“Anything,” he says.
“Can you help us get into the temple here in Zixtyn?” he asks.
The young man blinks twice but otherwise doesn’t react. Then he says, “You aren’t serious are you?”
“Completely,” replies James.
”Why?” he asks.
“That’s our business,” he says. “Can you?” James can see thoughts racing through his mind as he thinks about it.
“I may know someone who might be able to help,” he finally says. “I won’t know if he will until later tomorrow morning though.”
“Will he keep this secret?” James asks.
“Oh yes,” he replies. “This man holds no love for the temple or those who work for their god.” Glancing to James again he asks, “Are you planning mischief?”
James nods. “In a way,” he says. “I won’t say more than that.”
“If that’s your goal, I’m sure he’ll do what he can to aid you in your endeavor,” the young man tells him. He suddenly gets to his feet. “I have to go. I’ll come back sometime late tomorrow morning with word.”
James comes to his feet as well. “Would you like to see Aku before you go?” he asks. Gesturing to the room down the hall he says, “He’s asleep.”
Shaking his head, the young man says, “It would be best if I didn’t. You see he doesn’t know of me. I’ve been keeping an eye on him all his life but haven’t had contact with him.”
“Why?” he asks.
The slave grins and says, “Like you say, ‘It’s my business’.”
“As you wish,” concedes James.
The young man goes to the door and leaves without another word. James stares at the door and wonders if he did the right thing in trusting that information to a complete stranger. Only after the young man left does he realize that he doesn’t know for sure if the young man told the truth when he said he was Aku’s brother. Praying that he did the right thing, he turns in for the night.
Chapter Thirty Five
_________________________
The following morning when they all but Aleya and Aku gather in James’ room, he tells them of the visitor he had the night before. Their response was less than favorable.
“Are you out of your mind?” Scar asks.
“What were you thinking?” demands Jiron.
Raising his hands, he quiets their protests. “Calm down all of you,” he says. “If it was a mistake, the city guard would have already been here. Since they aren’t I can only assume that nothing will come of it from that quarter.”
“Do you think that this slave is going to help us enter the temple?” Stig asks. “Seems a rather untrustworthy individual to trust our lives to.”
“Right now we don’t know what may come of it,” he replies. Turning his gaze to Jiron he says, “I think we should continue with what we had planned. You take Reilin and Shorty to reconnoiter the place, see if there’s a way in.” He sees Jiron nods then adds to the others, “As far as Aku is concerned, I don’t think it would be wise to mention his ‘brother’ to him. Seeing as he knows nothing about him anyway.”
“You may be right,” Brother Willim says.
“Now I judge it to be about two days to the dark of the moon, so we have that amount of time to find a way into the temple. After that it will just be a matter of getting to the teleportation dais.”
“Still sure you can figure that thing out?” Jiron asks.
“To be honest, I don’t know,” he replies. “But I don’t see any other way to reach Tinok in time.”
“Go to sleep,” suggests Stig. “Maybe the gods will send you another dream to help you along.”
Brother Willim shakes his head. “You can’t look for these things,” he explains. “They come when they do.”
James nods his head. “I think we’ve received all the help we’re going to,” he says. “We know where we have to go and how to get there. We just need to do it.” To Jiron he says, “Perhaps you should get going.”
Jiron nods and gets to his feet. “Reilin, Shorty, let’s go,” he says before turning for the door. With them in tow, he opens the door. Pausing, he glances back to James and says, “If that guy should show up again, don’t commit to anything until I get back.”
“I don’t plan to,” he replies.
Jiron meets his gaze meaningfully then turns and leaves. Reilin and Shorty follow him out and then close the door behind. Those in the room hear their footsteps move down toward Aleya’s room and stop there for a moment, probably to let her know what’s going on. Then they hear a door close and their footsteps continuing down the hallway.
James turns to the others and says, “Now we wait.”
Knock! Knock!
After the others left, James had laid down on the bed. Fatigue from the previous two days of travel gets the better of him and he soon drifted off to sleep. The knocking on the door snaps him out of it.
Getting up off the bed, he crosses to the door and cracks it open. Out in the hallway is the slave he talked with the night before. In his hand is a wadded piece of cloth. Opening the door wider, he gestures for him to enter. Once the young man crosses into his room, he sticks his head out and sees the same slave at the head of the stairs as had been there the night before.
Then the door across the hall opens and Scar sticks his head out, probably having heard the knocking. He sees the slave in his room and looks questioningly to James. James gives him a sign saying it’s okay, then jerks his head toward the slave at the head of the stairs. Scar glances that way and sees him standing there. He turns back to James and nods.
Closing the door, James moves to the table and takes the same seat he sat in the night before. The slave does the same. “Did you talk with the person you mentioned last night?” he asks.
The slave nods. “Yes I did.”
“And?”
“And he thinks you’re a fool for seeking to enter the temple,” he explains. “But said that he might be willing to help you if you were to come and meet him.”
“Why?” he asks.
He shrugs. “I don’t know. If you want his help, you are going to have to come and meet with him.”
James sits back and considers it. He recalls what Ceadric had said about the Empire offering a hundred thousand gold piece reward for his death. Could this be a ploy to cash in on it? “I suppose I would have to come with you alone? Couldn’t take someone with me could I?”
“No,” the slave states. “He said for you to come alone.” He then tosses the wadded piece of cloth he holds in his hand onto the table. “He also said for you to be wearing this.”
James picks up the cloth and sees it’s one of the loincloths the slaves wear. “Just this?” he asks, none too happy about parading around in such a thing.
The young man can’t help but grin at the expression on James’ face. “Yes, just that.”
“I can’t,” he says, replacing it back on the table.
“You must if you are to meet with him,” he insists.
“I understand that,” James assures him. Then he stands up and removes his own shirt. Underneath he’s very white and pale. Having never been one to walk around bare-chested, he never built up a tan. “I could never fool anyone in thinking I was a slave. Do I look like someone who’s spent time out in the sun in nothing but a slave’s loincloth?”
“No, you don’t,” he says. “This is going to complicate things.”
“Yes it will.” Putting his shirt back on, James takes his seat again.
Just then there’s another knock on the door. The young man sitting across from him gets an alarmed look on his face. “Relax,” James tells him. Getting up, he crosses over to the door and opens it.
Out in the hallway he sees Scar and Potbelly standing there with the slave who had been at the top of the stairs held between them.
“What is this?” demands the young man sitting at the table in James’ room.
James gestures for them to enter and once they’ve le
ft the hallway, closes the door. Turning back to the young man, he says, “I don’t like being spied on.”
“He wasn’t spying on you,” the young man assures him. “He was making sure I was okay.”
“Same thing if you ask me,” Scar says.
“Let him go,” James says and the other slave is released. The slave then moves to the side of the young man and they stand together staring defiantly at James and the others.
“Don’t really act much like slaves do they?” Potbelly observes.
“No,” agrees Scar. “Very few slaves I’ve run across would dare to cross eyes with a free man. Let alone ask demanding questions of one.”
“Go get Brother Willim,” James tells them.
Potbelly turns and leaves the room. The two pairs continue to stare at one another until he returns with Brother Willim and Miko in tow.
James sums up the situation for them, the fact that someone may be able to help, but that he has to come dressed as a slave.
“No!” exclaims Miko. “Absolutely not.”
Scar just laughs. “Can’t imagine you going around in one of those,” he says.
The look on the young man’s face is growing darker by the minute. James takes note of the fact and says, “I’m not saying no.” Miko turns to look at him incredulously. “Calm down,” he says. Then to Brother Willim he says, “But the problem is that I am not exactly what you would call tan.” Pulling up his shirt, he shows them his pale skin. “I would stand out among all the other slaves.”
Brother Willim nods his head. “Yes, I can see that you would,” he agrees.
“What I need is something to give me the appearance of having been out under the sun,” he explains. “You being into plants and all, I thought you might be the best one to help me.”
“There are saps and other things which could be combined to give you the required appearance,” he says. “Though I don’t know if they are available in this area.”
The young man’s expression softens somewhat when he realizes James is at least considering doing as requested. “If you were to supply me with a list, I could see about acquiring the needed items,” he offers.
“This is a bad idea,” Miko insists.
James turns to the young man and asks, “Do you really think your friend will be able to get us inside the temple?”
“If anyone can, he would be the one,” the slave replies.
“Very well.” Then to Brother Willim he says, “Tell him what you need.” Once Brother Willim has told him of several different ingredients that will work, and the slave successfully recites them back to him, James gives him coins to pay for the items.
“How long will it take you to combine the ingredients once you have them?” he asks Brother Willim.
“Not long, maybe a half hour at the most to get it just right,” he explains.
“So you intend to meet with him?” asks the young man.
James turns back to him and says, “As of right now, maybe. Another member of our party is not here,” he explains. “When he returns I’ll know for sure whether I will or not.”
“Very well,” he says. “I’ll be back.” Then he and the other slave move toward the door. Scar opens the door for them and they leave. Closing the door, he turns back to James, glance at the slave rag still on the table and grins.
“What?” James asks.
“Aren’t you even going to try it on?” he asks. Several of the others in the room start snickering at that.
Jiron, Reilin, and Shorty return a couple hours later. When apprised of what the young man said, Jiron of course was adamantly against it. “No, no, no, NO!” he exclaims. “You can’t even be thinking about taking this course of action.”
“I haven’t committed to it as yet,” he replies. “What did you find out?”
“The place really doesn’t have much of a guard,” he explains. “The area among the outer buildings of the temple complex affords many places in which to hide.”
“How about the temple itself?” Scar asks.
“That may be a little tougher nut to crack,” Jiron says. “Several braziers sit by the temple doors which I’m sure at night are lit. There will be no way to sneak in once they have been. Anyone in the vicinity will undoubtedly see us heading to the doors.”
“Were there non-priests present on the temple grounds?” James asks. “Maybe we could disguise ourselves as a disciple or something.”
“That wouldn’t work either,” interjects Brother Willim. “Temples to Dmon-Li are not known for the attendance by the faithful. If a group this size were to approach, they would become interested in us. Not saying suspicious, at least not at first, but it would definitely be seen as something out of the ordinary.”
“So if I understand this correctly,” James says as he glances between Jiron and Brother Willim, “any frontal assault will draw attention.”
Brother Willim nods and Jiron says, “Most likely.”
“Is there a back way in?” asks Stig.
“If there was we didn’t see it,” replies Shorty. “The temple is pretty big too. It may take us some time to locate this dais thing you want to get to once we’re inside.”
“Perhaps this slave’s plan is the best course to follow right now,” suggests Reilin. When the others give him glares, he sticks to his guns and says, “At least go and see what this guy can do for us.”
“I’d want you to follow and keep an eye on me,” James tells Jiron.
“Oh, you can bet I’ll be doing that,” he says. Picking up the slave rag off the table he says, “Shouldn’t you be getting into this thing then?”
James looks in disgust at it and shakes his head. “Not until I have too.”
Another hour goes by and the young man has yet to return. When it’s but a couple hours before dusk, he again appears at James’ door. This time he’s alone, the other slave that was with him the previous two times is absent. Tucked under one arm is a package which he hands to Brother Willim upon entering.
“I found everything you requested,” he says. “Took some doing, though.
Bother Willim takes the package and nods. “I can imagine.” He then opens it up on the table and begins removing the contents.
Turning to James, he asks, “Are you planning on meeting with the one whom I spoke of?”
“Yes,” he replies. “It doesn’t look as if I have much choice.”
“Then when you’re ready I will escort you to him,” he says.
Picking up the slave cloth, James asks rather unhappily, “Are you sure this is the only way?”
“If you wish to meet with him, yes.”
Sighing, James says, “Very well.” While Brother Willim is beginning to crush some leaves in a bowl, he takes the slave cloth. “I’ll be in the next room when you’re ready.”
Brother Willim nods. “Be there when I am done.”
James then leaves the room and goes to the next one over. Once he’s inside and alone, he holds up the cloth and a shiver runs through him. Nothing for it, he tells himself and begins removing his clothes. Naked, he picks up the cloth and begins working to secure it around his loins. Not nearly as easy as he first thought, it takes him three attempts before it’s on well enough that it won’t fall off when he paces back and forth.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
“Yes?” he hollers through the door.
“It’s me,” he hears Miko says.
“Come in,” James tells him.
When the door opens, Miko comes in and sees him standing there in naught but the slave cloth. “Man oh man,” he says with a mischievous grin.
“What?” James asks.
“First of all,” he explains, “you have it on wrong. Here let me help you fix it.” Closing the door he moves forward and removes the slave cloth. Then he shows him the proper way to wear it. “The way you had it on, it would have fallen off in no time.” Tucking the last piece within the part circling his waist, Miko nods and stands up.
“I feel
naked,” James says.
“That feeling will get worse once you’re out in public,” he says. “Trust me, I know.”
James only nods.
They stay in the room for a half hour and Miko coaches James in the nuances of being a slave. Keeping your eyes lowered, never talking back, all the things he learned during his time as a slave.
By the time Brother Willim makes his appearance, James has the basics down and should be able to pass himself off as one. Entering with his bowl in hand, he pauses a moment when he sees James there. White skin contrasting badly with the tanned areas of his body that had been exposed to sunlight, he almost glows in the dark.
James can see how Brother Willim is trying to fight back a grin that’s threatening to break out. “Go ahead and laugh if you want to,” he tells him.
Unable to restrain it, the grin breaks forth. “Sorry,” he says as he comes forward and begins applying the mixture to his pale skin with a cloth. In fact, he applies a coating to every square inch of his skin, including that which is under the loincloth. “With this on, you’ll be able to blend in with the other slaves.”
James stands there and endures it. The mixture itself doesn’t have all that bad of an odor, sort of smells like the forest on a hot summer day. It takes Brother Willim ten minutes to adequately apply the mixture, and when he’s done he steps back to look.
“That will do nicely,” Miko says. “You look just like a slave off the streets.”
“Do I?” he asks.
“Yep,” replies Miko. “Now, let’s go back to the others.”
James gets a slight panicked look at the though of others seeing him like this, but what else can he do? Face slightly red, he follows Miko out of the room and then over to the room where the others wait. He hesitates just a moment before entering behind him.
Every eye is on him and he feels very self conscious. “Well?” he asks.
“Remarkable,” Aleya says. “If I didn’t know it was you, I wouldn’t have recognized you.” The others nod their agreement.
“Are you ready?” the young man asks.
The Mists of Sorrow: The Morcyth Saga Book Seven Page 48
