Jayden grunted. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they worked well into the darkness.” Then he leaned back. “If we do get more members, where will we house them? We don’t even have enough room for us.”

A good point. She considered the problem. “Are there any abandoned vagrant communes?” she asked.

“Yeah, but there’s a reason no one lives there—the guards know where they are.”

“Perhaps Orla will rent us some space in her commune. Or she might know a good spot. It’ll only be for a short time.” She ignored his lack of enthusiasm. Instead, she searched for Gurice.

She found her playing a game of dice with Mojag in the room he shared with Jayden and Ximen on level ten.

“That’s two peepers in a row. You’re cheating,” Mojag accused his sister.

“Hardly. It’s all in the wrist.” She demonstrated by rolling another set of peepers. “See?”

He crossed his arms and glared at her. “How do I know you’re not using magic?”

“She isn’t,” Shyla said, coming into the small room.

“Says another magic wielder.”

Gurice threw her hands up in the air. “See? This is why I didn’t tell you about magic. I knew you’d accuse me of using it to influence you. And, as much as I was tempted, and believe me, I was very tempted a number of times, I never used it on you.”

Mojag failed to appear mollified.

Gurice shook her head, then turned to Shyla. “Did you need something?”

“Yes, I was hoping for your help.”

The woman sprang to her feet. “What do you need?”

“You and Mojag.”

They waited for her to continue.

“You can say no. There won’t be any hard feelings or a change in our…friendship.”

“Just spit it out,” Gurice said.

“I want to read your souls and see if I can find out why you have magic and if Mojag has the potential.”

“I thought you already read mine,” Mojag said.

“I only picked up on your surface emotions and thoughts. Nothing deeper.”

Gurice laughed. “That’s about right, there’s nothing deeper.”

“Hey!” Mojag protested. “Is this important?” he asked Shyla. “Will it help us?”

“Yes to both.”

“All right.”

She looked at Gurice who spread her arms wide and said, “I’m all yours. Just don’t blame me if you start having bad dreams.”

In order to have some privacy, they went up to Shyla’s room on level nine.

“Gurice, you’re first,” Shyla said, sitting on a threadbare cushion.

Mojag leaned his shoulder against the wall, watching them.

“Lucky me.” Gurice crossed her legs as she settled on another poor excuse for a cushion, facing Shyla. “What do I have to do?”

Shyla lowered her shield and stared into Gurice’s light green eyes. Or, rather, she tried. “Relax. This won’t hurt.”