It didn’t take long for the pain to lessen and disappear. No wonder Zhek worried she’d leave. But her exhaustion caught up to her and she dozed until Jayden woke her around angle three-forty.

“What happened? Zhek said you were stabbed. By who?”

“Long story. I’ll tell you about it later. Right now I need you to meet with the recruits at angle three-fifty-five and escort them to our headquarters.”

“All right, but I want a full report when I return.”

She raised the cup of Zhek’s now cold tea and saluted him.

“Cute.” He left.

After downing the liquid, she set the cup on the floor and waited for the peace of oblivion to overtake her.

When she woke, Jayden was sitting by her door. He leaned against the wall and looked exhausted. “How do you feel?”

Shyla rolled over and groaned as all her injuries flared to life. Stiff and sore, she tried to sit up but then gave in, plopping back.

“That good?” Jayden stood. “Should I get Zhek?”

“No. I’m fine.” To prove it she managed to sit up without wincing. “How long did I sleep?”

“An entire sun jump plus sixty angles.”

Angle forty already? She’d slept through her chance to leave Zirdai at angle zero.

“Have you gotten any sleep?” she asked him.

“Some.”

“The recruits?”

“All safely transferred to headquarters.” He frowned. “You could have warned me there would be so many.”

“Did all twelve show up?”

“There were sixteen.”

“Sixteen? Does that include Wazir and his three family members?”

“No, they wanted to stay here a couple more sun jumps.”

“Sixteen? Are you sure?”

He held up his hands and wiggled his fingers. “I count good.”

“Sorry. It’s just—”

“You weren’t expecting so many?”

“An understatement.”

“I doubt we’ll get any more. The deacons are furiously searching for their missing members. You probably should stay here a few more sun jumps.”

“There’s too much to do.”

“Like figuring out if Yates told the Water Prince about the torques?”

“How do you know Yates had a torque?”

Jayden reached into his bag. “Rendor told me when he gave me this.” He pulled the broken platinum necklace from it.

“From what Yates said and the fact the prince wasn’t wearing one, I don’t believe he’s shared his knowledge about the torques.”

“Ah, the captain might not be as loyal as we thought.” Jayden fiddled with the torque as his gaze grew distant. “Perhaps we could recruit him.”

“We can’t. Yates is very loyal…to Yates.”

“That could still be beneficial. At a crucial moment, he might decide to save his own skin instead of the prince’s.”

“We can hope.” They shared a grin.

“Tell me what led to you getting stabbed by Yates.”

She filled him in on the professor’s ambush and the prince’s offer. “An exchange—me for Hanif and Kaveri.”