Page 121 of The King of Koraha
“No, but it might slow him down.”
“While that is a sound strategy, we don’t have the coins to pay them, unless you intercepted the taxes?” He raised a hopeful eyebrow.
“We did, but the coins probably won’t be here in time. Can you recruit any of the Quirin monks?”
“I can, but how will we know they haven’t been influenced?”
“That’s easy. I can use The Eyes.”
“The extra guards would alert Xerxes that the King has been warned,” Rendor said. “Unless you can come up with another reason for the added security?”
“Wouldn’t it be a good thing that Xerxes knows he’ll face more resistance?” Najib asked. “Maybe then he won’t make the assassination attempt.”
“That won’t stop him,” she said. “If anything, he’ll probably strike sooner so you don’t have time to set up the extra defenses. And I won’t have time to figure out how to counter the pendants.” She considered the problem. The monks should be able to travel to the castle without being seen. The risk was one of the King’s guards leaking the information. “Can you prevent everyone from leaving the castle?”
“Yes, we’ve had lockdowns before, such as when we discovered the taxes were stolen. But that will eventually draw attention.”
“This seems counterintuitive, but the best thing to do about the guards right now is nothing,” Rendor said. “If one of the King’s guards is compromised, then any change to the routine will alert Xerxes.”
“He’s right.” Although Shyla hated not having the King surrounded with extra security. “I can read the guards and determine if any of them are spying for Xerxes.”
“Do you want to interview them again?” Najib asked.
“No. I don’t want Xerxes to know we’re alive.”
“He thinks you’re dead?”
“Yes.” She explained the episode in the desert.
Najib stared at her. “That’s…unprecedented.”
“That’s Shyla,” Rendor said. “It’s the second time she has lived through apex.”
The advisor glanced between them as if waiting for one of them to say, “Just kidding.” When neither of them spoke, he said, “And even with all your power, you couldn’t counter the sunfire?” His tone was a mixture of awe and terror. “Is there another way to stop or block the sunfire’s influence?”
“I don’t know, but I’m praying there is. Once I know it, then we can set a trap for Xerxes.”
“How are you going to find out how to stop it?”
She remembered that symbol on the scroll Neda had shown her. “Does the King have his own Room of Knowledge?”
“I’m not at liberty to say,” he hedged.
Which meant yes. “These pendants were created for the first King of Koraha. If there is a way to neutralize them, the information wouldn’t be where anyone can access it. I need to get into that room.”
“And I need to discuss all this with the King.”
“Alone. The guards can’t overhear you,” she said.
“All right. Then I’ll wait until our meeting before the King retires. That’s always in his sleeping chambers and completely private.”
“And in the meantime, I’ll read all the castle’s guards to see if I can find the ones that are spying for Xerxes.” They already knew about Malik’s connection to Xerxes’ sister. When they’d interviewed the guards, their questions had been focused solely on the stolen taxes.
“You’re certain there are spies?” Najib frowned.
“Yes. Xerxes is too smart not to have a couple. Don’t worry, no one will see me or know I’m assessing them.”
“See us,” Rendor said. His stubborn expression meant there would be no arguing with him. “Also you should send Hakana to Qulsary to keep an eye out for Xerxes. We need to know when he arrives.”
