“Coins are enough of a reason.”
Tired of arguing, she headed toward the temple. No matter what Jayden thought, she was going to figure out a way to test all the Invisible Swords.
Before they reached the common room, Shyla said to him, “I want to hide in the sand again.”
“You think the priestess will try to abandon another baby?”
“No, but I’d like to ensure no one is following our people.”
“All right. I’ll meet you here at angle three-fifty.”
Shyla squirmed into a comfortable position before commanding the sand to cover her.
“Better,” Jayden said of her efforts as he settled next to her.
It didn’t take long before Shyla spotted Gurice and Mojag. The siblings slipped from the south exit. The tight pressure around her chest eased a fraction.
“There’s Ximen,” Jayden whispered a few angles later.
While happy that he was free of the city and that no one had followed any of the Invisible Swords, Shyla worried about Rendor. Why hadn’t he left with Ximen?
They remained in place for another ten angles. Still no Rendor. The sweepers returned inside. Still no Rendor. The priestess finished her service. Still no Rendor.
When the area was completely deserted, Jayden said, “We better go back.”
“You can go,” she said.
“Shyla, he’s not coming out. Not if he doesn’t want to draw unwanted attention. I’m sure Ximen knows where he is and why he stayed behind.”
He was right. Yet Shyla was almost afraid to find out why. The citizens of Zirdai hated him, the Water Prince had ordered his guards to kill him on sight—if they could—and the deacons would happily end his life for no reason at all.
Shyla and Jayden returned to headquarters. Gurice, Mojag, and Ximen were regaling the others in the common room with stories of how they spent the sun jump hiding from the various factions.
Unable to wait another moment, Shyla sent Ximen a silent command.
Come here!
He turned to her in surprise, but once he saw her expression, he hurried over to her and Jayden.
“What happened?” she demanded.
“The mission was a complete success. And, as long as we’re careful, we can tap into that water source whenever we need it.”
“A complete success?” she asked doubtfully. “Then where’s Rendor?”
Ximen glanced at Jayden then away. “He…” Ximen fidgeted with the sleeves of his tunic.
She wanted to strangle him. “Spit it out, Ximen.”
Ximen drew in a breath, then released it slowly. “He decided to remain behind. He said he’s not welcome in the Invisible Sword and it would be better for everyone if he just disappeared.” Ximen touched her arm. “Rendor did the right thing. It’s best for all of us.”
Eight
It’s best for all of us. Had Ximen just said that to her? She stared at him in shock.
Rendor had decided not to become a member of the Invisible Sword.
Rendor had decided not to come back to her.
His angry words—which she’d been avoiding thinking about—replayed in her mind. You’re embarrassed? Is that why you only showed me you care when the Invisible Swords couldn’t see us? Or is it that you don’t want my history to tarnish your leadership?
Scorching hells, why did she have such a good memory? Each word stabbed into her heart. Why hadn’t she chased after him right away? Why had she waited? Stupid, selfish sun-idiot. And now he was gone.
“Did you erase his memory of us?” Jayden asked.
The thought of Rendor not remembering her tore through her with sharp teeth. She glared at Jayden. He wore a pleased smile that Shyla wanted to slap right off his face.
“No,” Ximen said. “He’s been exiled. If the guards see him, they have orders to kill him. Besides he doesn’t have anyone to tell.”
“What about his parents and older brother?” Jayden asked.
Stunned, she almost rocked back on her heels. Rendor had a brother? Why didn’t she know? What else didn’t she know about him?
Ximen shrugged. “They disowned him when he signed up to be a guard.”
“How do you know this?” she asked.
“Rendor’s been causing the vagrants and the Invisible Sword trouble since he joined the guards,” Jayden said. “We were hoping to find some leverage to keep him from being such a heartless killer. When we threatened to harm his brother, Hastin, he laughed and told us to go ahead, and, while we were at it, to take out his parents as well and save him the trouble.”
“Where do they live?” Shyla demanded.
Ximen glanced at Jayden as if seeking his permission.
“I asked the question, Ximen,” she snapped.
“This really is for the best,” Ximen said. “Think about it, even Rendor’s parents didn’t want him and they raised him.”
“That’s not what I asked.” She stared at him. If she had to get the information by using The Eyes and taking another step down the path to Tamburah’s madness, she would.
Ximen dropped his gaze. “They live on level eighty-four.”
Only the very wealthy could afford to live below level eighty. She’d no idea. A self-absorbed and selfish sun-idiot. “What do they do?”
“They own a number of businesses. Hastin travels to other cities to purchase and trade goods. He’s supposed to be some kind of prodigy.” Ximen shrugged. “All we know is that soon after Hastin became an active part of their business, they were able to move down from level sixty-seven.”
And Rendor’s skills with a sword were not beneficial to his family. He’d told her his family thought he was worthless, but she’d never asked him…anything. Too concerned with the Invisible Sword. No wonder he didn’t want to come back. Too bad. She’d find him and drag him back if she had to.
“Shyla, it’s not worth the risk,” Jayden said.
Was she that easy to read?
“You’re vital to this organization. Without you, we can’t free Zirdai,” Ximen said.
Jayden touched her arm. “You can’t be selfish.”
Oh yes she could. And she would. It took every gram of willpower not to punch him in his you-can’t-be-selfish guts. Instead, she turned from them both and hurried to her room before tears spilled. Once in the privacy of her room, though, her sadness turned to anger. She paced the tiny area.
At the first sign of trouble between them, Rendor bolted. He had known the Invisible Sword wouldn’t welcome him right away, that he’d have to fight for it. So what changed?
You don’t share the same feelings, he’d said.
How could he believe that when everyone else apparently thought she was in love with him? Had something happened on the mission? She needed to talk to Gurice. Of all the people in the Invisible Sword, she’d already accepted Rendor. Or so it seemed.
Shyla found Gurice dumping buckets of sand on the surface.
“You just came back from a mission. You don’t have to work,” she said to Gurice. “Aren’t you tired?”
“Nah. We slept while we waited.”
“Tell me how the mission went.”