Here there are only two doors other than the ones at either end of the hallway. One on the left is close to the doorway they are standing in, and another on the right about midway down the hallway. “He’s through the one on the right,” Jiron says. “Remember, I gave my word that no harm should befall him.”
“I remember,” James assures him.
Pulling one of his knives, Jiron moves down the hall and toward the door. James follows, closing the door between the two hallways behind him. At the door, Jiron places his ear to it and can hear muted voices coming from the other side. One is definitely a man’s, and the other a woman’s.
Receiving a nod from James telling him he’s ready, Jiron takes the door’s handle in hand and slowly turns it. When he’s turned it as far as it will go, he leans back slightly then hits the door with his shoulder as he bursts into the room.
Just as they saw in the mirror, Buka is there with two women. One is feeding him small bites of food while the other looks to have been massaging his feet. Both women jump back with fear on their faces when they see Jiron there with knife in hand.
“Remain quiet and I won’t hurt anyone,” Jiron tells them. Behind him he hears the door close after James enters the room. When the girls look like they fail to understand him, he puts his finger to his lips and says, “Shhh.”
They get the idea and remain quiet.
Buka on the other hand, is staring at Jiron with barely controlled anger. “How dare you come barging into my private room in this manner,” he demands. Getting ready to yell for help, he’s silenced when Jiron darts across the room and places the edge of his knife to his throat.
“Would be best for you to remain silent,” Jiron tells him. Eyeing him in a threateningly way, he waits to see if he will remain so. Buka glares at him but remains quiet. To James he says, “Get the girls into the corner.”
James nods and then motions for the girls to move out of the way and into the corner of the room away from the door. He allows them to sit before returning his attention to Jiron and Buka.
“Now,” begins Jiron. “I have some questions for you and if you answer them, we’ll leave and no one will be hurt.”
Buka’s eyes flick from Jiron to James then back again. “Seems I am at your mercy, for now,” he states. Neither fear nor anger is present in his voice, though his eyes tell of dire consequences in store for them later.
“We are looking for someone,” he says. “And the trail has led us to you.” Moving the knife away from Buka’s throat, he still keeps it near just in case.
Buka grins an evil grin at him. “What makes you think I know anything about this person?” he asks. “And why would I tell you anything?”
Jiron pulls forth the necklace and holds it before him. “Do you remember this?” he asks. “We met an acquaintance of yours who told us he got this from you.”
“So?” he asks.
“I want to know where the person is you took this from?” demands Jiron.
Then suddenly he breaks into laughter, hardly the response they were expecting. “What? Are you planning on rescuing him?” Again the laughter rolls forth.
“So you know it was a ‘him’!” exclaims Jiron triumphantly.
He nods his head and the laughter continues to roll out of him.
Jiron glances to James and sees the confusion mirrored on his friend’s face that he himself is experiencing.
As the laughter subsides, Buka regains his composure and says, “I haven’t laughed like that for some time.”
“Why is it funny?” asks James.
Buka turns his attention to him and replies, “You don’t think I’m going to tell you anything do you?” Then he sits up on the edge of his bed. “Damn northerners.”
“This northerner is going to kill you if you don’t tell me what I want to know!” Jiron demands as he moves in closer.
Buka looks up at him and shakes his head. “I don’t think so,” he tells him.
“I will!” insists Jiron.
Buka comes to his feet and says, “Then do it!” Staring him in the eye, Buka dares him to kill him. When Jiron fails to follow through on the threat, he snorts. “I thought not.”
Bam!
Jiron’s fist connects with Buka’s nose and knocks him back to the bed. “We aren’t leaving here without the information,” he states.
“I ain’t telling you anything,” Buka says. Rubbing his nose, he makes sure it isn’t broken then looks up at Jiron standing over him. Then he gets a thoughtful look and says, “Unless you do me a favor first.”
Looking doubtful, Jiron casts a quick glance to James then returns it to Buka. “What kind of favor?” he asks.
“One that’s been needing to be done for some time,” he replies. “If you do this for me, I’ll tell you exactly where you can find the one who had that necklace.”
“How do we know we can trust him?” James asks Jiron.
“You don’t,” Buka replies to James. Then to Jiron he says, “Fair trade, a favor for the information.”
“What’s the favor,” he says.
“There’s a person in Cyst that has caused me problems from time to time,” he explains. “I want you to take care of him for me.”
“We aren’t going to murder anyone for you,” Jiron tells him. “Even if it means not finding out the information.”
Shaking his head, Buka says, “It isn’t his murder that I want.”
“What is it you want?” James asks.
“His right hand,” he replies. “I want you to bring me his right hand and I’ll tell you what you wish to know.”
James expects Jiron to reject the offer right away and is amazed that he’s even contemplating the request. “You can’t be thinking of doing it are you?” he asks.
Jiron glances to him for a moment before asking, “Why haven’t you taken care of this before now?”
“He has many friends here,” he explains. “If I were to move against him, the situation would become more troublesome. Should you do it, I won’t have to worry about such things. After all, if you succeed, things work out well. If you don’t, you’re just northerners they’ll execute for the attempt.”
“Who is it?” he asks. James is absolutely astounded that he even asked.
“His name is Kir,” Buka replies. “He’s a bard that is currently playing at the Wallowing Swine. Bring me his right hand and I’ll tell you what you want to know.”
Kir! He means Perrilin!
“Very well,” Jiron says with a stiff nod.
“But…” begins James when Jiron stops him with a wave.
“In case you have any thoughts about giving me a hand of someone else,” Buka tells them, “you must take it from him tonight during his performance at the Wallowing Swine. I’ll have someone in the audience to witness that it happens. Afterward, come to the compound’s gate and the guards will let you through. Then, and only then, will I tell you what you wish to know.”
Jiron and Buka lock eyes. Then he replaces his knife back in its sheath and nods. “We’ll be back,” he says.
“Make sure you are not followed when you come to the gates,” Buka says. “I wouldn’t want to be distracted by an angry mob.” When he sees Jiron nod, he adds, “I trust you two can find your way out on your own?”
Just then, the door to his room opens and a middle aged slaver walks in. His eyes widen when he sees Jiron and James there in the room. His hand grabs his sword and has it halfway out when Buka stops him.
“These gentlemen were just leaving,” he says.
The man glances to Buka and realizes there is no immediate threat. Sliding his sword back into its scabbard, he backs out into the hallway as James and Jiron leave the room. He watches as they walk down the hallway back the way they came until Buka calls him into the room.
“I want you to put a couple of our men on them,” he tells the man. Then he gives him a brief rundown of what they want and what they said they would do for it. “Make sure there is someone at th
e Wallowing Swine tonight just in case they actually go through with it.”
“Do you think they will?” the slaver asks.
Shrugging, Buka replies, “Maybe. If they do I doubt if they’ll make it back here.”
“Why do you say that?” he asks.
Grinning an evil grin, Buka says, “The crowd at the Wallowing Swine loves Kir. They’ll tear those two apart.” Then he and the other slaver break out into laughter.
James and Jiron follow the same route back out as they did when they came in. Still working to keep from being seen, they reach the wall and this time, once Jiron is on the other side, he automatically makes the loop for James’ foot before tossing the rope over. When he feels the tension increase on the rope, he pulls him over.
As James lands on the ground next to him, James asks, “You aren’t really serious about doing what he requested are you?”
Jiron looks at him and replies, “Not exactly, no.” With the rope once more secured around his middle, he steps out and heads back to where they left the others. Walking quietly and quickly, they make it back to the others.
“You find out what you wanted to know?” Aleya asks. Then she can see the hard set of his jaw and that look in his eye he gets when things aren’t going his way. “You didn’t, did you?”
“He wants us to do him a favor first,” Jiron replies.
“What does he want us to do?” Scar asks.
James glances up to him and says, “Pay a visit to an old friend.” Off to the east, the sky is lightning with the coming of dawn. “Let’s get a room and we’ll explain everything to you.” As they head back to the road leading deeper into town, he glances to Jiron’s back and wonders just how far he’s willing to go in order to find Tinok.
Chapter Twenty Seven
_________________________
Shortly after their arrival at the Wallowing Swine and just before the evening meal is being served, the two slavers whom they saw there the night before arrive. The two men take the same table they had before and proceed to order their meal.
James and Jiron sit at a table near the stage while the others are at various tables scattered throughout the common room. James is the first to see the two men and point them out to Jiron. “Think they’re the witnesses Buka said would be here?” James asks.
“I would think so,” replies Jiron. He glances over to where Aleya and Potbelly are sitting at the table closest to the entrance. She sees his look and returns one of her own. Slightly strained and worried, she gives him a brief smile and nod.
Perrilin is scheduled to begin his performance in an hour so they settle in and eat a light meal of roast lamb and bread. As they eat, the crowd coming to hear Perrilin play begins to arrive. Many of the faces are familiar from the night before. The buzz of conversation within the Wallowing Swine gradually grows as more and more of the tables begin to be filled.
By the time Perrilin makes his appearance, all the tables are filled. The proprietor has even placed stools and chairs against the walls to accommodate the number of people who showed up. “Would have to be a crowd tonight wouldn’t it,” Jiron states.
“Yes,” replies James.
Finally, the noise at the rear of the common room increases as Perrilin makes his way from the back to the stage where he places his instrument on its stand. Again, he puts the time-worn wooden bowl on the stage then returns to the back. The crowd murmurs in delighted anticipation as they know this means that he is about to come and perform.
Several minutes later, Perrilin exits from the back and applause follows him all the way to the stage. Taking up his instrument, he turns back toward the crowd and an expectant hush descends onto the common room. Then he strums the strings and launches into a rollicking ballad full of daring-do and love.
He’s into the third stanza when he sees James and gives him a brief grin and a nod. James returns it. Glancing around the common room, he sees how much the people are enjoying the music, and it saddens him how they’ll react to what they’re about to do.
The two slavers keep casting glances to him and Jiron. Whether the looks are telling them to get on with it or whether simply because they don’t like them, it’s hard to tell. Whatever the reason, James decidedly doesn’t care for it.
For two and a half hours they sit there in the common room while Perrilin performs. When he leaves on his second break and heads to the kitchen, James locks eyes with the others positioned in the room and nods his head. They return the nod knowing the time has come.
“You ready?” he asks Jiron.
“Yes,” he replies with a glance to the door leading into the kitchen. “When he’s on his way back.”
“Right,” agrees James.
Just then, one of the two slavers gets to his feet and begins walking toward their table. “Not now,” whispers James to himself. Jiron hears him and sees the man coming toward them.
Then the murmur in the back of the room suddenly swells as Perrilin exits from the kitchen. He pauses a moment to exchange words with a man at one of the tables.
The slaver is almost to them when he’s bumped into from the side. Ale splashes all across his front as the man who bumped into him loses control of his cup. “Sorry about that,” Reilin says in a manner that suggests he’s entirely too drunk to be walking around. Using his hands, he tries to brush off the liquid that is beginning to soak into the slaver’s clothes.
By this time, Perrilin has finished his conversation and is heading toward the stage.
“Fool!” the slaver says as he knocks Reilin’s hands away.
“I’m truly sorry about this, sir,” Reilin says then places his left arm around the man’s neck and begins laughing. Those nearby who have been observing him and the slaver chuckle at the sight.
When Perrilin moves adjacent to their table, James and Jiron get to their feet. James gives Perrilin a greeting and holds out his right hand.
“Get off me you idiot!” the slaver yells and pushes Reilin away.
Stumbling backward, Reilin hits the edge of a table with his leg and crashes into a man and woman.
Perrilin stops and takes James’ hand to shake it with a glance over to where Reilin is now laying across the two people’s laps. Then from behind him, Scar jumps up and grabs him around the chest just as James grips his hand hard and stretches his arm across the table.
Jiron produces a hatchet from out of his cloak that acquired earlier for just this moment and raises it high. Bringing it down hard, he severs the hand from the arm.
Perrilin cries out as blood spurts forth from the bloody stump and the room becomes still from shock.
Then a woman screams and the room bursts into action. Scar lets go of Perrilin who falls to the floor clutching the bleeding stump and moaning in pain. He knocks the slaver whom Reilin spilt ale on to the floor as he clears a way for Jiron and James to make their escape. They make it halfway to the door before three men move to block the exit.
Cries and shouts erupt as the people surge forward toward them.
Leading the way, Scar pulls forth his double swords and begins striking out at the men barring his way. One man manages to draw forth his sword but Scar batters it aside and plunges the point of his sword into the man’s shoulder.
Then Jiron is there beside him and the other two men are quickly thrust aside. With the way to the door clear, he yells, “Come on!” With the other two behind him, he bolts for the door. Before he can reach it, another man, rather large and angry, moves to block his escape.
Barely slowing even a little, Jiron strikes the man with the pommel of his knife just before Scar hits him with his shoulder and knocks him out of the way. Moving out into the street, they race into the night. Behind them, they hear another woman scream as she swoons into unconsciousness and just happens to fall into the men rushing after them.
Aleya’s body hits the first man who was trying to catch them, which knocks him into the second one and suddenly the doorway is jammed with bodies writhing on the floor.
By the time they are able to untangle themselves, their prey has disappeared into the night.
Splitting into search parties, the men begin combing the streets to find the two who did this to Kir. The most beloved and skilled bard they have ever had the pleasure to experience. Blood is on their minds, and if they should come across the men who did this, there is little confusion as to what they will do.
Back in the Wallowing Swine, Reilin, who by this time has become miraculously sober again, shouts for all to hear, “We have to get him to a healer!”
Three men come and pick up the moaning and blood soaked Perrilin. Then Reilin shouts again, “This way!” and begins leading them out the back door. He and the three men who are carrying Perrilin race out the back and into the courtyard there. Several of those who were there to see Perrilin perform follow them out.
Then, racing across the courtyard, they leave through the courtyard’s gate and enter the street. Turning right and away from the tavern, Reilin leads Potbelly, Stig and Shorty who are carrying Perrilin, as well as the crowd following them, quickly down the street.
Ducking into a side alley, James puts the severed hand into an empty pouch and ties it shut. Then the sound of running feet comes and they plaster themselves against the alley wall. Holding still, they wait for the group of men to race past before returning to the street.
“Scar,” Jiron says, “Go after the others and make sure they make it to the rendezvous.”
He gives him a nod then runs back down the road to the tavern. “Now,” begins Jiron as he points to the blood soaked pouch, “let’s get rid of that and get out of here.” He then turns down the street in the direction leading to the slaver’s compound. Breaking into a run, they race along the street all the while keeping eyes and ears alert for anyone in the vicinity.
“The whole city will be searching for us before long,” James says. Forced to hide in the shadows as two guards make their way down the street, they wait and watch as the men come forward. By the way they’re just walking along, it’s unlikely they have yet to learn about the events at the Wallowing Swine. Whether they have or haven’t, he and Jiron aren’t likely to run the risk that they have.
The Mists of Sorrow: The Morcyth Saga Book Seven Page 36
