Page 69 of The City of Zirdai

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A male voice said, “If I encounter one more spider web, I’m gonna charge the monks a cleaning fee.”

“I don’t know what all the fuss is about these rooms,” said another man. “There’s nothing here but a bunch of dusty old scrolls and tablets.”

“What did you expect?” a woman asked.

“Golden chalices, bowls filled with precious gems, ancient artifacts.”

“You certainly have quite the imagination,” she said, and her tone implied it wasn’t a compliment.

Weak druk light pierced the map room. Shyla gathered her magic as the light brightened.

“Ugh, there’s a gap under the table. Check it out, Gafna,” the first man ordered.

“Why me?”

“You’re smaller than we are.”

“And smarter, too,” she said, but then she sighed. “You owe me.”

A scrape of a boot was followed by a grunt. Shyla aimed her magic at the woman.

Wall.

But without making eye contact, Shyla had no way to know if her magic was working.

Wall.

“There’s nothing here,” the woman said.

Phew.

“Did you do a hand check?”

Oh no.

Another sigh. “You really want me to get bitten by a spider, don’t you?”

“Better you than me.”

Solid wall.

A hand poked through the shortcut. Shyla bit down on a curse.

“Huh? What the— Uri, get down here and bring that druk!”

“What did you find?” Uri asked.

Shyla sent her magic to the man as well.

Solid wall.

“I don’t know, you big lug. Give me the light.”

A druk was thrust into the map room. Shyla backed away from the shortcut.

Not here.

The female guard stuck her head in. “That was weird.”

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