Page 108 of The City of Zirdai
“As far as I know.”
At least there was some good news from all this.
“Speaking of involvement, when and why did you get involved?” Ximen asked.
“Wait,” Mojag said. “How can we believe anything he says?”
Ximen and Jayden glanced at Shyla.
“I can tell when he’s lying,” she said.
Mojag scrunched up his nose. “But he’s lied to you a million times. How come you didn’t know then?”
Good question. “I wasn’t…monitoring him then. I trusted him.” Big mistake.
“Monitoring?”
“Right now, I’m using my magic to tap into his surface emotions. If he lies, I’ll know. And if he won’t answer our questions, I’ll go deeper and find the answers.” The last part was more for Jayden than Mojag.
“So when and why?” Ximen demanded.
Jayden scrubbed a hand over his face. “When they attacked us, I found the leader and begged him to stop killing our people. Promised him I’d arrange for the Heliacal Priestess to get The Eyes if he stopped.” Then he looked at Shyla. “Promised to hand the sun-kissed over.”
Ah, so it was an ambush and not very bad luck Shyla had run into those Arch Deacons in Tamburah’s judgment room. So much for Jayden not wanting to hurt her.
“My people were dying. I had to dosomething,” Jayden said.
“Only ten of us escaped,” Ximen whispered.
“They would have killedeveryone, Ximen. The rest were arrested.”
Ximen perked up. “The commanders?”
Jayden shook his head sadly. “They wanted to kill the leaders and those that could wield magic. Good thing you and Gurice weren’t with them.”
“Oh, so I should thank you for not ratting us out?” Ximen demanded.
No response.
“The exchange with the Heliacal Priestess,” Shyla said. “You for The Eyes. Your idea?”
“Yes. I knew the prince had the fake Eyes so the Invisible Swords would have to give the priestess the real ones. I’d no idea you had woken them.” He glared at her. “They told me you died.”
She glared right on back. “Not sorry to disappoint you.”
“But we rescued you, Jay. Why keep working for the priestess?” Ximen asked.
“We haveno chanceagainst the Water Prince. You’re all fooling yourselves. I want him dead! And I don’t care if I have to work with the priestess to do it.”
“What did you tell her?” Ximen asked.
A hushed silence. Would he reveal the depth of his betrayal or would Shyla have to force it from him?
“Not much. I didn’t want you or Gurice or Mojag hurt. She doesn’t know the location of your headquarters or about Tamburah’s second vault. In fact, she stopped assigning deacons to watch our old headquarters. Actually, the priestess doesn’t care if you’re hiding out in the desert playing at a rebellion. We both figured the new organization would eventually stall and break up.” He growled in frustration. “How in the seven hells did you get twenty more people?”
“We’reasking the questions,” Shyla said coldly. “What did you tell her?”
“I recognized the significance of the torque around her neck. She’d no idea. It’s an heirloom handed down—or taken—from one priestess or priest to the next. Must have been a gift from the Invisible Sword founders. Despite the rumors, the torques weren’t lost. They were entrusted to and passed down to the leaders of the Invisible Sword. I found them in my father’s things after he died. I hid them, but told the priestess where to find them to protect her pet Arch Deacons.” His shoulders drooped. “I wouldn’t have told her, except she needed a show of good faith from me before we did the exchange.”
