“Which begs the question, why are you here?” Hanif asked from the doorway. He wore a loose tan tunic and pants. The light-colored fabric contrasted nicely against his golden-brown skin—the same shade as Shyla’s. A wide dillo leather belt was cinched around his waist. Gray eyes glinted with curiosity.

“Is anyone with you?” she asked.

“No.”

“Then come in and shut the door. Please,” she added when he scowled. This was his monastery after all. Then she dug in her pack and removed the four torques. “I hid the other one in the Second Room of Knowledge after we rescued Jayden, but I think all five of these should be stored in the Fourth Room.” She gave them to Hanif.

“What do they do?” he asked.

“It’s better if you don’t know.”

“Are they dangerous?”

“Not to you. It’s extremely important that no one knows they’re here.”

Hanif quirked an eyebrow. “That sounds ominous.”

She remembered when Yates threatened to cut off the monks’ water supply. “If you’d rather not hide them, I understand.”

“No. They’ll be safe here. After all, we hid The Eyes for thousands of circuits.”

“What if the Water Prince stops sending you water? Or the priestess refuses to give you food?” she asked.

Hanif gave her a sly smile. “You don’t really think we’re that dependent on them, do you?”

“But Yates said…” Her tired brain churned through his comment. “The King supplies you, too?”

“Not quite.”

“They have their own sources for food and water,” Rendor said.

Hanif’s gaze snapped to him. “Does the Water Prince know?”

“No. But I lived here long enough to figure it out.”

“Wait. You’ve lived here for what…forty-odd sun jumps, but I grew up here. I lived here for eighteen circuits. Why didn’t I know?” Was she that obtuse?

“You were a child for most of your time here,” Rendor said. “I’m an adult and trained to investigate when things don’t add up. I can put the clues together.”

Shyla liked to believe she was capable of the same thing. She had earned a living these last two circuits uncovering lost ruins, ancient temples, and artifacts. Yet she missed it. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked Hanif.

“Because you never swore the oath and became a monk.”

That was his go-to excuse for everything.

“And…uh…can’t you just…” He tapped a finger on his temple.

“I can read your mind. But I respect your privacy. Unless you’re saying I shouldn’t?” She leaned forward.

Hanif stepped back, holding up his hands. “No, no. That’s an admirable policy.”

Score one for her. But she still couldn’t help feeling like an idiot because, once she actually thought about it, the clues were always there. “You have your own growing cavern.”