Page 92 of The Eyes of Tamburah
The others agreed and Shyla sensed they thought her ungrateful. She was very thankful the monks found her and taught her so much. It was just that…they never told her why she needed all these skills. And she wasn’t smart enough to figure it out. She guessed she lacked faith that their intentions for her future might be better than her own desires.
Not without proof, right Shyla,Hanif had said as if that was a bad thing. She’d prided herself on not believing rumors and relying on facts to live her life. However it was obvious that she’d refused to acknowledge the horror stories of Zirdai, because in order to live there, she’d turned her back on what she now realized was her home and family. She’d fought hard to not find anything that would suggest she’d made a big mistake.
As far as mistakes went, it was a doozy. At least she could acknowledge it now. Yet. If she’d stayed safe inside the monastery, she wouldn’t have met Rendor or Banqui or even that little sand rat Mojag. Well, it was out of her hands now. Deliver The Eyes, save Banqui and the others, and report to duty. Obeying the orders of the Invisible Sword was pretty much the same as obeying the rules at the monastery. Either way, no more independence. No travel. No Rendor.
Rae touched her arm. Shyla glanced at her.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset—”
“No. Don’t apologize. The four of you are risking your lives for me. The least I can do is answer a few questions.”
“I’ve got one,” Jaft said. “How do we get deeper?”
“How do you feel about the smell of rotten cheese?” she asked.
* * *
“Ugh. I’m not feeling good about rotten cheese,” Jaft said. “It reeks in there.”
He indicated the tight conduit before them. The one Jayden had shown her. On the other side of it was a series of stairwells that would get them down to level seventy-eight. Shyla hoped one of the doorways she spotted as she had spiraled down to the bottom of the city would lead to a way to get to level ninety-seven.
“This is the only way I know,” Shyla said. “Elek, do you think you can fit?”
He lifted the druk, aiming the indigo-tinted light inside. “It’ll be tight, I’ll have to slither on my belly.”
And get completely soaked. Poor guy.
“I should go first,” Jaft said. “This way if you get stuck, I can pull you while the ladies push you from behind.”
Elek stared at Jaft without blinking.
Jaft cleared his throat. “Or…maybe not?”
“Shhh,” Lian said. “Do you hear that?”
Elek dimmed the druk as they all listened. A strange humming noise sounded behind them. They turned. It grew louder and Shyla centered her breathing. If it was the Invisible Sword’s…magic, she didn’t want to be knocked out with the rest of them. But the rumbling filled the tunnel—an external vibration.
A large glass orb rolled from the darkness along the hard stone floor and straight at them. That explained the source of the noise. The orb slowed to a stop and flashed a bright green light.
“What the hell—” Jaft started, putting his hand up to shield his eyes.
Then the green light died, successfully blinding them despite the druk’s weak glow.
Boots shuffled and the scent of incense invaded.
“Oof,” Elek grunted as the druk crashed to the ground.
Now in complete darkness, Shyla slid into a fighting stance. Soon hands reached for Shyla and she countered, letting her other senses guide her blocks and strikes. To think all those sun jumps training in the dark was actually proving useful. From the distressed curses and grunts, she guessed her acolytes struggled with their attackers.
Another blinding flash of green.
“Don’t look,” Shyla yelled, closing her eyes, but not before the light revealed about six…maybe eight people dressed in green tunics similar to the ones the acolytes wore. Not guards or deacons. Treasure hunters? Vagrants? Neither would bother to wear matching uniforms.
However, that was the least of her problems as another opponent joined in. She backed away, keeping the wall behind her—she hoped. But this new person ducked under one of her punches and slammed her into the wall. Her shoulders hit hard and pain blazed, disorienting her long enough for them to pin her.
Soon all sounds of the fight stopped.
“We good?” a male voice asked.
