She had his full attention. Fun. However, his scowl wasn’t as fun. Shyla took his hands in hers. “Do you really care what they think?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your family. Is it important to you that they change their opinions about you?”
He studied her for a few moments. “Are you offering to use your magic?”
“No, but I’m offering you my support if you want to talk to them.”
“They’re not my family. They disowned me.” The words came out flat and emotionless as if he’d repeated this to himself so many times that it no longer hurt to say it.
“There’s been a lot of changes. You’ve changed the most. Plus it’s a new era. And you’re no longer working for the prince, but for me.”
He laughed without humor. “I doubt they’d think that was an improvement.”
“Insult aside, let me ask you again. Do you really care what they think?”
He bent his head, and stared at their clasped hands. Shyla waited as he sorted through his emotions. But before he could reply, Mojag and Gurice poked their heads into the room.
“Are you ready, Rendor?” Gurice asked. “This little sand rat’s driving me crazy.”
“Sand rat? You’re just mad I disarmed you in five moves,” Mojag said.
“Disarmed?” Shyla asked Gurice.
“Yeah, we’re both learning how to fight with a sword.”
“And some of us are quicker to learn,” Mojag added with a smirk.
Shyla glanced at Rendor. He peered at the pair as if seeing them for the first time.
“Uh, Rendor, are you coming? Can’t have a lesson without the instructor,” Gurice said.
“I’ll meet you there in a couple angles. Try not to settle any sibling rivalries with the practice swords before I get there.”
“No promises. Come on, rat.” Gurice pulled Mojag from the room.
Shyla crossed her arms. “You have to answer my question about your family before you can leave.”
“They’re not my family.”
“You said that.”
“Yes, but this time I believe it. Why would I care what they think? They’re not my family.” He pulled her closer. “My family is you and the Invisible Swords.”
She leaned forward so her nose almost touched his. “What a coincidence, they’re my family, too.”
“And me?”
“You’re just mine.”
They assembled in the training room. It was the only space big enough for the one hundred and three protectors, thirty-five Invisible Swords, one monk, the Heliacal Priestess, and the interim Water Prince. If this didn’t work, they’d need to find another interim prince or princess.
Jayden stood in the front with Shyla. There was a bucket of sand between them. She’d explained to the crowd that Jayden had voluntarily agreed to give up his magic. And then added the disclaimer that this might not work. Gurice gave them both an encouraging thumbs-up. She was sitting in the front with Rendor and a number of the Invisible Swords who knew Jayden. Mojag was as far away as physically possible and his back was turned toward them. If Shyla hadn’t ordered him, he wouldn’t be here at all.
“Ready?” she asked Jayden.
“No, but I doubt I’ll ever be ready.” He took a deep breath. “Please continue.”
“Use your magic to move the sand.”
Jayden stared at the bucket. Grains of sand rose into the air. They converged and formed a young woman around Shyla’s age made of sand. Murmurs raced through the crowd at the display. Most of the protectors hadn’t seen magic in action. The sound piqued Mojag’s interest and he glanced over his shoulder. The sand woman smiled at the boy.
“Is that your sister?” Shyla asked Jayden.
“Yes. Beautiful, isn’t she?”
“She is.”
“This is how I’ll always remember her. I thought she’d be perfect for my last sculpture.”
“She is.” Shyla focused on him.
Jayden’s entire body glowed with magic. Not like an open druk lantern at all. Head to toe, he was filled. When she tried to close it, the power found a way to escape; it was like trying to put too much water into a skin. She needed to switch tactics. If she couldn’t squash it, perhaps she could drain it. Shyla tugged on his magic, pulling it from him like unraveling a ball of yarn.
He hunched over with a grunt of pain. The sculpture began losing shape as the grains fell back into the bucket. Then he cried out and went down on his knees as Shyla collected more and more of his power. While she had access to his mind, she erased his memories of the location of the Invisible Sword’s headquarters and the tunnel they were building to connect it to Zirdai. If Jayden turned into another despot—doubtful, but better to be safe—she didn’t want him knowing where to find them.
When she ripped the last thread from his soul, he screamed and the ball of magic in her hands exploded. The invisible blast sent her flying across the room while Jayden was pushed in the opposite direction.
She had no memory of hitting the floor.
Rendor was next to her when she woke. Everyone was on their feet and glancing between her and Jayden.
“How is he?” she asked.
“Like you, knocked out.” He helped her sit up. “Zhek says he should be fine.”
“Did it work?” Gurice asked.
“Give her some time,” Rendor snapped.
“It’s okay.” She stood but grabbed Rendor’s arm for support. Thankfully, he kept quiet as he assisted her over to Jayden.
Jayden was still sitting on the floor. He rubbed his chest absently. “I feel empty.”
“Can you move the sand?” she asked.
He stared at the bucket. Nothing happened. No glow inside him. Shyla thought she was going to be sick. How could she do that to another person? Turning away to avoid his reaction, she said, “It worked.”
As Rendor guided her from the room, they passed Mojag. He was staring at Jayden as if he’d never seen him before. It was better than anger. They didn’t get far before Shyla sagged against Rendor.
“Should I find Zhek?” he asked, scooping her up.
“It’s not something he can cure.” She snuggled against his warm, broad chest. “Take me home please.”
The King’s emissary arrived two hundred sun jumps after the defeat. Shyla decided that “defeat” was the best way to describe the events leading up to the deaths of the Water Prince and Heliacal Priestess. By then, Jayden was working hard to enact all the conditions he’d promised. And Kaveri had fully embraced her new role. She’d banned the green robes because the people no longer trusted the green anymore. Too many bad memories. They all wore yellow tunics and pants instead.
Hanif was back at the monastery, but he frequently visited the priestess. And the Invisible Swords had returned to the Temple of Arinna. They’d made progress in cleaning out the temple and finished the hidden tunnel into Zirdai. Best of all, in her and Rendor’s new room was the biggest, thickest, softest sleeping cushion she could buy.
The emissary interviewed almost everyone involved with the defeat. He spent half a dozen sun jumps inspecting the destruction and visiting all the chapels in Zirdai. Gurice said he even talked to the university’s professors. However, he didn’t question Shyla. In fact, he actively avoided her, which was odd. Did he think she’d lie to him? Or was he one of those people who believed sun-kisseds should be sacrificed to the Sun Goddess? His strange behavior caused worry to simmer in her guts.