Jerikate pulled at the loose slab of stone with all her might. She had already scraped her fingers on the sharp edges of the marble, but she didn't have time to worry about injuries. The Supreme Ruler's displeasure would soon turn to anger, and then she would undoubtedly have worse things to come than a few scratches on her skin.

How could I believe he would listen to me? He's far too stubborn to allow any other perspective on Yaradan!

Ryumal had refused to believe the truth she had presented to him, even though he had seen it right in front of him. He had leafed through the dusty writings, read the words, but instead of studying them with interest and pondering their content, he had thrown them into the fire in front of Jerikate's eyes, burning her hopes for his reason and insight to ashes.

Even when she had shown him the glowing mark on her shoulder that had been mentioned on the parchments, he had only had scorn and ridicule for her.

His words still echoed loudly in her head like a storm:

"This is nothing but nonsensical scribbling. I almost think you recorded it yourself because you don't begrudge me my status!"

His saying had been a warning and Jerikate knew what danger it could mean for her.

During her audience, she had seen something flash in the Supreme Ruler's eyes, something that had frightened her beyond belief.

He hadn't said it, but Jerikate knew that with the truth she had crossed a line that Ryumal couldn't bear. Now there was only one thing she could do: disappear.

But not until I find a safe hiding place for this.

Knowing Ryumal, he wouldn't allow her to pass on her findings to anyone else, but that was exactly what had to happen. The knowledge that had been lost in Vachadris for so long could not be forgotten again.

She pulled hard on the stone slab and finally, panting heavily, she managed to lift the block out of its place and heave it next to her. Jerikate sank to her knees, exhausted, and began scraping the mortar out of the hole with a silver spoon. She filled the resulting narrow cavity with a silk cloth into which she had wrapped the remains of the valuable notes.

Stand the test of time until I return and tell everyone the truth.

She sent a prayer to the sun god, asking him to keep her treasure safe. Then she slid the stone slab back into the ground, sweeping the scraped mortar into the broken joints, thereby concealing her hiding place from the eyes of an ignorant person.

She took one last look into her chamber, at the place by the window where she had always loved to sit, but then quickly rushed out through the door into the hallway that connected the Rulers' rooms in the Palace of Light.

With quick steps she crossed snow-white corridors and lavishly decorated galleries, leaving stairs, colonnades and archways behind her.

I don't have much time...

The thought of Ryumal spurred Jerikate to hurry. Even though she had resolved not to draw attention to herself, she still found herself wanting to run.

"In such a hurry on this beautiful evening?" Jerikate ignored the question of a Ruler who met her on the steps on the way to the ground floor. She couldn't afford to delay. Time was running against her.

He let me go for now, but as soon as Ryumal reconsiders his decision and orders his guard to bring me to him, I'm doomed to die...

Jerikate hadn't even dared to pack. After the failed audience, she had immediately set about getting what documents she had been able to save to safety. She would be able to get everything she needed for her escape in the lower parts of the Sun City.

As the double-winged entrance to the palace came into view, everything in her body constricted with tension. At the southern end of the entrance hall, two guardsmen monitored who entered and exited the Palace of Light.

Tanayar, please don't let me be too late.

Jerikate gathered her concentration, hiding her nervousness and bloody fingertips in the folds of her white toga. Her heart was pounding so loudly that she feared it would startle the guardsmen. Curious, they turned their eyes to her and Jerikate clung to her hope.

Please ...

With a silent greeting, she walked past the guards with her head held high, trying not to let on the storm that was raging inside her.

No one stopped her as she walked through the opened portal. The cool breeze of the spring evening hit her face and welcomed her into freedom.

"Jerikate!" The guard's sudden call made her body freeze, but she didn't dare drop her composed mask and flee. She closed her eyes for a moment, concentrated on what was important, and turned to the guardsman who had called her by name, a silent prayer on her lips. To her relief, all she saw on his face was concern.

"Don't stay outside too long, it's going to be a cold night," he advised her. Jerikate could feel a crushing weight lifting from her shoulders at that moment.

"I'll be back soon," she promised with a smile that took far more strength than she had to lift the heavy marble slab.

Knowing that she wouldn't be able to pass through this portal again for a long time, she turned away from the Palace of Light and disappeared into the twilight.

There was a Worker and a Shaman in Yaradan who would help her find a hiding place from the wrath of the Supreme Ruler. Because these two believed in the truth of their discovery just as much as she did.