After they passed through the outer gates into the poor section, Fifer says, “Maybe we should see if Illan’s made it to the inn yet.” To Miko he asks, “Is it on the way?”
“Actually, it is,” he replies.
“Then let’s stop there first,” Scar says. “Another sword may come in handy.”
“Very well,” Miko says as he begins making his way through the streets toward the inn. Before they come close, a shadow disengages itself and approaches, “What happened?” it asks.
“Illan!” Fifer greets him happily. “We found out he may be in an abandoned warehouse, Miko knows where it is.”
Nodding, Miko tells him, “It’s not too far away.”
“Alright then,” Illan says. “Let’s not waste any more time.” He indicates Miko to lead the way and he follows right behind.
Miko takes them down a long street, the buildings bordering it becoming steadily more run down and shabby. The few people on the street don’t look like the kind you would want to run across when you’re alone; thugs, and others of a more disreputable nature are loitering together near one building.
The group gazes at them as they pass but make no move to waylay them.
Miko turns down another side street, moving still further away from the city walls and after another two blocks, brings them to a halt. Everyone gathers round as he says, “It’s just ahead.” He indicates a large building sitting a hundred feet further ahead. The only light other than the stars above is the light coming from out of its windows.”
“Looks like someone’s there,” observes Scar. He points out a carriage with four guards standing watch beside it. “Must be Lord Colerain’s.”
“Yeah,” replies Illan. “Let’s move around to the back and see if we can get in that way.”
Miko backtracks to the previous alley they had passed and takes them through to the street on the other side. Turning down the street back toward the warehouse, they approach it, this time further away from the carriage and the guards.
They quickly cross the street to the edge of the warehouse and are soon out of sight of the waiting guards. A small door stands closed two thirds of the way down.
Miko moves toward it and tries the handle. He’s surprised when the handle turns and the door opens. “Thought for sure it would be locked,” he whispers.
“Never question good fortune,” Scar says.
“I suppose not,” replies Miko as he moves to enter the warehouse. Anxious to find James, he begins to rush in when Illan places a hand on his arm and stops him. “Wait a moment,” he tells him. Then to Shorty he says, “Go in and look around.”
Nodding, Shorty draws one of his knives and enters the building. They wait outside for several minutes before he returns. “I didn’t see him but whoever’s in there is in the warehouse’s office,” he says. “I couldn’t get close enough to see whose inside, it’s on the other side of the warehouse and there’re two guards standing outside the office door.”
“Could you hear anything?” Illan asks.
“Muffled voices, nothing definite,” he tells him.
“Four guards outside and two inside by the door,” he says. “No telling how many there may be in the room with everyone else.”
“What’re we to do?” Miko asks him.
“Try to take out the two by the door quietly, if possible,” he explains. To Shorty he asks, “Was there any other way into that room?”
Shaking his head, he replies, “Not that I saw.”
“Alright then, let’s go.” Leading the way, Illan enters through the door and goes down a short hallway with a door on either side. The doors lead to rooms that are dark and quiet. Paying them no heed, he continues to the end of the corridor and looks out into the main storage area of the warehouse.
A large area, virtually empty but for a few scattered boxes stands between them and the office. Over to the left is the door leading out to the street, outside of which are the four guards by the carriage.
“Shorty, can you take them out with your knives?” he asks, indicating the two by the office door.
“Probably,” he replies. “The first one for sure, but the second, maybe a 50–50 chance.”
“That’ll have to be good enough,” Illan tells him. To the others he says, “Stand ready. When Shorty throws his second knife, run like hell to finish them off before they can sound the alarm.”
Scar looks dubiously at the distance between them and says, “Okay, but that’s a ways.”
Ignoring him, Illan says to Shorty, “Ready?”
Nodding, Shorty draws two of his knifes and moves to the end of the short corridor until he’s as close as he can be without being seen. Taking a couple calming breaths to center himself, he takes the first knife and after a brief pause to judge the distance, throws it toward the first guard. Before the others even realize he’s thrown the first one, the second one follows.
Illan leads the charge quietly and watches as the first knife sinks into the first guard’s chest. The second guard stands stunned as he watches his partner falling to the ground, at first not realizing just what had happened to him. Then the second knife strikes him off center in the chest and he falls backward into the side of the office with a thud.
Both guards fall to the ground without as much as a peep. Illan was afraid the sound of the guard hitting the side of the office would alert those within, but after a moment they realize it hadn’t.
Upon reaching them, Shorty retrieves his knives, wiping them off on the clothes of the dead men before replacing them in his belt.
Illan moves to the door and places his ear against it.
“…a thief,” a voice says. “I want to know who sent you.”
James voice replies, “I already told you, we were there by accident and took nothing!”
Whack!
He hears James cry out as he’s struck with what sounds like a leather whip or strap.
“You don’t expect me to believe you do you?” asks the voice again. “You just happened, by accident, to be within a walled estate? No, I don’t think so.”
Whack!
Again, Illan hears James being struck.
“I’ll ask you again,” the voice continues. “Where is it and who sent you?”
“What is it you think I stole?” James cries out. “Is that why you’ve hounded me ever since that day?”
“Either tell me or you will not leave here alive!” the voice shouts at him.
“I DON’T KNOW!” screams James.
Illan glances at the others, and when they give him a nod saying they’re ready, steps back from the door and raises his foot as he kicks out hard.
Wham!
Connecting with the door, the force of his kick causes it to burst inside, swinging wide and slamming hard into the wall behind it.
Illan quickly assesses the scene. James is tied to a chair in only his pants, red welts across his shoulders and back show where he’s been struck repeatedly. Two other men are in the room as well, one is a well dressed man who is standing before James. The other is to the side and is holding a three foot long strap, obviously the source of the welts upon James.
The man before James has to be Lord Colerain, the quality of his clothes shows him to be a man of great wealth. He turns as the door crashes open and begins to say something when he sees them enter with their swords drawn. Pulling a knife, he moves threateningly toward James but a knife flies and strikes him in the shoulder, throwing him off balance.
The one with the strap throws it to the ground and draws his sword as he moves to put himself between the attackers and his lord. Illan strikes out and the man successfully blocks the attack but is run through by Scar who comes in beside him. Falling to the ground with Scar’s sword wedged in between his ribs, he breathes a few last raged breathes before lying still. Scar then puts his foot on the dead man and yanks his sword out.
“James!” Miko cries as he enters. Coming to where he’s tied to the chair, he gives him a hug.
>
“Easy, easy,” James moans when Miko’s hug brings pain from the welts.
“Sorry,” he says, releasing him.
Shorty comes and cuts through the bonds with a knife as James asks, “How did you manage to find me?”
“We’ll get into that later,” Illan says. “Right now we’ve got to get out of here.”
“What should we do with this guy?” Scar asks from where he’s covering Lord Colerain with his sword.
They look to see him holding the wound in his shoulder where the knife had struck. Shorty comes over and retrieves his knife from where it lies on the ground next to him. Glaring at all of them, he says, “Murderers and thieves! I’ll see you all executed for this!”
James gets up and stands before him, “Know this, milord. I did not take anything from you, and I am warning you to let me be!”
Lord Colerain sits up against the wall. Scar backs off slightly with his sword allowing him room to maneuver to a sitting position. “Warning me?” he asks eyes full of malice. “How dare you!”
“Understand this,” James says as he stares intently into his eyes. “If you should ever come against me again, I will not rest until you are destroyed, completely. I will not seek revenge against you because of what transpired here today, I simply want it to end.”
Leaning closer to him, he adds in a quieter, menacing tone, “But, I cannot tolerate these continuous attacks and if I must, I will come here and raze your house to the ground. I will destroy every enterprise you have. Your very life will be forfeit!”
Lord Colerain just glowers at him from where he sits against the wall. “Tie him up and gag him,” James tells the others.
As Scar and Shorty take care of it, he stands back and watches until he’s secured. Then says to Illan, “Let’s go home.”
Fifer moves to the doorway of the office and peers out into the warehouse. He’s relieved to find the guards who are standing out by the carriage haven’t been alerted by the commotion within the office. “It’s clear,” he says.
James pauses at the doorway to glance back at Lord Colerain, and can see the hate in his eyes. He moves out of the way as Fifer and Scar bring the two dead guards into the office.
Illan indicates the hallway across the warehouse where they entered from and they begin moving in that direction. “Think what you said will stop him?” he asks James.
“I hope so, but I doubt it,” he replies. “I meant what I said though, should he continue against me.”
“Good,” Scar says from behind him. “I don’t think he realizes just what you’re capable of.”
“Maybe not,” replies James. “And I really hope he never has to find out.”
They pass down through the hallway to the door leading out into the street. Once outside, Miko takes the lead as he leads them back to the inn where their horses are waiting for them.
Moving through the dark streets, they fill him in on how they found him and what transpired at Lord Colerain’s estate. He pats Miko on the back, as he praises his quick thinking and resourcefulness.
At the inn, they get their horses but realize they’re one horse short for James. So he mounts behind Shorty and they move out into the night putting as much distance between themselves and Lord Colerain as they can before fatigue and exhaustion begin to take affect.
Finding a good spot off the road to make camp, they get settled in and Illan has them take turns at watch. All that is, except James, whom the others allow to sleep throughout the night. By the next morning, the effect of the drug that was in his system has completely worn off and his head is once again clear.
He tries to make his orb and when it readily appears, he immediately cancels it, confident in his ability to do magic once more.
Later that day, a little before noon, they meet up with Delia’s caravan.
When Scar sees them coming into view ahead of them he kicks his horse into a gallop. With a whoop and holler he races to meet them. Potbelly sees him coming and does the same thing, much to the amusement of everyone else.
Laughing, James has Shorty break into a gallop as his group quickly catches, and then passes, where Scar and Potbelly have met in the middle. Leaving them behind, James rides up to where Delia has begun to pull the wagons off the road.
“Good to see you James,” she says, greeting him with a warm smile.
“Wasn’t sure for a while if I’d ever see you again,” he says. Dismounting, he goes to her and gives her a hug. She returns it gingerly when she sees the welts scoring his back.
“What happened to you?” she asks, concern in her eyes.
“Well, let me tell you…” he says and then begins to relate all that had happened to him since she left. When he was done, Scar relates what happened to them and then the rescue of James. During the tale, they’ve set about having their midday meal and Stig is delegated the job of feeding and watering the horses. At one point, Delia produces a clean shirt from her inventory for him.
“It seems that for some reason,” says James as he continues eating his rations, “Lord Colerain believes I stole something while we were there.” He looks to Miko who only shakes his head. “I didn’t,” he says.
“I know,” James assures him. “But for some reason, he thinks that.”
“Do you think he’ll try anything again?” asks Potbelly.
“Maybe,” he replies. “Hopefully, I put worry in him about my reprisal if he does.”
They finish their meal and all make ready to get underway.
“What do you plan to do now?” Delia asks him as the caravan is about ready to pull out.
“Go back and continue what I was doing,” he explains. “Only be more vigilant this time.”
“Good luck,” she says.
“You too, lady trader,” he replies with a smile.
A flick of the reins and the team begins to pull her wagon back onto the road.
Shorty and Scar have already resumed their place in the caravan while Jorry and Uther have taken their places back with James’ crew.
As the two parties begin to move in opposite directions, there’s a scattering of farewells until they’re too far apart to continue.
Thoughts of Lord Colerain and the Empire haunt him the entire day. Will he ever be rid of people wanting to kill him? That night they find an inn to stay and since the pain from the welts have begun to diminish, he’s able to get a good night’s sleep.
The next morning they set out after a good breakfast of ham steaks and fried eggs. Even after allowing the horses to get a full good night’s rest, they still take it easy the rest of the way back to The Ranch.
When they at last arrive back at The Ranch, they’re surprised to find a teenage boy standing guard out at the end of the lane holding a spear in one hand. When he sees them coming up the lane, he takes a horn that’s slung at his side and blows two quick notes.
From The Ranch, they see four horsemen come riding quickly down the lane toward the sentry. “Wonder what’s going on?” questions Illan.
“I don’t know,” James replies.
When James and the others reach the sentry, he recognizes him as Devin, Corbin’s son. He’s standing there, the spear he gave him in one hand and says, “Welcome home.”
“Thank you,” James tells him. The four horsemen are other lads from the surrounding area. He asks, “What’s all this?”
“Jiron said to tell you, ‘to go up to the house and he’ll explain everything’,” he replies.
“Alright,” he says as he turns onto the lane and heads for the house. Illan and the others follow. The town lads on the horses fall in behind at the rear and ‘escort’ him back to the house.
James notices another lad with a bow and a quiver of arrows slung across his back, walking the edge of the forest on the far side of the house. He glances to Illan who just shrugs, he’s noticed him too.
The front door of the house opens and Jiron, Yern, Tersa and Ezra holding Arkie come out to meet them.
“Glad to s
ee you’re back safe,” Jiron says with relief.
Gesturing around at all the lads, James asks, “What’s all this?”
“Come on inside and I’ll explain,” he says. Coming over, he helps James down from his horse. He then leads him inside, with Illan following closely behind. Ezra and Tersa return within the house as well while the rest tend to the horses and see that they’re settled in.
Jiron sits down in the front room, James and Illan following suit. Tersa and Ezra soon come out of the kitchen with mugs of ale for them.
“Now, just what have you been doing while I have been gone?” he asks.
“After the last attack, I felt we could use some help around here,” he tells him. From the back, Roland comes out and joins them. “Actually, it was Roland’s idea to ask the locals if their sons would care to help out.”
“The harvest around here is about over and I knew these lads would have little to do,” he explains. “Basically what they’re going to do is provide security for us.”
“But they’re not fighters,” protests James. “Against a real adversary, they’d be slaughtered.”
“True,” agrees Roland. “But by them being around, there will be fewer attempts like the one that succeeded in getting to you. Their mere presence will keep most of them from even happening. If something major should happen, then they will be able to give you and us warning to come to their aid.”
“The whole point is not to be caught unawares again,” interjects Jiron.
“Did you tell them of the danger?” James asks.
“Yes, and their families,” Roland replies. “We’re also paying them each two coppers a day for their services. Around here, that’s a lot of money.”
“How are we to pay for all that?” he asks.
“That’s something I need to discuss with you later,” Roland replies.
“Oh, one other thing I should mention,” Jiron adds.
“What?” asks James.
He glances to Roland who grins at him and then returns his attention to James. “They stumbled across your glowing crystals out in the forest,” he explains.
“And?” prompts James.
“And, they mentioned it to their families,” replies Jiron. He gives James an amused smile as he continues, “It seems your reputation is growing even faster because of it.”
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