Page 130 of The King of Koraha
“All right.” Rendor settled his bulk on the biggest cushion.
Shyla sat on the opposite side. They each took a scroll and carefully unrolled it, looking for those magic words. It was a time-consuming and boring task, but it wasn’t difficult. The King arrived with roasted gamelu meat and steamed vegetables. He inquired about their progress—nothing so far—then left.
The next time the King appeared, he brought more food—the kind they could store for a few sun jumps. “Najib is coming in a couple angles for our last meeting of the jump,” he said. “There can’t be any light and you’ll need to be quiet.”
It would be a good time to take a break. “Can we eavesdrop?”
“As long as you stay out of sight.” The King returned to his main room.
They closed the trol lanterns and went almost to the end of the hallway. Sitting next to each other, they held hands. Their scars touched and suddenly it seemed as if they were connected beyond the physical. Or was her control over her mental shield slipping? Her bones ached with exhaustion.
“No,” Rendor whispered, squeezing her hand. “I can feel your thoughts and emotions. We’re truly bonded.”
A surge of warmth and love bloomed in her chest. It was an unexpected but very welcome side effect of the oath. “I wonder if this means Xerxes cannot enslave us.”
“No. He caught Najib who has also sworn the oath.”
Ah, too bad. They lapsed into silence, enjoying the new quirk in their relationship. It didn’t take long for Najib’s voice to reach them. The advisor reported on the various tasks he’d handled during the jump. Shyla debated if she should read his soul. But would the pendant pick up on her magic? Would it alert him? Or Lonato? She better not risk it.
The King and Najib discussed the various issues that arose from running a kingdom. It sounded like a ton of hard work and complex logistics. Ugh.
“Is there anything else?” the King asked.
Shyla hoped not as she needed to stretch her legs.
“I’m investigating a rumor, sire,” Najib said.
“Oh?”
“It’s unfortunate, but I suspect our sun-kissed lied to us regarding the taxes and the commander.”
She sat up straighter. This was interesting.
“Lied how, Najib?” After a pause, he ordered, “Come on, spit it out.”
“I’m sorry. I know you’re fond of the woman, but the information I’ve gotten suggests that she did indeed find the taxes and has kept them for herself and her Invisible Swords.”
She’d be outraged, but she had to give Lonato credit for this strategy.
“Are you implying the commander has not used the coins to take over those four cities?”
“We haven’t been able to confirm the status of those cities. Our scouts haven’t found anything amiss so far. However, a message could come in at any time. I’m still looking into it. I just wanted to let you know that there’s a chance the commander is innocent.”
“Find out for sure, Najib. Make it your top priority.”
“Yes, sire.”
Then the water sloshed, signaling Najib’s departure. But they waited until the King gave the all-clear before joining him.
“Thoughts?” the King asked.
“It’s an excellent strategy,” Rendor said. “Make us the villains, which explains why we’ve disappeared. And it gets you to trust Xerxes again. That gives him the chance to get close to you.”
“I agree,” Shyla said.
“Did you read his soul?” the King asked.
“No. I didn’t want to tip Lonato off. When I was under the influence of the blackfire, I sensed when magic was in use. But I agree with Rendor. Also, if his plan is to return as the commander, it gives him and us more time to prepare.”
