The door jerked forward suddenly. James lost his grip, panicked as he slid back into Miko and lost his concentration. Slamming into the ground, they hit hard and rolled several feet before coming to a stop.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” James replied, sitting up. Standing, he brushed himself off. “It took off a bit faster than I anticipated.”
“Shall we try it again?”
Nodding, James grinned. “If you aren’t afraid I’m going to kill us with this thing.”
“No, I do not think that.” Then he assumed a wry expression and held up the Star. “Besides, anything you break I can fix.”
“Okay, then. Let’s get back on. Wish we had ropes or something better to hold onto.”
“Maybe next time.”
Getting back into position on the door, Miko called for Morcyth’s glow and James soon had them hovering again in the air.
“This time,” Miko said, “don’t lose your grip.”
James could hear the amusement in his voice. Okay, a little gentler on takeoff. Envisioning a slow, gradual acceleration, he let loose the magic. Instead of the jerky start like before, this time the door moved out slowly.
“Not bad,” Miko said after they had traveled fifty feet.
“I’m going to try for more speed.”
“Just be careful.”
The door quickened its pace and they were soon moving as fast as a galloping horse. It didn’t float smoothly as it tried to maintain the requisite three feet distance from the ground. As the ground changed elevation, even slightly, so too did the door. When crossing a dried creek bed nearly knocked them off, James brought the door to a halt.
Miko slapped him on the back. “That was fun,” he said with a grin.
“It would have been more fun had the ride been smoother.”
“Is that why we stopped?”
James nodded. “Give me a minute to work it out and we’ll have fewer jolts.”
“That last one was pretty bad,” Miko admitted.
“Almost lost my grip more than once.”
Miko stood up and glanced around. “We have come a fair distance.”
“If I can get this right, it’ll take us all the way to Hyrryth.”
“I would love to sleep in a bed tonight.”
James chuckled. “That might be pushing it. But I’ll see what we can do.”
It took the better part of twenty minutes before he was satisfied the spell would work the way he wanted. He merely had to tweak the original spell a little here and there. Once finished, they got back on and with Morcyth’s glow surrounding them, James activated the spell. First rising gently off the ground, the door then took off at a speed little better than walking.
“Feels smoother,” Miko observed.
“I agree.” Seeing that his magic ‘shock absorbers’ were working as planned, James had the door quicken its speed.
Miko tapped him on the shoulder and pointed ahead to where the ground dipped two feet in an old run-off.
“I see it.”
This would really test his flying door. He slowed to the speed of a trotting horse, then braced for the crossing. There was a little shudder and the door did drop marginally while it crossed, then popped back up when it reached the other side; nothing they couldn’t handle.
“This is going to work,” James hollered over his shoulder.
Miko grinned and gave him a thumb’s up.
Altering course proved easy. A thought and the door turned in the direction he desired. Once it was traveling in a mostly southerly direction, he increased the speed yet further.
The wind whipped their hair furiously as they sped across the desert. James fest decidedly homesick as he used to love laying his head against the side of the car as the wind blew through the open window. If he closed his eyes, he could almost imagine himself back home on the way to the pizza parlor across town. But he dared not allow his concentration to wane. For that to happen at such a speed would prove problematic.
An hour went by, then two and the miles flew by. During the third hour, a small oasis with several trees and bushes came into view ahead. He altered course.
It was deserted and he brought the door to a halt just outside of it. The pool around which the foliage grew was clear and pure. James hopped off the door and knelt at its edge. The water proved somewhat cool and oh so wonderful.
“We should take a break,” Miko suggested. After drinking his fill, he topped off his water bottle and sat against one of the trees. “You don’t want to tire.”
“My thoughts exactly,” agreed James.
Picking a swath of grass near Miko, James stretched out. He thought about how much he had enjoyed the ride, and how Kenny would love it. His thoughts drifted to Meliana and their life together and how he couldn’t wait to see them. Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep and Miko was shaking his shoulder to wake him.
“We should get going,” Miko said as James came awake.
“Hmm, what?” he asked sleepily.
“We need to get to Zixtyn and find the others.”
James nodded and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “How long was I out?”
“About an hour. You feel asleep pretty fast.”
“Holding a spell for hours does take its toll.”
Miko eyed him. “Do you feel up to continuing?”
“Yes.”
A stretch and drink at the pool later, they climbed back onto the door and James soon had them careening toward Zixtyn.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
The road came into view not long before nightfall. James brought the door to a halt as soon as they saw it.
“Looks deserted,” Miko said as he gazed at the road.
James opened his pack and removed his mirror. “I’m going to find out in which direction Zixtyn lies.”
“I’ll watch the sky.”
Sitting cross-legged on the ground, James held the mirror before him. As before the image changed from his reflection to an aerial view of the countryside.
“Any shimmering?”
“Not yet,” Miko replied.
He moved the image southwesterly along the road. Not far down lay an inn with two outlying buildings. Knowing that couldn’t be Zixtyn, he continued his search. Two minutes later, he spied a town sprawling around a crossroads.
“I think I found it,” he said.
“Can you be certain it is Zixtyn?”
James shook his head. “No, but it has to be.”
Miko looked over his shoulder at the image. “How far?”
“Possibly another hour by flying door.”
“A bed would be most welcome tonight.”
“And a bath.”
Miko laughed. “I would expect nothing less.”
Returning his mirror to his pack, he grasped hold of the door, let flow the magic and they were on their way.
He angled so as to keep the road out of sight. For now that it was near nightfall and the light would be fading, the last thing he wanted was for someone seeing them all aglow zooming through the night.
It turned out to be over an hour until the lights of the town came into view. James brought them as close as he dared before bringing the door to earth and disembarking. He shouldered his pack and they headed for the road before it entered the town.
Traffic was light this time of the evening and they gained the road without attracting too much attention. They did draw glances for they were obviously two foreigners and piqued peoples’ curiosity.
The first of the outlying buildings stood three stories and had a sign out front depicting a bed and knife. It looked well-kept and maintained. James’ stomach growled most noticeably when he caught a whiff of the mouth-watering aroma wafting from within.
“I don’t think we have to look any further.”
Miko pointed to the third story rooms overlooking the road. “If we get one of those we can keep an eye on when they arrive.”
“If they aren’t already here.”
>
“I do not think so,” Miko argued. “Remember, they have Eddra and cannot travel fast; and we did get here rather quickly the last little bit. I think we covered two days of walking.”
James nodded. “Room, food and bath and not necessarily in that order. Then we’ll make inquiries.”
The common room proved to be just as well-maintained as the exterior. It was full yet not overly boisterous. Off to the side a bard was setting up to play. James watched him for a moment hoping it was Perrilin; but it wasn’t.
A large woman in a fine dress came up to them and gave them a smile. “Good evening, sirs,” she said in the northern tongue. “Would you be interested in a room?”
“That,” James agreed, “and a meal and a bath if those could be sent up to us?”
She beamed. “We have a nice room with two beds here on the ground floor that would be perfect for you.”
James shook his head. “If you have one available, we would prefer one on the third floor overlooking the road.”
“Certainly we do. It is three silvers a night…,” she began.
“Three?” James interrupted her.
“Ours is the finest inn in Zixtyn,” she explained. “Meals and baths are another silver each.”
“That’s fine.”
“Excellent.”
Crossing over to the front counter she passed behind and produced a key. “You’ll find it at the top of the stairs, three down on the right.”
James took the key. “And the baths?”
“I’ll send someone up in a few minutes to see to your needs.”
“That will be fine,” James replied. “Thank you.” He handed her the coins and they headed upstairs.
At the third floor, they crossed to the third door on the right, used the key and entered. Two beds, a dresser with wash basin; a table with two chairs filled the small room. James immediately went and sat on the one furthest from the door. He sank into downy softness.
“We are definitely getting our money’s worth here.”
“Must be why they are so crowded.”
“Treat your customers right, and they will always come back. Often with a friend.”
He kicked off his boots and laid back. Miko went to the window and opened the shutter.
“Quite the view,” he said.
James glanced his way but just couldn’t bring himself to leave the bed just yet. It was a far cry better than the ground of the night before.
Not long after, a knock at the door announced the arrival of the serving girl. She took their order for lots of everything as they were starved, and said she would arrange for the boys to bring up two tubs after they had eaten.
“Sounds good,” James said then flipped her a copper.
She caught it and after a very brief inspection, tucked it away in her bodice.
“Thank you, good sirs. Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“Actually, yes. If your inn can launder clothes before the morning?”
“That we can.” She quickly scanned the room and saw their lack of baggage. “Would you be needing a change of clothes by chance while yours are being cleaned?”
“Robes or full length tunics would be nice,” James said. “We don’t plan to leave the room.”
“Very good. Then if there isn’t anything else…,” she trailed off then continued when James shook his head no, “I will return shortly with your meal.”
“Appreciate it.”
Once she left, James laid back down on the bed. Miko kept at the window and watched the world grow dark. Off in the distance the appearance of lights spoke of farmhouses. Down on the street below, the last few stragglers made it into town, none of who were the ones for whom they waited.
“Peaceful,” mused Miko.
“Hmmm?” James asked sleepily.
Miko turned from the window toward his friend. “I said it was very peaceful.” But James had already fallen asleep. He returned to looking out on the darkening world and let his mind drifted back over recent events until the serving girl arrived with two others bringing their dinner.
He almost hated doing it, but he woke James.
Dinner comprised of two full loaves of bread, a platter of chicken sufficient for four men, and a second one with an assortment of freshly steamed vegetables. Along with the food the girls brought a pitcher of ale and two mugs. Miko gave them the coins for the meal and they left with promises to return in a bit to collect the dirty dishes and have the tubs brought in.
Miko finished off a third of a loaf and four pieces of chicken before asking, “Do you have any new thoughts on what that shimmering field was?”
Mouth full of vegetables, James shook his head. “I’ve no idea. It just seems strange that it reacts to my magic and not yours.”
“And yet pays no attention when I shield your magic with mine.”
“I know,” James replied. Spearing another portion of chicken, he pulled the crisped skin off and chewed on it. “It’s a mystery alright.”
“Have you noticed that it always seems to first appear from the heart of the Waste?”
“Yes, I have. I suppose it is possible that it is in some way a product of the creature we recovered the Star from.” Swallowing the skin, he bit off a goodly portion of chicken. “But somehow that doesn’t feel right. I mean, if the creature was responsible for the shimmering field, it would assuredly have done more to us than what it did.”
“That makes sense,” Miko agreed. “But if not the creature, then what?”
James shrugged. “Darned if I know. At least we’ve figured out a way to work around it should it appear. And it seems as if the farther from the Waste, the longer it takes for it to appear.”
“Because it forms there.”
“You could be right,” James agreed and turned thoughtful. “Has to be a reason why it does.”
“I am sure you will figure it out.”
James didn’t share his optimism.
They finished the meal trying to come up with a plausible reason for the shimmering field with little luck. Soon the serving girl returned with six young men in tow each trio bearing a bathing tub. She gathered the dirty dishes and all the food they didn’t want to keep for a snack later and left.
Not long afterward, a parade of serving girls and young men brought scalding buckets of water and poured them into the tub. It took a few trips but soon they had them filled. On the last trip, their serving girl returned with towels, two robes and a tray bearing bathing paraphernalia such as soap, brushes, etc.
“You should find these robes quite comfortable,” she said as she laid them on their beds. “We shall return in an hour to collect the tubs and will take your clothes for washing at that time.”
“Are you sure they will be done by dawn? We have business in town and can’t very well transact it in these,” James said, holding up a robe.
She gave him a reassuring smile. “Our laundress will have your clothes washed and dried in a couple hours. I assure you, they will be ready.”
James nodded. “In that case, just bring them up with breakfast.”
“As you wish.” Turning to go, she paused and glanced by coyly. “Anything else I can assist you with?”
Knowing full well what she had in mind, and knowing also that Meliana would not take kindly to such a dalliance, he declined.
Shrugging, she said, “If you change your mind…”
“We’ll be sure to let you know.”
Flashing a smile, she opened the door and left. When it shut behind her, James quickly shucked his clothes and gingerly eased his way into the tub. For some reason, he had a strong visual image of a rascally rabbit doing the same from the old Saturday morning cartoons.
“This is heaven.”
He took a handful of soap and commenced the task of removing days of accumulated sweat and dirt. “Remember that first bath when we first met?”
Miko laughed and nodded. “You almost had to throw me in.”
“And now
you love them.”
“I make my priests bathe at least twice a week,” he said. “Some are quite reluctant at first.” He turned thoughtful then chuckled. “I actually did have to have Father Vickor tossed in his first time.” He laughed. “You never heard such cursing and vows of retaliation.”
“Did it come to blows?”
“Nearly.”
James laughed then dunked his head under the water to scrub his hair. Coming up, he wiped the water from his eyes and then leaned back until only his head was above the surface. His eyes closed and he laid there allowing the heated water to absorb his aches and pains.
All too soon the water cooled and he was forced to get out. After donning the robe, he walked to the window and gazed out. All he saw was the road where it entered the area illuminated by the light coming through the inn’s windows. Hopefully tomorrow the others will arrive and they can continue on to Meliana and Kenny.
He was almost asleep when they came to drain the tubs then hauled them away. Their serving girl took their clothes, vowing to take care of them and to have them returned clean in the morning.
James didn’t even get off the bed. And once they were gone, he blew out the candle and went to sleep.
In the morning, true to her word, their clothes arrived with their breakfast; clean, dry, and neatly folded. They had moved the small table to beneath the window so they could keep an eye on the road as they ate. A few riders and a long caravan entered the road from the caravansary just outside of town. One farmer with a heavily laden, covered wagon came from the wilds. Of their friends, there was no sign.
“Be surprised to see them today in any event,” Miko said.
“One can hope. Jiron will not allow them to tarry overlong. He is anxious to see Aleya again and let her know that he and Jira are alive and well.”
Finishing the last of the eggs, onions, and tuber medley, James sat back in sated satisfaction. “How would you propose we find that priest of Asran Brother Willim mentioned?”
“Apparently he frequents taverns at night,” James replied. “According to Brother Willim, we’ll find Brother Martin in one after dark.”
Tides of Faith: Travail of The Dark Mage Book Two Page 49
