Under the city, under the roads
You’ll find a path, where no one goes.
Most who find it don’t come back.
Without a map, it’s hard to track
But worth the risk if you’re so bold
To find the wardens’ hidden gold.
—Folk tale of the warden treasury beneath the city
“What have you done?” Anoor asked her again.
The runes Sylah drew with her blood locked them in, and only she could break them.
“I can’t let you leave this tower.” Sylah strapped the sword to her waist. “They asked me to kill you and I can’t. I won’t do it. This is the safest place for you.” Sylah strapped a couple of throwing daggers to her arms as well.
“The Sandstorm? Why do they want to kill me?”
“You’re unpredictable, they’re worried you will win.”
“I will win.” Anoor stood, her arms folded across her chest. Despite the mass of bows, she looked fierce, and Sylah’s heart soared to see it, even if her next words made it plummet.
“No, Anoor, you won’t.”
“Sylah, let me out of here right now.”
“I can’t, I don’t care if you hate me, but this is the only thing I can think of to keep you safe.”
“Sylah, everything we’ve worked for. The combat trial, I can’t miss it.” She was pleading, begging with her eyes.
“It’s not worth your life.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to patrol the tower and take out anyone who gets too close.”
Anoor slid down the wall. She realized Sylah wasn’t budging.
“You are a terrible person.” She didn’t say the words maliciously, but they carved out a piece of Sylah’s heart.
“I know, and I don’t care if you hate me. But I’m not letting you die.” It was true, Sylah would trade anything to keep Anoor alive, even if it meant losing her life.
“They lied to you, Sylah.”
“What do you mean?”
“My mother gave me a gift once. An oil painting of a baby surrounded by blue daisies. It was of her child, the one the Sandstorm stole. Sylah, the baby had gray eyes and a small scar running down the side of her face.”
“What?”
“You are not Uka’s daughter.”
Why did those words hurt so much? “What do you mean?”
“Well, unless I’m mistaken, you do not have a scar running down the side of your face. Do you remember if any of the other Stolen did?”