Page 46 of The Eyes of Tamburah
“There,” said Stocky. “Now she’s no longer protected by the prince’s guards. And this goes into the donation basket.” He pocketed the sigil and patted the lump in a proprietary way. “Make sure you don’t kill her, Iskemu. Remember, the priestess wishes her to remain alive so the Sun Goddess can finish her divine work.”
Iskemu bowed. “Yes, brother.”
Stocky left. Iskemu picked a knife from the wall of horror and returned to her side. Not going to kill me, she chanted in her mind, trying and failing to achieve calm. All those angles meditating didn’t seem to be helping her at this moment.
Grabbing her hair, he yanked her head back. He rested the blade on her exposed throat. “Normally, we ask the sinner to confess. If she feels she doesn’t have any sins to confess, we remind her of her misdeeds. With you, there’s no need to confess. Your very existence is a misdeed.” He leaned close—almost nose to nose. “First we’re going to shave your head. Your hair offends us.”
“And your bad breath offends me,” she said.
He struck her in the temple with the knife’s hilt. Her vision went white as pain exploded.
His grip tightened on her hair, fire ringed her scalp. “If you don’t keep your mouth shut we’ll rip it out clump by clump.”
She didn’t have the breath to speak. Satisfied, he brought the blade up to her forehead. Shyla took some comfort from the fact that it would grow back. Well… provided she lived through this. So much for comfort.
Iskemu chiseled at her hair as blood from her temple dripped into her eyes. The scraping sound was loud in her ears. Long hunks of her hair floated to the ground. It resembled the stuffing that had been ripped from her sleeping cushion. Perhaps the deacons would stuff a pillow with her hair and gift it to the Heliacal Priestess. She focused on that comical scene to block out what was happening. Hard to do when cold air kept kissing the skin on her newly exposed scalp.
After her hair was shorn, Iskemu leaned close to her ear. “Now we will shave the rest off and then we’ll pluck each offending eyelash, eyebrow, and pubic hair from your unclean body.” He exchanged his knife for a straight razor and returned without water or soap.
A dry shave. Shyla curled her fingers tight—all she could do now—but if she’d get a chance—
“Stop,” said an authoritative male voice.
Iskemu scowled, but stepped away. Through vision blurred with blood and tears, she saw four deacons in the doorway. Three men and a woman.
“What’s this intrusion?” Iskemu asked. “We’re in the middle of a confession.”
“The Heliacal Priestess has learned you have the sun-kissed. The Blessed One wishes to speak with her.”
The woman was scary, but Shyla would happily take her chances with her to get away from Iskemu. The two men entered and released Shyla. She slumped in place, but they hooked their hands under her arms and pulled her upright.
“Careful,” warned Iskemu, still holding the straight razor. “She put up quite the fight and she’s not as injured as she pretends.”
Tattletale. Their grips tightened. Shyla decided she’d wait until they left the chapel before she tried to break away. Limping between the two deacons, she struggled to match their pace. By the time they left, she panted for breath, but they didn’t slow at all. In fact, they increased their speed.
“Hurry, hurry,” the woman urged in a whisper.
They entered a tunnel and zigzagged down a number of corridors. Soon no one was around, but there was enough light. As good a place as any.
Shyla dug her heels into the ground, stopping while the two men lurched forward. Dropping her weight to break their hold, she spun, and sprinted. Except a wave of dizziness upset her balance within two strides and she tripped over her own feet, falling hard on the ground. Hands grabbed her shoulders, but she knocked them away and kicked out.
“Stop. We’re rescuing you!” cried a familiar voice.
Surprised, she stopped. The deacon…no, Jayden… held his arms wide. He cleaned up in more ways than one.
“Why?” she asked.
“Can we do the question and answer thing later?” the woman asked. “It’s not gonna take them long to catch on. And then we’ll all be confessing. And I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve a lot of sins.”
Jayden reached out for her hand. She ignored it and pushed to her feet.
“Let’s go,” the woman said.
“Thanks for the help, but you go on. I can find my own way,” Shyla said.
“Come back with us, and I’ll explain everything,” Jayden said.
“Not happening.” She braced for…well, she wasn’t sure if they’d try to force her or not.
