Page 49 of The King of Koraha
“What about the Monks of Quirin outside Qulsary?”
“They’ll be last. No sense tipping the King off early.”
“How do you convert the monks?”
“There’s a dozen Callow monks who are out on a spiritual pilgrimage. They’ve been visiting monasteries and preaching our message. Between the conversions and the travel, it takes time.”
Shyla grappled with all the information. She needed to consult with Rendor and figure out what they should do. Changing directions, she asked Lonato about Xerxes. Or rather she tried. She’d exhausted her energy. The room spun dangerously around her.
Lonato stared at her. Then he smiled. It wasn’t a nice smile at all. “Your magic is limited.” He crouched down beside her. “You know too much. I can’t let you leave,” he said in almost a whisper.
She straightened and gathered what was left of her energy for one last command.
Except Lonato was faster. “Sleep.”
The order pressed on her like a heavy stone. She struggled.
“Sleep.”
She fought until there was nothing left. Nothing but the oblivion of sleep.
Seven
When she woke, there wasn’t a single muscle in her body that didn’t ache with a deep fatigue. Aside from celebrating the fact she was still alive, Shyla noted that she was in a cell. Assessing her situation needed energy that she didn’t have so she rolled over on the cushion and fell back to sleep.
The next time she was awake long enough to care, she scanned her accommodations. Three stone walls and one lined with metal bars surrounded her. Inside the cell was a sleeping cushion, a druk glowing with orange-tinted light, two buckets, a water skin, and a few rolls of jerky, which meant killing her wasn’t on Lonato’s agenda at this time. Small comfort. She drank half the water skin, ate a roll, and returned to oblivion.
The fifth or sixth time she roused, she no longer ached as if she’d been buried in a cave-in. She explored the space. It took a fraction of an angle to discover there were no weak spots and her pack was gone. Using her magic, which rubbed on her nerves like grains of sand in her boots, she explored the area beyond her prison, but there were no bumps within range.
So much for being powerful. If she didn’t have anyone to work her magic on, she was rather stuck. Now she wished she had asked Hakana to teach her how to pick a lock. On the heels of that thought was another. Rendor.
No doubt he was worried and probably plotting a way to rescue her. Except he couldn’t get into the monastery. Not by himself. The monks were too well trained. Unless he hired the mercs to help him. She laughed at the ridiculous idea. Since she was the sun-idiot that used up all her energy interrogating Lonato, it was up to her to find a way to get free. She only had enough water for a couple sun jumps. If they’d wanted to kill her, she’d be dead. Someone was bound to arrive, and Shyla would use them to escape. Simple plans were the best.
Conserving her strength, Shyla ate and slept as much as possible and rationed her water. She kept her thoughts focused on what she could control instead of obsessing over everything that might go wrong. It was nice to have the druk. The orange tint meant she was between twelve and twenty-four levels below ground. Assuming she was still in the monastery, she had the advantage of knowing the layout of the levels above twelve. She was somewhat surprised that there were cells in a monastery, but, once she thought about it, it made sense. Not all those who came seeking shelter had the best intentions. Hanif had to confine a few until the Water Prince’s guards had come to collect the offenders. She never considered where he’d put them before.
Later, a voice woke her, calling her name. Shyla sat up. A monk stood on the other side of the bars. She set a full water skin and a handful of jerky on the ground inside the cell.
“Are you well?” the woman asked.
“Yes, thank you. Why am I here?”
“Lonato wished for you to be here.” She said it as if it made all the sense in the world.
Shyla met the woman’s gaze. Her honey-colored eyes were filled with kindness, and her thoughts were content.
“What’s going on?” Shyla asked, increasing the power of The Eyes.
“Lonato wishes for you to stay here.” Her thoughts focused on how important it was to follow Lonato’s orders. How it was joyful to do the Sun Goddess’s work.
Shyla dug deeper, but the woman’s own thoughts and emotions just slipped out of reach. All she thought about was Lonato and his wishes. Information on the situation was maddeningly lacking. The only thing she learned was the monk didn’t have a key to the cell on her. Lonato must have used his magic to turn this poor woman into a mindless minion. It made Shyla sick to her stomach.
“Do you know how long I’m going to be locked in here?” Shyla asked.
“As long as Lonato says.”
This was going nowhere. Shyla changed tactics. “Tell Lonato that I’m not staying here any longer.” Gathering her magic was painful. “Tell him goodbye for me.”
Gone.
