Page 98 of The Eyes of Tamburah
Shyla once again claimed she was expected. This time, a burly guard with long black hair pulled into an intricate knot stepped forward. Dark-skinned like Rendor, his shoulders, arms, and torso were corded with thick muscles. He wasn’t as tall as Rendor, but he appeared like he could punch a hole in a stone wall without much effort.
“Enough with this nonsense, Sun-kissed,” he said. “All you have is a reservation in the prince’s favorite special room.”
“I guess you’re not ranked high enough to be privy to his social engagements.” She kept her tone firm and impertinent despite the cold wash of fear that accompanied the image of being hung upside down.
“Nice try, but I’m the Water Prince’s new captain. Captain Yates.”
So Rendor hadn’t been lying about that. Shyla shot Bazia and Jayden a glare.
“Your companions have a choice,” Captain Yates said. “Remain here and die, or leave now and live.” He stared at them as if they’d already stopped breathing.
Son of a sand demon. Shyla wouldn’t blame them if they bolted. Jayden and Gurice exchanged a significant glance.
Jayden grabbed Shyla’s wrist and dragged her to the captain. “Here.” He thrust her at the man, twisting her around. “She’s not worth dying for.”
Shyla didn’t have to feign surprise. The captain instinctively clamped his huge hands on her shoulders when she hit his chest with her back. As she suspected, it was rock solid and the explosion of pain from her injury about knocked the wind from her lungs.
“Now,” Jayden said to her.
She crossed her arms and pinned the captain’s hands to her body so he couldn’t reach his sword when Jayden attacked.
The other three launched at the guards behind Yates, but Jayden spun around behind him and pressed his palms to the sides of his head. The captain yanked his hands free from Shyla, gripped Jayden’s wrists and heaved. His actions almost sent Jayden flying over his head. Jayden wrapped his legs around Yates’s waist to keep his position behind the captain.
Shyla stayed close to the big man, punching and distracting him so Jayden could extract the location of the prince.
Even with Jayden’s weight hanging on his back, Captain Yates blocked her punches with ease. And those that did pass his defenses hurt her knuckles more than they affected him. Switching to kicks, she stepped back and managed a few nice blows. But it only annoyed him and he drove his fist into her stomach. She flew backward, landing hard on her butt. Pain streaked through her back and the contents of her stomach pushed up her throat as she struggled to breathe.
Yates reached for a knife, but Jayden’s efforts finally slowed him down. Instead he wobbled and stumbled to one knee before falling over to his side. When he remained still, Jayden released Yates’ head and untangled his limbs.
By the time Jayden reached her, Shyla had regained her ability to fill her lungs without the threat of throwing up all over the floor. The muscles along her middle ached when Jayden hauled her to her feet.
“Thanks for the help,” he said.
“Thanks for the warning. Oh, wait, I didn’t get one.”
“It worked, didn’t it?”
“Does that mean you got the prince’s location?”
“Yes, but I don’t know the layout of this place. Here.” He touched her temple with two fingers.
A sharp sizzle burned her and then a picture of the room that she’d awoken in when this entire mess started jumped into her head.
She jerked away from his touch. “Seven hells. Can you give me a little notice next time you zap me?” A shiver gripped her just thinking aboutnext time.
“Sorry. It’s the quickest way. Did you recognize it?”
“Yes.”
Jayden turned to the fight, but most of the guards were already on the ground. Bazia fluttered around one big man who tried to squash her, but was too slow. Ximen held his hand out and the last two went down. Shyla counted. Nine prone forms including Yates.
“Three are missing,” she said.
“No time to linger. Lead on,” Jayden said.
Shyla glanced around to get oriented, remembering the route Rendor had taken from the prince’s office to the cells. She just needed to backtrack, starting…there! She raced down a corridor with the others right behind her. A couple of turns and more than a few startled servants later, they arrived at the prince’s location. Four guards confronted them, but Shyla and her crew didn’t slow, just plowed into the four men like boulders during a cave-in. The poor guys didn’t have a chance.
Unlike the main entrance, this door was locked. Jayden smirked and pulled a set of keys from the pocket of his pants.
