed back the hood. Hanif wondered what she’d envisioned to block him. “I created an imaginary sun cloak to protect me.”
He approved. “Apt.”
Then she reached. Rendor stood in the corridor, debating if he should check on Shyla. Was she strong enough to go to first meal or should he bring it to her? Would he be welcome? Considering what she had endured at his hands, he probably shouldn’t bother her at all.
Amused, she stood and opened the door. “Come on in.”
