Page 123 of The City of Zirdai
“Good,” she said.
He looked at her. “Good?”
“Yes. That ensures you won’t do it again.”
“I won’t.”
When she woke, Rendor was gone. Not that she was surprised, but it still caused a brief moment of panic despite his promise. She understood why he’d left before and, without his efforts to recruit the guards, she’d be dead right now and not just feeling as if she’d died.
Standing required extra effort. She wobbled as her legs adjusted to bearing weight. Good thing no one witnessed her ungainly extrication from the fur and sleeping cushion. When she was steady, she went looking for Rendor.
The servants and guards that she passed eyed her with curiosity and not animosity. Still, she braced for someone to call out in alarm. Each intersection she fully expected to be tackled and arrested. She kept her distance from everyone out of habit, but it soon became clear she’d no idea where Rendor might be in the vast complex.
Shyla asked a passing servant, who escorted her to a conference room. Rendor sat around a low stone table with Ximen, Mojag, and Gurice. A number of torques and deacon robes were piled on the table. A sense of urgency rumbled through the low intense tones of their discussion. Mojag spotted her first. He sprang to his feet and almost knocked her over with his strong, enthusiastic hug. The rest smiled at her with hugs in their gazes.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” he said. His voice sounded young and vulnerable. But then he pulled away and with clear annoyance asked, “Can you tell them that I know the city better than anyone else?”
“I’ll agree you know the city well,” she said. “But I won’t go so far as to say better than anyone.”
He made a disgusted noise and flopped back to his cushion.
“Strategy session?” she asked.
“Yes,” Ximen said.
Gurice gestured to the empty seat. “Sit down before you fall down. Mojag, go tell someone to fetch her something to eat and drink.”
“Hey. I’m a magic wielder now, and—”
“Are still the youngest and the fastest. Go now so you don’t miss anything.”
Shyla hid her smile as Mojag rushed from the room. Folding her legs under her, she sank gratefully into the square of softness. The short walk from Rendor’s office had drained most of her strength. He shot her a concerned look, but she gave him anI’m fineshake of her head. No doubt food and water would revive her. She hoped.
“How long was I asleep?” she asked. She had lost all track of time since her capture.
Rendor frowned. “About three hundred angles. Zhek ordered that no one disturb you.”
No wonder she was starving. “He’s here?”
“Everyone’s here,” Gurice said. “Good thing we have the entire level at our disposal to house everyone. We have recovering prisoners, Invisible Swords, andallthe guards. Once they learned that nothing is going to change with the new regime, well besides no more torture, killings, and corruption, they were happy to work for us.”
“Not all are here,” Rendor corrected. “About four dozen are in the city on patrol. And those that relished carrying out the prince’s bloody orders have been arrested.”
Ah. “And how is the prince enjoying his new accommodations?”
“He’s not.”
She shared a smirk with Rendor. Then she considered Gurice’s report. “Did you release all the prisoners?”
“No. We freed the Invisible Swords and the vagrants, but we need to go through the prince’s records about the rest. We don’t want to free a dangerous criminal by mistake.”
Smart. “How many Invisible Swords survived?”
“Twenty-three!” Then she grudgingly admitted, “I guess Jayden did save lives.”
“Where are they?”
“In the empty rooms of the guards’ quarters,” Rendor said. “Timin’s been taking care of them.”
