As far as plans went, this one was rather simple. But it put Kaveri at considerable risk. Shyla argued that Captain Yates might arrest the woman out of spite.
“He can try, but he won’t succeed. I am a monk.” Kaveri’s confidence was unshakable.
Shyla wondered if she’d ever be that…comfortable with her role in their world. At least, if she survived, Shyla might learn more about the woman who gave birth to her. The two of them crept back up to level seven. By now, enough time had passed and the surface would be safe…sort of. It wouldn’t be comfortable, but it wouldn’t kill her either.
They stopped at a collection station before splitting up to implement Kaveri’s scheme at one of the ramps to level six. From a hidden vantage point, Shyla held her breath and watched as her mother rounded a corner as if being pursued. Kaveri halted when she spotted the six guards. They stared at each other for a few stunned heartbeats. Then Kaveri spun on her heel and dashed away.
“It’s the sun-kissed,” one guard cried. “Baru and Lute, stay here. The rest with me.”
Four guards raced after Kaveri, leaving two behind.
If all went according to plan, Kaveri would lead them deep into the monastery before allowing them to catch her.
The guards that remained at the ramp buzzed with a new sense of purpose. Shyla waited about three angles. Covering her hair with the robe’s hood, she hefted the heavy bucket and strolled toward the two guards.
They wrinkled their noses at the foul odor and parted, allowing Shyla to pass without questioning her or even looking closely at her. She didn’t even need to use her magic. In fact, everyone gave her a wide berth as she carried that noxious bucket up to the growing cavern on level six. Wow. Who knew the power of poop?
She set the container in the back room for Kaveri to turn the contents into fertilizer. On the way out, she stopped and bent close to one of the plants, breathing in its fresh scent to purge the stink of excrement from her nose and lungs. Then she hurried to the surface. The temperature increased with each level, until she pushed through the hot thickness.
When she reached the surface building, the sunlight blinded her. And the heat immediately closed in, baking the sweat from her skin. Invisible fire burned with each inhalation. Soon her eyes adjusted to the brilliance and she changed into her sun cloak, leaving Kaveri’s robe on the bench. The monks who guarded the entrance hadn’t returned yet.
Out in the full sunshine, the velbloud fibers of her cloak helped lessen the intensity of the sun, but the desert’s bright colors hurt. Which didn’t make sense. Colors shouldn’t be painful.
Yet, as she sloughed through the blistering sand, various aches woke. The fiery press of heat on her head and shoulders increased her fatigue. And the effort to erase her footprints caused her muscles to tremble so much she had to quit hiding them once she was half a kilometer away. The distance to the Invisible Sword’s headquarters stretched toward impossible. She’d almost halted in defeat. But, in order to keep moving, Shyla set small goals.
Just get to the top of this dune.
Ten steps.
Twelve more steps.
Just reach that patch of shade.
The heat had thinned slightly by the time she arrived at the entrance. She staggered to a stop, gathering the last dregs of her energy to mount the ladder. The lookout climbed from the temple. He jerked in surprise when he noticed her standing there.
“Are you all right?” Balin asked.
“I’m fine,” she croaked.
Dubious, he raised his thick black eyebrows at her. “What are you doing out here?”
She considered a sarcastic reply, but it was a legitimate question. “I just came from the monastery.” Overlooking how his eyebrows lifted even higher—a rather amazing feat—she gestured to her tracks and explained about the guards. “Keep an eye in this direction in case they find them and follow me. I’ll send someone to erase them.”
“All right.”
If the guards appeared in the distance, Balin would sound the alarm, and those who had magic would cover the entrance, the ventilation shafts, and any tracks with sand. That was, if any of them were here. Between the city and the dig site, there weren’t many around. More reason to increase their numbers.
After the ridiculously complex task of descending the ladder, Shyla found Gurice, ignored her questions, and sent her to the surface. Then she gulped half of the water in her water skin and collapsed onto her mat with a groan.
Despite her near miss with the guards and the exhaustion that had sunk deep into her bones, she still wished she’d stolen a sleeping cushion from the monks.
“You do understand that you’re not only endangering yourself but the rest of us as well?” Gurice asked.
“I’m aware of the risks,” Shyla said, swallowing down a sigh. No surprise that she’d encountered resistance to her plan to visit Tamburah’s judgment chamber.
They sat at a table in the common room. Shyla had slept for a long time, scaring everyone. Gurice had been about to send for Zhek when she woke. Even now, after another full sun jump of rest, fatigue still tugged on her muscles.
“Let me come with you, then,” Gurice said. “Or take Titus. He has magic.”
“No, you’re both needed here in case our hideout is discovered.”
“At least take a couple of the acolytes with you. Jayden will kill me if he finds out you went alone.”
Shyla considered. “All right.”
Gurice pressed a hand to her chest. “You can be reasonable. Praise the goddess.”
“Cute.”
“Finally, a challenge,” Lian said. “I’m sick of shoveling sand.”
“My blisters have blisters,” Jaft quipped.
“All part of being a member of a not-so-secret organization,” Elek said.
“Are you done complaining?” Rae asked her friends. “Shyla hasn’t finished explaining the mission.”
Shyla didn’t mind their banter, although she’d never tell them that or they wouldn’t shut up. Their easy friendship and loyalty was what she hoped all the members of the Invisible Sword would eventually feel toward each other. A big family, working together, fighting together, helping others.
They had agreed to accompany her to Tamburah’s temple without knowing all the details. Dressed and ready to go, they had met her in the common room at angle three-fifty-five for a quick briefing.
“This shouldn’t take long,” Shyla said. “The hardest part will probably be finding the escape tunnel.”
“Are you expecting trouble?” Elek asked.
“I’m always expecting trouble. However, I’m hoping that we’ll be disappointed.”
They left at angle zero. Shyla erased their tracks. The action reminded her of her escape from the monastery. It was too dangerous to send a runner to check on what happened there after she’d left three sun jumps ago. Worry for her parents and the monks pulsed in her chest. If the Water Prince contacted the King about her, it could mean trouble for the monastery. Would he send his elite soldiers to investigate the dangerous sun-kissed? What if the King ordered the monks to turn Shyla over to the Water Prince if she ever returned? Best to stay away for a while. She’d wait until Jayden and Mojag returned from Zirdai and ask if they’d heard any rumors.