Page 131 of The Eyes of Tamburah
He quickly masked his surprise. Relief flowed through him as he studied her face. Her coloring was much better, although it was going to be hard getting used to her new eye color. “How are you feeling?”
“A little overwhelmed. Give me a moment.” Once again, she pictured covering her head with the hood. Rendor and Hanif’s emotions ceased to bombard her. She smiled. “It worked.”
“What worked?” Rendor asked.
“I can shield your thoughts and emotions.”
“Thank the goddess,” Hanif said.
Shyla didn’t need her new powers to know both men were relieved. She didn’t have the heart to remind them she could unblock them at any time.
“What else did you learn about The Eyes?” she asked Hanif.
“Perhaps that’s enough for now, you haven’t eaten.”
“Rendor could you—”
“On it.” Rendor strode from the room.
“Next?”
Hanif pressed his lips together, but he studied the scroll. “It mentions being able to influence what a person sees. I think that might be similar to what the Invisible Swords do, but I’m not sure.”
She hadn’t thought about her own powers. Did she lose them when she gained The Eyes? “Let me try something.”
Gathering her will, she aimed it at Hanif.
Gone.
A strong…force resisted her efforts. It took her a moment to remember the shield. She lowered it and tried again.
Gone.
“Shyla?” Hanif straightened in surprise. “Where did you go?”
No flickering?
Sit.
Hanif plopped onto the sleeping cushion. “Shyla, that was uncalled for. You—”
Sleep.
He toppled over, sound asleep.
She waited for the wave of fatigue and/or a headache. Nothing. It’d been easy. Ridiculously easy. Jayden had put ten deacons to sleep but he needed to recover afterwards. Shyla wondered how many she could influence at one time. It’d probably be best to figure that out before the attempt to rescue Jayden.
Gazing at Hanif, she marveled. The man—herfather—appeared unguarded and vulnerable. A side of him he’d never shown to the monks, let alone to her. She enjoyed the quiet moment because she knew when she woke him, he wouldn’t be happy.
Wake.
Hanif’s eyes snapped open then he glared at her. “I think that’s enough experimentation for now.” He stood, smoothed his tunic, grabbed the scroll, and stormed from the room.
* * *
Shyla studied her “army.” Ximen, Gurice, the remaining eight members of the Invisible Sword, Zhek, Mojag, Rendor, and a dozen Parzival acolytes—twenty-six total if she included herself. They all gathered in the monastery’s receiving room, sitting in semi-circular rings around her. She made eye contact with each one. Sunlight filled the area, warming her skin.
“While you’ve been recovering from your…ah… adventures, we’ve been gathering information,” Ximen said to her. He’d assumed a temporary leadership of the Invisible Sword, but appeared happy to let her take command. “We determined the Heliacal Priestess has Jayden incarcerated in her private holding cells on the ninety-sixth level.”
