Page 13 of The King of Koraha
Three
Shyla braced for capture, but no one moved. The guards remained in a half circle around her. In fact, if she wished to escape, the route back up to the surface was clear.
“Interesting,” the advisor said.
Not wanting to be ambushed again, she lowered her mental shield. Meeting his light-green gaze, she read his intentions, sensing his emotions. “This was a test.”
He nodded. “A guilty person would have run for it or attacked first.”
Annoyed and not wishing to be surprised again, Shyla kept hold of her connection to the advisor. “What do you think I’m guilty of?”
The advisor approved of her practical response. “You led a rebellion that overthrew two powerful leaders who have died as a result. I’m quite sure you’re guilty of many crimes even though, by your actions, you do not believe so.” It should be fascinating to learn which ones this sun-kissed would confess to.
“I’m quite sure you’re just guessing. Is this what the King wishes to know or are you just satisfying your own curiosity?”
Ah, a challenge. Fun. “I’m trying to determine if escorting you to a meeting with the King will endanger him.”
She gestured to the soldiers. “Are they not enough of a guarantee? I’m flattered that you think so highly of my skills. You can always assign a few more to join us.”
He appreciated the jab. But she was too confident. Unless it was all an act. Pretty good acting if she was pretending to be in control of the situation despite the fact that she was outnumbered. She was a rather slight figure to have accomplished so much. The sun-kissed must have plenty of supporters, which was surprising considering the citizens of Zirdai discriminated against her kind.
“Why didn’t you become Zirdai’s new Water Princess or Heliacal Priestess?” he asked.
“I already have a job. And don’t you have one as well?” She inclined her head toward the other side of the chamber. All she wanted to do was get the meeting with the King over with and return to Rendor. It would be the first time she’d be alone with him in seventy sun jumps.
Oh, he liked this woman. “I do. My name is Najib. Follow me, please.”
The “please” was a nice touch.
As she followed Najib through the tunnels, grottos, and chambers of the King’s domain, everything they passed was oversized, as if the King was three meters tall. Expensive trol lanterns hung every two meters. The bright light banished the shadows, creating a feeling of being on the surface without the uncomfortable heat. In fact, braziers full of lava stones drove the ever-present underground chill away.
Yet the rooms lacked decoration. There were cushions and tables, but nothing resembling the tales of the King’s lavish extravagance. Had those all been rumors? No. These chambers had been filled at one point.
The King’s guards kept a watchful eye on them as they descended. Massive water fountains sent ribbons of water arcing into the air. Even though Shyla knew the water was being recycled, she still gaped at the wasteful decadence. At least these fountains matched the gossip about the castle.
After they traveled down another four levels, Shyla became uneasy. It wasn’t because of the guards. They, for the most part, viewed her as a mere curiosity and not a threat. And no one was lying in wait. But something unseen jangled her nerves.
It took her another degree to pinpoint the reason for her anxiety. A muted roar vibrated through the floor. Memories of the gas explosions in Zirdai were still fresh in her mind. At least this murmur stayed constant—more like an unending cave-in, which was equally alarming.
“What is that noise?” she finally asked Najib.
“You’ll see soon enough,” he said.
The sound grew in volume as they traversed a long tunnel. A rug the color of sand padded the floor. The corridor ended at a set of immense stained-glass doors. They arched up two levels, tall enough for the mosaic of the mountains to fit. Three guards stood on each side of the doors. All six studied her with interest. She met their gazes. All six incorrectly concluded she was not a threat.
“Wait here, please,” Najib said. He knocked on the glass. After a moment, it opened and Najib slipped inside.
To pass the time, Shyla considered their descent and calculated that she had to be about fifty levels below the surface. A surprise. She thought the King would insist on living in the deepest level of Koraha. And where was all the famed treasure?
Thinking about treasures, she wondered how many osees Rendor would get for the gold statue and how long they could live on the coins. Contemplating their future was better than trying to guess why she was here. If they worked as guards for caravans, then their travel expenses would be low. And as long as they didn’t stay in one city more than thirty sun jumps, they wouldn’t have to pay taxes or tithes. They’d just have to pay for meals as guests, which was cheaper. If they were frugal, they’d be able to visit all the major cities of Koraha—a dream finally coming true.
The doors opened again and Najib stuck his head out. “The King will see you now.”
She swiped a clammy hand through her hair and smoothed her dusty tunic. The actions amused Najib. Reading his emotions reminded her that she was Shyla Sun-Kissed and had the power of The Eyes at her command.
Her stomach settled and she strode into the King’s throne room. And stopped dead as she encountered a bevy of unexpected things.
The now roaring sound was a river of water rushing around the King’s throne. The pure white chair sat on a block of stone that was in the center of the flowing water but high enough that the water didn’t splash the King.
