“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.