“Fair enough.” Aphra examined the edges of the scroll where a series of ancient symbols marked the geospatial location of the temple on Koraha.

“Do you need me to translate those grid lines for you?” Shyla asked.

“I wouldn’t have been a very good treasure hunter if I couldn’t do it myself.” She winked then glanced at the sand clock. “There should be enough time for me to scout out the temple and mark the entrance to the grave diggers’ escape route.”

“Good. Jayden, go with her.”

“Now?” he asked.

Aphra rolled up the scroll and stood. “Yes, now.”

He wasn’t happy, but he went to retrieve his sun cloak.

Aphra gestured to the table. “They saved some fresh fruit for you.”

That was kind. Too bad she didn’t have an appetite.

“I take it things like fresh food are rare here?” Aphra asked.

“For now. I’ve plans once we earn more coins.” She waited for the familiar frustration to well up inside her, but, with their recent success in freeing those people from the confession rooms, it didn’t push quite as hard. And perhaps doing small rescues or acts of kindness would balance the more mundane tasks like shoveling sand for the rest of the Invisible Swords.

After grabbing a few slices of melon, Shyla headed to her room, needing more time to recover her strength. She lay on her thin mat, intending to sleep, but thoughts of Rendor invaded.

He’d been willing to prove himself to the Invisible Swords before she’d made that stupid speech. She should have kept her mouth shut and let him figure out how to get people for his team. Still, she expected he wouldn’t give up on proving himself so easily. Did he want her to chase after him? Had she given up too soon? Time was a luxury she didn’t have and her first priority should be helping the people in Zirdai—not her love life or the lack of one. So she allowed the hurt and pain and unanswerable questions to fill her until she could no longer hold it in. Sobbing, she curled into a ball, purging all her emotions until nothing was left but grim determination. She’d focus on work and stop wasting time and energy on Rendor.

She woke at angle one-seventy and found Jayden in the common room. “Did Aphra locate the temple?”

“Yes. She already took a crew out to uncover the entrance to the grave diggers’ tunnel. Ximen is with them.”

“Good.”

Jayden scrubbed a hand over his face. “We can’t give her all our people, Shyla. We need to dig a tunnel to Zirdai. Going in and out through the surface buildings is becoming too dangerous.”

“I know. We need to recruit more members.”

“And how are we going to do that?”

“I’ve a few ideas, but let’s wait until Ximen returns. They shouldn’t be too much longer.”