The City of Zirdai by Maria V. Snyder

Sixteen

It took a moment for Shyla to grasp the significance of the sand attack. Jayden was the traitor! A mix of emotions boiled—surprise, anger, and pain—but she ignored them. For now. Instead, she fought to calm the storm, but Jayden had years of practice in manipulating sand. And all he needed was a fraction of an angle to make his escape. Once he reached the surface, he’d be able to hide. Son of a sand demon!

Then all the sand grains stopped and dropped to the ground. Mojag held out his arms. He’d been the one to stop the attack. He also blocked the exit, standing in Jayden’s way. Shyla would never forget the look of hurt betrayal on Mojag’s face. Or the fury.

Jayden put his hands up as if placating a wild gamelu. “Moj–”

“No! You don’t get to talk to me,” Mojag said.

Shyla sensed a magical struggle between the two. Although impressed by Mojag’s strength, she knew Jayden had more experience so she helped the boy.

Sleep.

Jayden glanced at her then at Gurice and Ximen who stepped up beside her. That’s right, you’re outnumbered, traitor.

His shoulders sagged in defeat and he stopped fighting.

Sleep.

This time he crumpled to the ground. She stared at his prone form, allowing the emotions to roll through her. Perhaps she shouldn’t be so surprised. He’d been fighting her ever since they rescued him from the Heliacal Priestess, his resentment coloring all their exchanges. But for him to betray the Invisible Sword? And Mojag? That was a concept just too hard to grasp. What had happened to him? She hoped they’d find out.

Time to focus on the rest of the Invisible Swords. Shyla turned to them. “We’ll proceed with the oath.”

“Are you crazy?” Ximen asked. “We need to evacuate right now.”

“And go where?” she asked.

“The city. We can hide with the vagrants.”

Not a bad idea.

“What if they’re in on it?” Gurice asked. “Jayden was our liaison with them. We need to know the extent of his betrayal before we go anywhere.”

“Should we interrogate him now?” Ximen asked.

“Not yet. We will find out everything,” Shyla promised. She was finished with being nice. “But not right now. Between the four of us, we shouldn’t have any trouble keeping him asleep.” Then she addressed the rest of the group. “This betrayal proves that we need to stand united. In order to do that, we need to trust each other completely.” She scanned the faces in the room. “Taking this oath is vital and you cannot lie or it will not work. Is there anyone else who wishes to refuse?”

Silence.

“Good, let’s get started. Ximen, you’re next.” She held her breath. Did she have the strength to learn of another traitor?

He pulled up his sleeve. “Let’s go.”

It took about thirty angles for everyone to pledge their loyalty. They encountered no other nasty surprises and a few good ones—of the people who had come with the ex-deacons, three of them had potential to wield magic. The mood in the room had changed significantly. A sense of purpose and determination filled the air, but also an undercurrent of fear. That was to be expected because they could be attacked at any time except when the sun was in the danger zone.

As the members dispersed to return to work or to rest, Shyla consulted Ximen, Mojag, and Gurice about what to do with Jayden. They sat in a circle around him. Poor Mojag hunched over his crossed legs in utter misery. The others were equally dejected—they’d been friends with him for a long time. No one tried to speculate as to why or how or when he decided to betray them. They knew Shyla would discover the answers.

“I’ve extra velbloud tethers,” Gurice said. “We can secure him.”

“It’s going to take all of our magic to keep him from escaping,” Ximen said, glancing at Shyla.

Between using her magic to keep Jayden unconscious and doing the vows, she’d drained most of her energy. “After I interrogate him, we’ll need somewhere to keep him.” There wasn’t any place in their headquarters. “Somewhere that we don’t need a guard or else he’ll use his magic to escape. Somewhere where no one will accidentally find him. We’ll have to— Oh!”

“Think of a good place?” Ximen asked.

“Oh yes.”

Shyla rested while the others took turns keeping Jayden asleep. When the sun started its jump, she sent out a few members to keep watch on the city. At least they’d have some warning if the priestess attacked. Yes, the priestess. While trying to sleep, her mind had reeled and spun with the implications of Jayden’s betrayal. Three things had stood out—the deacons had ambushed the original headquarters, they’d captured Jayden, and they knew how to block magic.

Elek and a few other strong Invisible Swords helped her to relocate Jayden and carry the supplies he’d need to survive. Ximen and Mojag also accompanied them. Gurice remained at headquarters.

After Jayden was secured, Elek and the others left. Shyla, Mojag, and Ximen stood just out of reach. One druk glowed with a yellow light. It cast long shadows from its place on the floor.

“Ready?” she asked them.

Mojag pressed against her and she wrapped an arm around his bony shoulders, squeezing him in encouragement.

“You don’t have to be here,” she said to the boy.

“I know. I need to be here.”

Another squeeze. “I know.”

“Let’s do this,” Ximen said grimly.

They stopped commanding Jayden to sleep. It didn’t take long for him to wake. He opened his eyes and spotted them. They braced for a magical attack, but he sighed and pushed to a sitting position. He froze when the rasp of metal over stone sounded. His gaze followed the chain from his ankle to the anchor in the middle of the small cavern.

“Is this revenge?” he asked Shyla, referring to when she’d spent twelve sun jumps chained in here as they tested her for magic. He had called it a testing chamber, but to her it’d always be a prison. There was one way out, but there could have been four for all the good it had done her.

“No. It’s practical.” And maybe there was a little bit of revenge in her decision to bring him here, but she wouldn’t admit to being petty. Not now. “Are you going to tell us what we need to know about why you sold us out to the priestess or am I going to have to read your soul?” She’d taken her shield down just in case he attacked with his magic.

“The priestess?” Mojag asked.

“Yeah, I figured it wasn’t the prince, too,” Ximen said. “Jayden hates the prince.”

“He hates the priestess, too.” Mojag frowned. “Probably a lie, like everything else.”

Jayden flinched. “I hate the prince more. Hated him enough to be willing to stab him with my knife. But she ruined that.”

Oh no, he didn’t get to blame her or anyone else. “By saving your worthless life. Your plan was flawed.”

“Not this again. It’s definitely not the time,” Ximen said. “Is that why you ran to the priestess? Thought she’d help you kill the prince?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “In exchange for killing…” His voice hitched. “Bazia, Payatt…our friends…the Invisible Swords.”

“No.” Jayden shot to his feet. “I didn’t tell her the location of our headquarters. Banqui did that.”

She groaned. Not this again!

“The idiot snuck out,” Jayden said. “Banqui had forgotten about one of his caches when we let him get his personal items. He said there were priceless artifacts inside, but we wouldn’t let him leave our hideout. It was too dangerous.” He huffed in disgust. “Normally opening those almost invisible doors is just about impossible to figure out, but the Water Prince’s personal archeologist certainly knew how to operate them. So smart until he came back. He’d no idea that he was being followed. The deacons showed up in force soon after he returned with his stolen treasures. Don’t give me that look, Shyla, he was stealing from the prince just like all the other archeologists before him, saving up for the perfect time to leave the city.”

It was difficult to believe Banqui’s carelessness was the reason for the attack. He’d spent quite a bit of time in the prince’s black cells—an experience, she was sure, that no one ever wanted to repeat. “But after we rescued you, I asked you if Banqui was involved. You said you didn’t know.”

“You asked if he betrayed us. And I didn’t know. He could have purposely led the deacons to our hideout.”

“Do you know where he is?”

“The priestess has him.”

“Why didn’t you tell me—oh.”

“Yeah, oh. I needed there to be doubt about his involvement.”

“Is he alive?” She held her breath.

“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 do something,” Jayden said.

“Only ten of us escaped,” Ximen whispered.

“They would have killed everyone, 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 have no chance against 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’re asking 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.”

“And you were going to let her own The Eyes?” Ximen asked in shock. “So the prince is dead. So what? We’d still have to deal with the Heliacal Priestess who’d have the power of The Eyes at her disposal.”

“She never would have woken them,” Jayden said. He scowled at Shyla. “Nor would I have told her how.”

“Why tell her about the deacons having magical potential? How did she open them up?” Shyla asked.

“Again, so she can defeat the prince. And she didn’t open them…I did.”

Jayden must have been spying on her and Gurice when she’d worked with Mojag. That meant— “I thought it was from the power of The Eyes.”

“Despite what you think, you’re not that special. All you need is just regular old magic and someone to teach them.”

Ximen shook his head. “So the priestess kills the prince and takes over control of the city. How does that help you?”

Jayden looked at Mojag, and the emotion associated with that gaze touched Shyla’s heart. For the first time since all this started, she didn’t hate Jayden.

“He did it for the vagrants,” she said. “The priestess must have promised him that she would leave the communes alone.” He was the Vagrant Prince after all.

“Is she right?” Mojag asked. He’d been quiet up to this point.

“Yes. The priestess will also release our people from the black cells. And no more deaths in the prince’s special rooms.”

“But you forgot about the deacons torturing people to confess their sins,” Shyla said. “Or did you negotiate with her to stop that as well?”

The muscles in his neck tightened. “The deacons don’t kill those people.”

“So you’re okay with torture?” she asked.

“She won’t need to torture anyone when…”

Oh, this should be good. “When what?”

“When she has you.”

Ah. She shouldn’t be surprised. The Water Prince wanted the same thing. And Jayden had set the Arch Deacons on her before. “And when is that going to happen?”

Jayden’s posture stiffened but he didn’t say anything. His magic flared. Shyla braced for an attack. Nothing happened. It took her a moment to realize that he was preparing to fend off her efforts to read his soul.

“Are you sure you want to do it this way?” she asked.

No answer.

She deepened her connection into his mind.

Jayden commanded, “Stop!” with a full blast of his magic.

Scorching sand rats, the man was powerful. More than she’d thought. Her body locked tight. She was unable to move. And from the unnatural stillness beside her, she guessed Mojag and Ximen had been caught as well.

But that was the thing—while she could counteract his magic with probably a great deal of energy, it was unneeded. The power of The Eyes could not be stopped by magic. And she’d already established a link to his soul. There was no need for her body to move in order for her to explore his mind with hers.

She was curious what Jayden planned to do next. His thoughts raced with possibilities as a grim satisfaction over trapping the three of them flowed through him. Perhaps he could command them to give him the key to the cuff.

Shyla sank lower into the core of his emotions. A red-hot hatred burned for the prince. Why? She sought out the source. An image of a lovely young woman with dark hair and amber eyes. A fierce love and adoration surrounded her…Jayden’s older sister. The image flipped, turned upside down and now she was naked, covered in cuts, and bleeding to death in one of the prince’s special rooms. Jayden huddled below, watching her die through the metal grate. Listening as her blood dripped into the black river next to him. Shyla felt his, horror, and fear twisting into hatred and fury as intense as the sun. All directed toward the new Water Prince. A ruthless man who attacked the vagrants soon after he’d won the throne. He claimed they soiled his city and he would exterminate them all.

His anger was certainly justified. But she couldn’t sanction what he was willing to do to reach his goal.

Jayden must have sensed her presence. “No, wait. Stop.”

Too late. She continued. His feelings toward her were more complex. Jealousy, anger, frustration, admiration, exasperation, and hatred for stealing The Eyes from him, for preventing him from assassinating the prince.

Then she sank to the darkest levels of his mind. There lurked his guilt for not being fast enough to save his sister, for being away from the commune when the guards attacked, for not protecting his people, the self-loathing of working with the priestess. In his mind, he was not a traitor. He did not betray his friends, he was saving them all. He was a hero. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to keep them safe and alive. Even tell the priestess when and where to capture the sun-kissed.

Shyla sifted through his memories of the conversations he’d had with the priestess, the exchanges of information, and the plans they made. It was an ugly, unpleasant task. One she didn’t relish. One that would take her a long time to recover from. But before leaving his soul, Shyla found a place where Jayden was at peace, where love and not hate resided. His emotions toward Mojag were pure. The fierce protection and brotherly love clear. Shyla paused and absorbed the goodness. This was what she wanted to remember when she thought of Jayden. Not the hate and pain of betrayal.

When she withdrew from his soul, Shyla became aware of her physical body. No longer frozen in place, she filled her lungs.

Ximen had his hand on her arm. “Are you all right?”

“Not really, but I will be.”

He nodded his understanding. Ximen wasn’t all right either. Mojag stared at Jayden, who was now curled in a ball on the floor. Tears welled from his amber eyes—the same color and shape as his sister’s.

“Did you…” Ximen twirled his hand. “You know…”

“Yes, I learned what we needed to know.”

“Do we have to evacuate?”

“No. Everything he told us was true.” She faced Mojag, putting her hands on his bony shoulders. “He loves you. All your interactions with him were genuine. He never lied to you.”

“But he lied to everyone else.”

“He believed he was doing the right thing for everyone.”

“Except you,” Ximen said.

True. “Let’s go. We’ve lots to do to prepare.” But she turned toward Jayden.

He’d uncurled and sat up, wiping his face with the back of his hand.

Shyla pushed the druk closer to him with the tip of her boot. “Being locked in total darkness is cruel, so you can have the druk.”

“You can’t leave me here,” he said.

“Why not?” she asked then pointed to the back of the chamber. “You’ve plenty of supplies for the next thirty sun jumps.”

Jayden spun. Water skins and rolls of jerky rested on the low stone table. A cushion sat next to it along with a small pile of scrolls—because they weren’t heartless. Collection buckets lined the far wall with a jar of cleanser.

“No,” he said with dawning horror. “No. You can’t.”

“We can. And now that you have lots of time to think, consider this: if we’re defeated by the priestess, will we tell her where to find you or not? That is, if we live through the battle.” She paused to let her words sink in. “I guess if no one shows up after thirty sun jumps, you’ll have your answer.”

She tilted her head toward the exit and the three of them turned to go.

“Stop,” Jayden called, once again using his magic.

But Shyla was ready for him and deflected it. They strode from the chamber, turning right at the first intersection.

“No!” Jayden’s last anguished yell echoed off the walls, thudded with their heartbeats, and followed them all the way back home.

So. Much. To. Do. With only limited time. Before they entered their headquarters, Shyla explained to Ximen what she’d learned and what she was planning.

“Wait. The priestess knows we’re going to buy the platinum from Zimraan and you still want to go ahead with the purchase?” Ximen asked with plenty of skepticism.

“Yes.”

“And that’s where they expect to capture you.”

“Yes.”

He shook his head. “You’re the boss.”

And she had the most to lose. When she entered the common room, she noted the quiet conversations and morose expressions, the sense of defeat and fatigue in the air. Time to change that.

“Listen up,” she said, projecting her voice. “We’ve work to do.”

They fetched the rest of the Invisible Swords and she issued assignments. Handing a bunch of torques to Ximen, she said, “Figure them out. I want to know exactly what they can do and how to counteract them.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Is that all?”

She ignored his sarcasm. “Have Titus help you. Gurice!”

The woman snapped to attention.

“You’re in charge of training the new wielders. Start with Mojag. He’s quick and from the way he stopped Jayden’s sand attack, powerful. Concentrate on manipulation; we’ll teach them the other techniques later.”

“Them?” Gurice asked.

“Yes, I’ll be sending you more soon.” She glanced at the two women and the man who’d been cracked. They’d sat together, looking overwhelmed and uncertain.

Then Shyla gestured to Elek and Jaft. “Gather all the warriors,” she instructed. “Ask the new members who can fight and see what they can do. I want a status report on readiness in a sun jump.”

They nodded and, for once, Jaft didn’t have a smart-ass reply. Shyla watched them move among the others. Before they could approach Rae, she pulled the woman aside.

“Rae, it’s your choice. Open your magic or join the fighters.”

While petite, Rae knew how to use her size to her advantage and was fierce in a fight.

“What do you need more? Wielders or fighters?” Rae asked.

An easy question to answer. “Wielders who can fight.”

“Figures.” She drew in a breath and straightened her shoulders. “All right. Let’s do it now before I change my mind.” She gave Shyla a tentative smile.

“Meet me in my room,” Shyla said. “I need to talk to the others.” She found Yoria, Lamar, and the three ex-deacons and their three friends. Explaining the process of opening their magic, Shyla gave them all the choice. “No one is forcing you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with. If you decide to become wielders, then wait outside my room for your turn.”

As she headed there, Aphra approached her. “What’s my job?”

“That tunnel is very important. Take who’s left and keep working on it.”

“All right.”

Rae waited for her inside her small chamber. She sat next to the bucket of sand, staring at it. “I never thought of sand as a weapon before Jayden attacked us. It was always just a nuisance to me.” She met Shyla’s gaze. “The Ways of the Yarin are all about defense, and I can think of many instances where sand would make an effective shield.”

“I see you’re getting used to the idea of wielding magic.”

“I’m an Invisible Sword. We don’t back down from a challenge.”

“Ah, that’s my girl. Are you ready?” At Rae’s nod, Shyla asked her to concentrate on the sand, willing it to move.

When her magic glowed, Shyla pulled on the edges, opening it up. Rae’s fear of abandonment poured out. Not a surprise, but the fact Rae had been three circuits old at the time shocked Shyla to her core. Most parents left their sun-kissed children when they were mere sun jumps old. Rae’s hid her from the deacons. Until they changed their minds.

Stay here, her mother says. We’re going to play a game.

Rae claps her hands in excitement, but why does Mommy look so sad? The glare of the hot sun makes it hard to see, but tears shine in Mommy’s eyes.

Close your eyes and turn around, her mother says.

She doesn’t understand this new game or why there are people dressed in green with her and Mommy. Where’s Daddy? But she does as she’s told. ’Cause it’s Mommy. When nothing happens for a long time, she opens her eyes. The heat sears her lungs as she looks behind her. She’s alone. Terror strikes her like a blow. Crying out for her mommy, she runs, following the tracks, but they’re confusing and she’s soon lost. She keeps running even though the sun presses fire down onto her. Her skin turns bright red. The soles of her feet burn.

When she can no longer run, she collapses on the scorching sand. Needles of agony dig into her skin. Then a shadow provides a tiny bit of relief and a man dressed in red looms over her. He scoops her up in his arms.

The trauma of being left in the desert had remained with her all these circuits. Unable to get close to anyone, Rae kept herself emotionally apart. Not anymore. Rae sagged against Shyla, exhausted.

She pulled Rae into her arms. “The deacons forced your parents to abandon you.”

“I know. I’ve known. I just…”

“Couldn’t help wondering if they decided to leave you and asked the deacons for help,” Shyla said softly.

“Yes.” A sigh.

“Now you see the truth.”

“I do.”

“And the best part—”

Rae jerked away. “There’s nothing best about it.”

“There is. Your parents might still be alive and living in Zirdai. I’m sure they’d be ecstatic to see you again.”

The woman stared at her as if Shyla had just told her she could fly.

“Get some sleep, Rae.” Shyla pointed. “You’re welcome to use my mat.”

A small smile tugged at Rae’s lips. “No offense, but the piles of sand in level eleven are more comfortable.”

“Go, then,” she shooed good-naturedly. Then she took a few moments to center her thoughts and emotions before calling in the next person to open.

After the last of the potentials left, Shyla crawled to her mat. Uncomfortable or not, she needed the balm of oblivion. The emotional release of the traumas from nine people had bombarded her. Every bit of her body felt raw as if she’d just walked naked through a sandstorm. She longed for Rendor, and imagined curling up in his embrace, borrowing his strength. With the memory of his scent in her mind, she fell asleep.

From her vantage point on the edge of the dune, Shyla watched Zimraan’s caravan through the holes in her camouflage. Pulled by teams of gamelus, the line of twelve wagons trundled through the sand. Each wagon had two drivers. Guards wearing sun cloaks and swords strode on each side of the line. The sun hovered in the sky at angle thirty-one.

She’d been hidden under a blanket of sand since before the sun started its jump. Ximen and Gurice were also concealed at other key locations nearby. They’d been fighting the magical command not to look to the west since angle twenty—when the Arch Deacons and deacons had arrived to intercept the caravan. Others hid behind dunes. Shyla guessed the extra personnel were there in case they were ambushed. Overall the priestess’s people were being careful not to be spotted by anyone.

Shyla counted sixteen Arch Deacons and six deacons—four of them able to wield magic—plus ten more hiding. A total of thirty-two opponents. The priestess certainly had big plans for this encounter. Shyla guessed she should be flattered.

As the caravan approached, the deacons stopped the magical command. To Zimraan’s eyes, it would look like a wall of Arch Deacons had suddenly appeared. They wore green tunics and pants, black dillo leather boots, and green turbans. Their faces were covered with veils.

Zimraan cried out in alarm. He raised a hand and the wagoners halted the gamelus. His guards rushed to the front, ready to protect the merchandise. But the deacons remained in place. After a few tense moments, one Arch Deacon strode to Zimraan as the caravan master dismounted.

Shyla strained to listen to their conversation.

“We’re here to purchase all the platinum you carry. Also there are agitators in Zirdai who plan to do the same thing. We would like your help in trapping them,” the man said.

“I’m sorry, but I already sold all my platinum,” Zimraan said.

“Who did you sell the platinum to?” the Arch Deacon shouted, drawing his knife.

Zimraan backed away, his hands up. “The monks.”

This answer caused the Arch Deacon to pause. His grip on his weapon relaxed. “The Monks of Parzival?”

“No, the Monks of Arinna.”

Shyla smiled. That had been her idea.

“I’ve never heard of them.”

Zimraan lowered his arms. “They’re new. They’re building a monastery outside the city of Marib.”

“We still need your caravan in order to surprise and capture the insurgents,” the Arch Deacon said. When Zimraan hesitated, he added, “You’ll be compensated and everything will be returned to you.”

The caravan master had no real choice. His eight guards were no match for sixteen Arch Deacons. Shyla watched as the Arch Deacons and six deacons exchanged clothing with the wagoners. And then the ones in hiding appeared. Eight of them swapped with the caravan’s guards, while two donned the tunics of the men from the last wagon.

The priestess had sent the exact number of people to cover all the caravan’s personnel except Zimraan of course. There would be no gaps to warn Shyla or her people that a swap had taken place. Smart. Too bad for the priestess, Shyla already thought of doing that exact same thing.

The people now dressed as deacons moved away from the caravan—her cue to start. Shyla aimed her magic at the sand below the disguised deacons’ feet, moving it away. Ximen and Gurice helped her. Cries rang out as they sank and struggled and failed to find firm ground. The priestess’s wielders were unable to aid their colleagues. Jayden only had time to teach them how to influence people. A handy skill until the ground dissolved underneath them. She couldn’t suppress a snicker.

Not everyone was caught. But she wasn’t worried as Elek, Jaft, Lian, and the other fighters—who were now dressed like deacons—took care of them. The priestess’s wielders tried to interfere with Shyla’s people, but their efforts had no effect. The Invisible Swords all wore rings of platinum on their fingers. Engraved into all the platinum jewelry was the old Invisible Sword symbol. Ximen’s experimentation with the torques had revealed that it didn’t have to be worn around the neck. As long as it touched skin and had the symbol, it worked.

The Goddess had smiled on them because Wazir was a metalsmith. He’d been able to make the rings quickly. His occupation was also the reason he and his family had ended up in the chapel. Wazir had refused to hand over his inventory of platinum to the Heliacal Priestess so she had tortured his family.

When everyone was secured, Shyla removed her camouflage. Her injured leg had stiffened with the inactivity and she was unable to stand. Ximen who was nearby, rushed over to help her to her feet. So much for her grand entrance.

Grins and whoops sounded from the Invisible Swords when she joined them. She congratulated them on their success. But they couldn’t relax yet. The sun climbed closer to apex and the deacons needed to be taken to the monastery where Zimraan’s people waited. The monks had agreed to hold on to the captured deacons for a few sun jumps.

To her, the very best part of the plan was that she now had thirty-two Invisible Swords disguised as Arch Deacons and deacons.

They raced the sun. Zimraan’s caravan arrived at the entrances to Zirdai around angle sixty-five. The porters waiting for the merchant sprang into action, unloading the goods, unharnessing the gamelus, and cursing under their breath at the unexpected delay. Zimraan shrugged, claimed traveling in the desert was a dangerous undertaking then proceeded to bark orders.

Zimraan had played his part well. At first he’d been against the idea of deceiving the Heliacal Priestess’s deacons, but a large pouch of osees had changed his mind.

Four more Arch Deacons waited as well. They demanded to know what had happened. Shyla’s people had ensured their faces were hidden behind the veils. They parted and revealed their prizes—Shyla, Gurice, and Ximen with their hands tied behind their backs. She glared at them all, playing her part.

“The mission was a complete success,” Elek said.

“What about the other renegades?” one Arch Deacon asked.

“Dead,” Elek said in a flat tone. Muscling past the man, he gestured for the others to go inside.

“That wasn’t part of the mission,” the man said, trailing them. “The Blessed One will be upset.”

“They fought back.” Elek shrugged. “Not much else we could do.” Picking up the pace, he led them down to level six.

Once they were safe from the killing sun, Elek slowed. The four from the entrance had followed, obviously intent on accompanying them. Elek headed to a less populated fringe of the city.

“Hey, wait, you’re not going the right way,” an Arch Deacon said.

“I think this is a good place,” Elek said.

“For what?”

“For this.” He snapped his fingers. Elek’s warriors attacked.

The four had no chance. They were unarmed and forced to their knees in a fraction of an angle. Jaft removed their torques and Shyla used her magic to erase their memories. She then went deeper, finding their reasons for becoming Arch Deacons. Her magic wouldn’t be able to change their personality or beliefs, but she questioned why they served the Heliacal Priestess knowing they were no longer saving souls, but hurting them.

The priestess does not speak for the Sun Goddess. I do and she is not happy with your behavior.

Her efforts probably wouldn’t work for all of them, but two showed promise. They left the Arch Deacons and continued on their journey.

“Are we going to do this for all the deacons?” Jaft asked.

“Eventually. I’d like to do it for all those who are loyal to the priestess. However, for now, only the ones who try to stop us,” Shyla said. “Our mission is to get to the priestess. Once we have her neutralized, we can go from there.”

“With so many of us, we’re bound to draw attention,” Jaft said.

“Our numbers will scare most people off,” Elek said. “Besides, if we move quickly, they won’t have time to gather forces if they suspect we’re not legit.”

“Are you going to be able to go down ninety more levels?” Ximen asked Shyla.

With her hands mock tied, walking was difficult.

“We’ve got her,” Daksh said, indicating Nard who stood on the other side of Shyla. “If she has trouble, we’ll help her out.”

“How?” Ximen asked.

Shyla was also very interested in the answer. The two men each cupped one of her elbows and lifted her off her feet. It was strange, but with her feet only a few centimeters off the floor, they could carry her.

“Everyone ready?” Elek asked.

When they confirmed, he set off at a brisk pace. Shyla managed to keep up for ten levels, but after that Daksh and Nard carried her. The big men didn’t slow even with the extra weight. Must be nice to be so strong. That thought led to her wondering about Rendor. Would he spot her with the deacons and try to rescue her? No. It was a silly thought. Even Rendor couldn’t take on thirty-two deacons.

As expected, no one dared get in their way. Elek took a route that avoided all the crowded areas of Zirdai but wasn’t on the edges. Deacons didn’t worry about being noticed so if they appeared too furtive, it would trigger suspicion.

They traveled unheeded all the way down to level ninety. There they entered one of the larger caverns that tended to be a gathering place for the residents in the area. There were many of them throughout Zirdai. Due to the wealth of the citizens at this level, this one was extravagantly decorated with oversized cushions, tables, plush rugs, and trol lanterns.

It was also empty.

The Invisible Swords had a moment to exchange a warning before the other side of the cavern filled with a similarly sized group.

The good news—they weren’t from the priestess’s holy army. The bad—they were the Water Prince’s well-armed guards.