“I can. It would be—”
“Fun?”
“I was going to say chaotic, but there certainly would be an element of fun. However, we’re considering you for the position.”
Jayden opened his mouth and closed it several times. “Wait. Did you say me?”
“Yes.”
Stunned silence. “Are you insane?”
She huffed. “Why does everyone keep asking me that?”
“Because you tend to do things that are not—”
“Careful,” she warned.
“Conventional. And I’m…”
“You’re?”
“Damaged, broken, untrustworthy. I betrayed you to the priestess, even knowing that she would kill you. How can you ever forgive me?”
“Do you want forgiveness?”
He paused as he did some soul searching. She waited.
“Yes,” he said. It was the truth. “I do. But it’s too much to ask of you. Of anyone.” His thoughts turned to Mojag.
“As for me, Hanif reminded me that people are capable of changing should they choose to make the effort. And I’d be a hypocrite if I could forgive Rendor’s past and not yours. He does have the genuine desire to make amends, and I’ve been reading your soul this entire time so—”
“You have? I didn’t feel it.”
“My skills have improved. Desperation is a great teacher, although I wouldn’t recommend it.” She shuddered at her two close calls. “Regardless, do you wish to make amends?”
“Of course I do.” He was surprised by his own vehemence.
“Before we offer you the job, you have to agree to some conditions.”
“What are they?”
“First, no more black cells. We’re going to rebuild the prison, but it’ll have light, and collection stations, and the inmates will help with the city’s maintenance unless the prisoner is really dangerous.”
“That’s a good idea. I agree.”
“Second, no more vagrants. They will become a legitimate part of the city. For those who can’t afford the taxes or tithes, there will be a system in place to help them find a better job. And children under two circuits old will be exempt from both.” They’d finally located the mother of the baby the Arch Deacons had used as bait. As Orla had predicted, the woman couldn’t afford to raise a child, but she’d believed the baby was going to be raised in one of the chapels.
“I’m all for that.”
No surprise—he was the Vagrant Prince after all. And a part of the bargain he’d made with the priestess included helping them.
“Third, the guards are there to protect the people, not police them. They’re to be called protectors.”
“All right.”
“Fourth, all the artifacts and treasures that the Water Prince collected are to be put on public display and made accessible to the historians. Banqui has officially retired, so you might want to consider hiring Aphra as your chief archeologist, but that’s just a recommendation, not a condition.”
“I agree to the museum. And she’s hired.” He swallowed. If she wants to work for me.
“You’re going to have to get over that,” Shyla said.
“Over what?”
“That internal cringing and worrying about whether people will forgive you or not. Just sincerely apologize once and show them by your actions that your intentions are genuine. It’s up to them to forgive you. If they don’t, then move on. You can’t force it.”
“In some cases, moving on will be hard.” Again his thoughts lingered on Mojag.
“No doubt, but nothing about your situation is going to be easy. In fact, this last condition might be a deal breaker.”
“Go on.”
“Because you’re a magic wielder, you have an unfair advantage over the citizens of Zirdai.”
“You don’t want me to use my magic?” His confusion was clear.
“Yes.”
“But I don’t think I can stop…it’s a part of me. And I’ll need it to defend myself—not everyone is going to be happy I’m the new prince. Plus, I think my magic will make me a better leader.”
“We don’t. And you’ll have protectors to defend you.”
He grappled with the implications. “But I can’t just…turn it off.”
“You can’t. But I can.”
He stared at her with a growing horror. “You can do what exactly?”
She explained about closing the power in the seers.
“But you haven’t done it for someone like me! I wasn’t cracked and pulled open like the others.”
“True. You’ll be my first attempt.”
“Your first attempt!” His voice was shrill. Jayden took a few deep breaths. “What if you can’t do it?”
“Then you’ll still have your magic. But you can’t be the Water Prince. You have to decide if you want me to close your magic or not.”
“And if I choose my magic? Then what happens to me?”
“You can return to the Invisible Sword. We plan to operate separately from the city like the monks do. Helping out if needed and keeping a close eye on the new Water Prince and Heliacal Priestess so we don’t have this problem again. Aphra also plans to consult with me on future dig sites.” Shyla was looking forward to that collaboration—to be lost in her maps and research again would be a slice of bliss.
“If I rejoin the Invisible Sword, you’d be able to keep a close eye on me, too.”
“That’s the idea. It’ll take some time for everyone to trust you again. As you know from Rendor’s reception, my word isn’t good enough. You have to prove yourself to them.”
“Can I have some time to think it over?”
“Yes, but not much. We need to fill the position or risk one of the wealthy citizens taking it. I’ll be back in a sun jump.”
“No, please don’t leave me here.”
Shyla remembered when she’d been trapped down here and it was for twelve sun jumps, not thirty-two like Jayden.
“You’ve read my soul, you know I’ve nowhere else to go.”
True, and if he saw the destruction the Heliacal Priestess caused, it might help him with his decision. She pulled the key to the cuff around Jayden’s ankle from her pocket.
“Don’t try anything, or I won’t pull my punches this time,” she said as she moved closer to him.
“Of all your skills, your fists are the least of my worries,” he said with a grin. “Don’t forget, I’ve a hard head.”
“I didn’t forget. My elbow still hurts,” she mock-grumbled as she freed him from the chain. Shyla braced for his reaction, but he only rubbed the raw flesh around his ankle.
Then he straightened and said, “Where to?”
“Where else? Level ninety-seven.”
She led him through the city. Keeping to the edges out of habit, she wondered when she’d be comfortable in crowded, public places. Perhaps never, or perhaps when the people embraced their new sun-kissed priestess.
Only two guards watched the entrance to the complex.
“Any trouble?” she asked them.