Page 72 of The Eyes of Tamburah
“Technically they belong to Tamburah. Are you a descendant?”
He snorted with disgust. “It does not matter. We’ve been called. Power is being abused again. Our world is unbalanced.”
It wasn’t the only thing unbalanced. She bit back her sarcastic response. “And you plan to use the magic of The Eyes to restore balance.”
“Exactly.”
Shyla couldn’t resist. “Been called—by who?”
“The people’s suffering.”
All right then. Although Shyla spoke fluent crazy, she’d had enough of the vague answers. “Why did you kidnap me?”
“To test your abilities.”
“For what?”
“To see if you’re worthy to become a member of the Invisible Sword.”
“And?”
He gestured to her ankle. “You are.”
Lovely. “What do you do exactly?”
“We help the helpless. We chip away at the prince’s and priestess’s power structures. Eventually they will collapse. We search for our true leader. The one who is able to use The Eyes to restore balance.”
Now she was confused. “Isn’t that you?”
Payatt shook his head. “Like Ximen and Bazia, I’m just one of many lieutenants.”
“So you have The Eyes, but no one can use their magic?” Nice logic. No wonder their delusion had lasted this long.
“Only one person has the power to wield The Eyes.”
Of course.
“Will you join us?” Payatt asked.
She considered. If they truly had The Eyes, she could join and steal them—what the hell was she thinking? Her chance to save Banqui was long gone. The Water Prince would hunt her down for not retrieving The Eyes and for getting his captain killed. And the Heliacal Priestess would force her to confess before sacrificing her to the Sun Goddess. Shyla could no longer live in Zirdai. Die, yes. Live, no.
“No. Besides you don’t want me. I may have passed your tests, but I failed at the only thing that was important to me.”
“Freeing the archeologist?”
“Yes. He’s dead by now.”
Payatt exchanged a glance with Ximen and Bazia. Hope warmed the cold emptiness inside her.
“Banqui lives,” Ximen said.
Her relief nearly knocked her to her knees. Now if she could—
“We also know why you’ve been seeking The Eyes,” Ximen added.
Which meant they’d never trust her enough for her to steal them back. “I don’t suppose you’d give me them so I can free Banqui?”
“No, but we are interested in Banqui. We think he might play an important part in our organization. He found The Eyes after all.”
