Page 76 of The King of Koraha
“Get help from whom?” she asked.
He jerked. “Did you read my mind?”
“Yes.” She laughed at his expression. “Walkur, the goddess has given me the divine power to do her work. And she wishes for all the monks to join together and follow her orders to help others. If you go to the monastery near Haiya or to Parzival near Zirdai, we’ll just make them part of our flock sooner rather than later.”
“You’re insane. Whathappenedto you?”
For a moment her confidence in being right disappeared. Something had happened to her. And it wasn’t good. Fellan had…had…given her the goddess’s love. “A miracle, Walkur. One you’re about to embrace.” Shyla reached deeper into Walkur’s soul and—
A force slammed into the back of her head. Pain exploded as the sunlight disappeared.
The pain was almost unbearable. It filled her head and pressed on her skull with such force, she imagined a series of cracks widening, spilling her brain matter. The image didn’t help with her unsettled stomach. In fact— Shyla rolled over as bile pushed up her throat. A bucket sat next to her and she vomited into it. The action increased the agony hammering inside her skull. She groaned and touched a particularly sensitive spot on the back of her head. Someone had stitched up a long gash not too long ago because her fingertips came away wet with her blood. After another stomach heaving bout over the bucket, she curled into a ball in utter misery.
What had happened? Fractured bits of memory surfaced. The chapel. Neda. The goddess’s love. Walkur brandishing a shovel. Had he hit her? No. He’d stood in front of her. Then who? Elschen! But why?
An uncomfortable thought that she was guilty of abusing her powers floated just out of reach. As more memories clicked together, forming a better picture, Shyla eyed the bucket. Nausea swirled and this time it wasn’t due to the pain. What had she done? She’d—
Fellan entered her room. It had started with him! She struggled to a sitting position, gathering her magic for a strike. Nothing. Her body held not a single spark of energy.
“Ah, thank the goddess you’re awake.” He came closer and held out a glass. A liquid with a reddish tint sloshed inside. “This will help with the pain.”
She glared at him, refusing the drink. He studied her. Then he placed the glass on the trunk and knelt in front of her. She tried to punch his face, but he grabbed her wrist, stopping the admittedly weak blow. And then he reached for her neck. Instead of choking her, he pulled a pendant out from underneath her tunic. She glanced at it in surprise. What…
The goddess’s love embraced her, draining all her fear and guilt. Shyla stopped fighting. When he placed the pendant in her hand, she sighed in relief.Mine.
“You had quite the blow to the head,” he said, releasing her. He gave her the glass. “Drink.”
She gulped the water. It soothed her throat and settled her stomach. Soon the pain in her head went from skull crushing to tolerable. “What happened?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing,” Fellan said. “You told Egan you could handle a couple of monks, yet we found you lying facedown among the plants.”
Walkur’s image flashed in her mind. He’d threatened her with a shovel, but the blow had come from behind. “I made a mistake.” She hung her head because Fellan looked far from pleased. “I didn’t check the bumps to locate Elschen when I found Walkur. I assumed she was in the fertilizer room.”
“Bumps?” he asked.
She explained how she wielded her magic to sense other people nearby.
“Handy.”
That word reminded her of another and caused her some anxiety. Someone she worked with… No. She only worked for the Sun Goddess and Fellan.
“Do you know where they went?” he asked.
“No. It was close to apex. Perhaps they’re still hiding here.”
Fellan gave her a humorless smile. “They’re gone. You’ve been unconscious for two full sun jumps, little one. We worried you’d never wake.”
Two? No wonder she ached all over. And she’d missed so much! She needed to do the goddess’s work. Laboring to get up, she was gently pushed back.
“Rest. The physician will check on you soon and bring you something to eat.”
She relaxed back, wondering if the physician was as good or as grumpy as…her…friend… Then her worries dissolved. Of course whoever came would do the goddess’s work.
The woman who arrived checked her stitches, claimed she’d pulled a few, and ensured Shyla ate. Then she was ordered to rest. Happy to comply, Shyla slept for another two sun jumps.
On the third, Fellan strode into her room. “How are you feeling?”
She considered the best response. His stiff posture and creased brow warned her he was upset. “Much better.”
