Page 82 of The Eyes of Tamburah
“How do they know?”
“They’re not as isolated as they want everyone to believe. However, they don’t know if the prince decided if it is worth the trouble to come after me.”
“What does that mean?” She hoped it wasn’t as dire as it sounded.
“When I did not arrest you, I gambled. I believed that you would find The Eyes and the Water Prince would forgive my disobedience. But he’s not a patient man and he’d already given me a second chance when you went missing for four sun jumps. When you disappeared again and I failed to protect you—”
“There were a dozen of them!”
“Doesn’t matter. They key word is failed. And…” He jiggled his cane. “I’m no longer the best.”
“But you were almost killed. And once you get better—”
“Again it doesn’t matter. I’m no longer the captain of his guard. And if I return to Zirdai, the guards have orders to kill me on sight.”
That stunned her. “You can’t go back?”
“No.”
When he’d said he gambled, he’d meant more than just his career. Guilt gnawed on her soul. If she’d figured out the Invisible Sword’s chanting trick sooner, he’d have his life back.
Rendor leaned closer. “Don’t.Imade the choice. I failed. None of this is your fault.”
“Nice try, but this isallmy fault. Perhaps I could negotiate with the prince and get you reinstated.”
“No. The guards would no longer respect me and that’s critical to leadership. And I no longer want the position.”
“But what about your family and friends? Don’t you want to be able to see them?”
He laughed. Not a happy sound at all. “There is no such thing as friendship within the prince’s guards. As for my family…they always thought I was worthless and wouldn’t amount to much.” Rendor shrugged. “Family is a distraction and those that keep close ties never rise very far through the ranks.”
“Why did you sign up?”
“I liked to fight and I was good at it. Enough so that I worked hard to become the best in Zirdai.”
“You’ll recover and can be again.”
“True.”
Ah, there was his ego, she’d been worried.
“But it won’t matter to the prince,” he said. “Remember, I warned you.”
Shyla held up the box. “But technically you didn’t fail.”
“I’ve accepted it. Why are you so concerned about me?”
Good question. She should be glad that he’d no longer be torturing people for the Water Prince. But…there was something about Rendor… “I’ve already ruined my life, I don’t want to be responsible for yours as well.”
He studied her a moment. “If you’d never gotten involved in my life, then I would have continued to be the prince’s captain for a few more circuits unless I was killed in the line of duty—most likely ambushed by a large group.” He paused. No doubt thinking how close he’d come to that scenario. “If I managed to survive, then eventually I would be challenged for the position as captain. I’d win a number of challenges and remain captain for a few more circuits, but it would be only a matter of time until the right person challenged me and I lost.”
“Lost, as in…”
“Died, yes. There’s no retiring once you reach that level of the prince’s service. Everyone who challenges for the captain position knows this going in. As I see it, you’ve done me a favor as I managed to survive my job—something no one else has accomplished. As long as I don’t irk the Water Prince before I’m healed, I can move to another city and start over.”
That was a warped way to look at it, but it eased her guilt. And she envied his freedom. “Which city?” There were so many!
“Shouldn’t you be worried about yourself?”
