Page 77 of The City of Zirdai
One thing she’d learned was that magic came with a cost. She wondered why the other survivors of the massacre hadn’t also tapped into their power. They had to have been traumatized as well. Did that mean they didn’t have the potential? Or were they stronger and hadn’t needed to tap into their inner reserves? She wished there was a way she could connect to that closed lantern that was supposed to be inside those people born with magical potential, but, so far, only the ones that had been cracked open were visible. At least Jayden had been right about Aphra, though. She didn’t pass, and she wasn’t happy about it either.
Overall, Shyla was pleased with finding three more. Including Mojag, that would bring the total number of wielders to nine if the new ones could access their full power. Perhaps a few lessons would do the trick. Or would she need to fully engage their magic? Once Mojag and Gurice returned, she’d talk to all four and discuss options.
Exhausted, she went to her room to lie down. She’d told Jayden to wake her as soon as they came back. But when she closed her eyes, the cries of the prisoners in the black cells filled her head. How could a memory be so loud? And what if the Water Prince had Hanif and Kaveri in one of his special rooms? Worry and fear pumped through her. In an attempt to distract her thoughts from conjuring up more horrible scenarios about her parents, she focused on other problems, which led to making a mental list of everything she needed to accomplish. It was overwhelming. So why was she wasting time trying to sleep?
Giving up, she took the map from her pack and examined it. That nagging feeling once again poked her like an annoying younger sibling.
Poke—remember this?
Poke—come on, you know it.
Poke—how stupid can you be?
Poke—no wonder Mom loves me best.
The desire to crumple the skin into a tight little wad twitched along her fingers. Instead she stared at it, imagining her eyes had turned to lava stones and could set the damn thing on fire. Too bad she couldn’t read the map like a person’s soul. What would happen if she pushed with the magic of The Eyes while looking at an inanimate object? Probably nothing. At least she wouldn’t be disappointed as that was all she’d managed to get from it so far.
Feeling a bit silly, she gazed at the map using her magic. As expected, nothing happened. Then she blinked. The lines shifted. Suddenly another map rose. A three-dimensional shape of a maze with twists and turns and dead ends. And in the center, the prize. Was that what Tamburah meant when he pointed to his temple and said,It’s all right here? Perhaps he was really pointing to his eyes, indicating that his power would show him the right way. Excitement replaced her frustration. Now she just needed to find the entrance into the maze.
When her eyes crossed with fatigue, she returned to her sleeping mat. Jayden woke her a few angles later. Mojag and Gurice were back.
They’d arrived just before darkness along with the crew from the dig site. The diggers hadn’t reached deep enough to safely remain on site. Gurice went to check on her team working on the tunnel to Zirdai, leaving Mojag to report the news.
Ximen joined the three of them in a corner of the common room. Not for the first time, or the last, she was sure, Shyla wished for a cup of hot tea.
“The monks are in a tizzy,” Mojag said. “Seems the big arrest is unpress…unprez…er…never happened before.”
“What was the reason for the arrest?” Shyla asked.
“Hiding a known criminal, and collusion, whatever that means. Yates said if the monks told him where the sun-kissed is hiding, he’d let Hanif go. The other monk was arrested for obstruction.” Mojag perked up a bit. “Good call on not telling them where we are.”
“What about the King? Has he been informed?” Jayden asked.
“They sent a messenger. And the monks said they argued with Yates that he didn’t have the power to arrest them, that he used up his one exemption. But he said that it was used to search for the sun-kissed, which also meant the monks had to cooperate and, when they didn’t, he was within his rights to arrest them.”
“I’m surprised the monks allowed the guards to leave,” Ximen said. “From what I’ve seen, they’re more than capable of handling them.”
“Hanif told them not to fight. He said to contact the King.” Mojag rubbed his arms with short agitated strokes. “Do you think the King will send his army? What if they side with the Water Prince?”
“It will take at least seventy sun jumps for a message to reach the King,” Shyla said. “I doubt he’d do more than send a message back ordering Hanif and Kaveri’s release, which will take another seventy sun jumps if the King responds right away, otherwise it could be even more.” Any amount of time was unacceptable to her.
“Do you think the monks would be willing to help us?” Jayden asked her.
“Help us how?”
“We need more people. The monks are well trained. We could join forces and attack the Water Prince.”
That would be wonderful. “They might want to, but they’re not permitted to interfere.”
Jayden pounded his fist on the table. “That’s just an excuse.”
“They work for the King.”
He was not appeased. “Then we can’t help Hanif. Not yet.”
Shyla wasn’t going to give up. “We managed to get to the prince before. We can do it again.”
“The only reason that worked was because the Water Prince thought you had The Eyes. This time, he’d just overwhelm us with sheer numbers. And that is if we even get down there. If the priestess hears we’re on the warpath, she’ll send Arch Deacons after us.”
