Page 70 of The City of Zirdai
“What in seven hells, Gafna. Where’s your head?”
“In some kind of room.” She withdrew. “See for yourself.”
“That’s a solid wall.”
“It looks like one, but it’s not. Isn’t this what Captain Yates said to be on the lookout for?”
This wasn’t going to end well, but Shyla didn’t know what else to do.
Not here.
A big hand with calluses appeared followed by a scowling guard’s face. His surprise didn’t last long. He retreated.
“Block that opening,” he ordered Gafna. “I’m going to find out about that room.”
Not here.
Gafna reappeared, but she stopped so half of her body remained in the First Room. She held her sword and scanned the octagonal space.
Sleep.
The woman blinked a few times and yawned, but she shook off the command. Shyla increased her will.
Sleep.
Gafna’s head dropped. Not wasting time, Shyla raced over to the double stained-glass doors. They were locked. Scorching hells. After a moment of panic, she remembered that this room was guarded like all the others. Reaching out, she sensed the two monks on the other side.
Open doors.
Nothing.
Open doors.
“Hey, what are you doing?” a muffled voice on the other side said.
A key rasped in the keyhole. “Unlocking the door.”
“Why?”
She didn’t have time for this. Using more of her waning energy, she pushed it at the two monks.
Open doors.
A metallic snap broke the quiet. The doors slid apart. Both monks peeked inside.
Not here.
She darted into the hallway.
Lock doors.
They did as instructed. Shyla hurried away. She was on level nine. And probably so were the other units. If she only encountered a few guards she could slip by them and get higher. If not…she’d be caught. Best to think positive.
Voices alerted her before she turned the corner. She skidded to a stop and backtracked to the intersection she’d just passed. Ducking down the left tunnel, she pressed against the wall just as the group walked by. Hanif led Captain Yates and four guards. They were so focused on getting to the map room that none glanced her way. She remembered to breathe. After waiting for what seemed like a couple thousand angles, she ventured out and tried to find a route free of guards.
She managed to reach level seven, but Yates must have brought more than a platoon because there were plenty of guards stationed at the various ramps to the upper levels. Too many for her to handle. Besides, it was still too hot to be higher than level six. Shyla considered borrowing a robe and trying to sneak by them, but as she watched from a hidden spot, the guards yanked the hoods down on all the monks who had them up.
Her only option was to stay hidden until the surface cooled enough for her to use one of the escape tunnels. Except she soon learned that guards blocked those as well. She had to grudgingly admit Captain Yates wasn’t an idiot. Panic churned and bubbled up her throat. She swallowed it down.
