Page 84 of The City of Zirdai
“Thanks.” Aphra approached the lip of the ramp as if a venomous snake was coiled inside. She held a druk in one hand and her knife in the other. Winding around the steps, she slowly disappeared.
The tension increased as Shyla waited. Perhaps she shouldn’t have sent Aphra down there. What if only someone with the power of The Eyes—
“All clear,” Aphra called.
Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief. With Shyla in the lead, they stepped down the series of ramps, each one smaller than the last, until they reached the end which rested on the floor a level below the hexagonal room.
Aphra waited for them. She jerked her thumb behind her. “The maze awaits.”
“What happened to your arm?” Jayden asked.
Her sleeve was ripped and blood welled. “There are nasty traps in there.”
“What a surprise,” Jaft said dryly.
To Aphra’s evident amusement, Jayden inspected the wound and declared it shallow. He removed a bandage from his pack and wrapped it around her bicep.
The action reminded Shyla of Rendor, who would have done the same thing if she’d gotten hurt. Or perhaps not. He might be glad not having to worry about her anymore. Silencing those depressing thoughts, Shyla strode over to the maze’s entrance. “Bring that druk, Jaft.”
He stopped right behind her. She took the lantern from him and held it up. The walls were identical to all the others in the temple. There were two ways to go, left or right.
“Don’t go left,” Aphra said.
Wondering if Tamburah had memorized the correct route or marked it as he had with the symbols, Shyla used her magic. Sure enough, an arrow pointed right. It seemed too easy.
“Would the correct path have booby traps?” she asked Aphra.
“No. Otherwise, Tamburah would have to disable them every time.”
“He was paranoid about thieves finding his valuables,” Shyla said.
“In that case, we should proceed with care.”
“Wait,” Jayden said. “Do we need to solve the maze? We don’t have enough time to figure it out.”
“No. Tamburah marked the route,” she said.
“Right then?” Aphra asked.
“Yes.”
Aphra once again took the lead. Shyla directed her and they moved slowly. When Aphra held up a hand, they halted. When the hunter crouched, Shyla spotted another symbol on the wall. And there were four more on the floor. It took her a few moments to decipher it.
“There’s a safe path through the trap,” Shyla said.
“How do you know?” Aphra asked.
“I can see it.”
She moved aside. “You first.”
“Are you sure?” Jayden asked.
“I’m pretty sure.”
“Such confidence,” Jaft muttered.
Shyla stepped on the first graphic on the floor. When nothing happened, she released her breath, bent down to trace her boot with the chalk, and moved to the subsequent one. After she finished, she spotted the next arrow.
