“I lied. I was furious at you for that stunt you pulled with the Water Prince. If I’d accessed your memories, there was a very good chance I would have wiped everything.” He swiped his hand through the air in one harsh chop. “Clean slate. Baby fresh.”

Stunned, she grappled with his admission. So much there… She’d known he was angry, but this was on an entirely different level. Also the fact that a person’s mind could be obliterated back to infancy… Scary.

She regained some of her composure. “I don’t regret that stunt. It saved us all.”

“So you say.”

Yes, she did. The Water Prince had been wearing armor under his tunic. But she hadn’t woken The Eyes yet, so Jayden hadn’t believed her. Obviously, he was still upset. It explained why he argued with her on everything. And why he didn’t fully trust her. It occurred to her that Jayden was the only one who hadn’t witnessed her sacrifice for The Eyes. Hanif had been right to invite the Invisible Swords to watch. It’d made a difference in how they treated her.

“Do you think The Eyes made a mistake choosing me?” she asked.

“I think The Eyes don’t choose. I think they’ll work for anyone who is brave and conceited enough to allow another person to cut out their eyeballs.”

Six

Shyla thought she’d been astounded before. This was so far beyond it she didn’t have a word to describe it.

“I’m being honest,” he said into the silence.

Recovering slightly, she said, “I got that. But what about all the warnings that The Eyes might fail to work and leave a person blind?”

“That’s where the brave part comes in. That supposed risk kept so many people from trying. From even touching them.” He shook his head. “And it put doubts into their heads so even if The Eyes stirred to their touch, they still wouldn’t go through with it.”

“And the conceit? Where does that come in?”

“Believing that you’re so special that there is no doubt they’ll work for you. Having the conceit to actually go through with it.”

It hadn’t been like that for her. She’d had lots of doubts about whether they would wake, but she went through with the sacrifice despite them. Unlike now when she doubted Jayden would believe her even if she tried to enlighten him. His bitterness explained so much.

“You wanted to wake The Eyes,” she said.

“Yes. It should have been me.” He flicked his fingers. Sand burst into the air. “I’ve spent my entire life working to make the people of Zirdai’s lives better.”