The Star of Morcyth: The Morcyth Saga Book Five

by Brian S. Pratt

  Miko sits there and watches as the group leaves the market area. James in the dungeon, Jiron mixed up in the slaying of the Ambassador’s adjutant. What else could possibly happen?

  Getting up he decides to go down by the docks to see if there might be any scuttlebutt down there. Back in Bearn it always seemed the workers along the river had the most reliable news. And usually before anyone else, too.

  He makes his way to the dock area where he finds it a flurry of activity as dock workers transfer cargo to and from the vessels secured there. Strolling along, he keeps his ears open for anything which might relate to what he’s hoping to learn.

  The conversations he hears is just the usual stuff guys say to one another, mostly about the girl they were with the night before. One ship, a beautiful three masted merchantman has just pulled up to the dock and the dockworkers are still securing the lines.

  He misses being out on the water, though on every occasion he’s had the fortune to be sailing, something bad has happened. Despite that fact, he longs to return.

  “Out of the way!” one porter says as he nudges Miko to the side. At first annoyed at the treatment, he quickly realizes that he had been daydreaming as he stood there blocking the way. Laughing at himself he makes to move further down the dock.

  He suddenly stops in his tracks when he sees a girl begin to disembark from the newly arrived merchantman. Dressed in a startling blue outfit with a beautiful dolphin embroidered along one side of her chest, she looks strangely familiar but he can’t quite place her. Walking next to her is an older gentleman with a slight limp.

  His mind flashes back to a night back in the city of Corillian at the estate of his friend Nate’s family. Meliana, that’s who it is, the older guy must be her father. That’s the girl James has been mooning about ever since we left!

  Coming out of his startlement, he quickly moves to fall in behind them as they come onto the dock. Man, is James going to be surprised. That is if we can get him out of the dungeon first.

  “Now Meliana, don’t get your hopes up,” Miko overhears her father say to her. “There’s no way to know if he’s even in Cardri.”

  “I know father,” she replies.

  She’s here looking for him! Miko breaks out into a smile as he says, “Hi!”

  They stop in their tracks and turn to see him there with a goofy smile upon his face. “Yes?” her father asks.

  “I’m Miko,” he says, his goofy smile getting goofier.

  Her father looks him up and down, a slight scowl coming to his face. “That’s nice,” he says and then turns to begin leading Meliana away.

  “No, no, you don’t understand,” he exclaims as he rushes to catch up with them.

  Taking a breath to calm his anger, the father turns back to him and says, “I don’t wish to be rude but could you please leave us alone? Or I’ll have to call for the guards.”

  “You don’t remember me do you?” he asks, looking questioningly to them.

  They both shake their heads. “No, I can’t say that I do,” her father says. “Now, if you’ll excuse us.”

  Miko is at first confused by their reaction until he remembers he really doesn’t look the same as he did. The Fire had unnaturally aged him while it was in his possession. So of course they don’t remember him.

  As they again turn away from him, he exclaims, “Wait! I’m James’ friend.”

  At that her eyes light up and she turns her full attention on him. “James? You know James?”

  “I’m Miko,” he says, “Nate’s friend from the mines.”

  Her smile begins diminishing as she tries to reconcile what he just told her with how he looks now. “But Miko was much younger than you,” she says, confused. “You can’t be him.” Her hopes dashed, Miko can see sadness begin to well in her eyes.

  “Son, I don’t know what kind of game you’re trying to play here, but we’ll have none of it!” he says quite sternly. “Now, if you don’t leave us alone, I’ll be forced to call for the guards.”

  Frustrated, he watches them walk away. How can he explain to them what happened? He doesn’t really even know what happened. Only James or Jiron could possibly convince them, if he tries anymore they’re likely to call the guards and then how will he help James.

  If they’re here to do trading, then they’re going to be here a few days at least. There’s no way she’ll let him leave until she has a chance to discover if James is here in the city or not.

  Decided he’s wasted enough time at the docks, he heads back to the inn to see if the kids left any word for him.

  The Eye works his way through town. He can feel his agent here in the city. Things were going good until that fool of an adjutant went and got himself killed. Now all the carefully laid plans are beginning to fall apart.

  Not only that, but his agent has begun to kill. The need comes at times and it must be satisfied, but now is not the time to draw undue attention. He hates to rely on such an agent but his master said he must.

  Dressed as just another commoner of Cardri, he draws little attention to himself as he makes his way to where he knows his agent to be. When he left on this assignment, ostensibly to be part of the trade delegation, his master gave him a ring which enables him to find this particular agent.

  What makes him the most angry is that this fool of an agent isn’t killing in the poor quarters where such things are almost taken as a matter of course. But he’s leaving the bodies in the better sections of the city where such things are given more notice. Fool!

  The trail leads him past the outer walls and ultimately through the middle walls into the more affluent areas of the city. He follows the main thoroughfare until the ring indicates to go down an alley.

  It’s a dead end alley with many shadows and full of garbage. One of the shadows detaches itself from the others and moves forward. What light there is in the alley glints off a long dagger the shadow is holding.

  “Just give me your money,” a voice comes from the shadow, “and I’ll not harm you.”

  “Of course,” the Eye says as he reaches into his tunic. Instead of removing his money pouch, he pulls out a small thin tube and points it at the thief. Depressing the release, a small needle flies out and strikes the man.

  “What the hell?” he exclaims as the needle embeds itself in his cheek. His hand brushes his face, dislodging the needle but the damage has already been done. The fast working poison which was delivered by the needle brings dizziness which causes him to begin staggering and then to fall to the ground. In a matter of seconds, he’s dead.

  Replacing the tube within his tunic, he steps over the dead man barely giving him a second thought. At the end of the alley, a doorway stands open and the ring directs him to enter.

  On the other side of the door is a long, dimly lit hallway. He moves into it and follows it down past several closed doors. At the fourth door, the ring tells him he’s very close, possibly on the other side of the door.

  Opening it, he finds a gruesome sight. A small room, with but a bed and chest. On the floor is a dead girl, bending over her is he who the Eye has been searching for. “You fool!” he exclaims as he closes the door and enters the room.

  Chapter Ten

  _________________________

  On the way back to the inn, Miko finds Dave sitting at an open air eatery. “What are you doing here?” he asks him. “Didn’t I tell you to stay in the room?”

  Dave looks up with an annoyed expression and replies, “Relax. All I’m doing is having a meal and getting some fresh air.”

  The eatery is just down the street from the inn, he can see it from here. Not wanting to cause a scene in a public place, he says, “Very well. But return as soon as you’re done.”

  Sighing, Dave says, “Alright, but you guys are really getting on my nerves.”

  Wanting nothing more than to take out his anger and frustration on him, Miko instead turns and walks down to the inn. When he passes through the front door, he finds Illan sitting in t
he common room near a window.

  At his approach, he nods for him to take a seat at his table. “You know where that friend of James’ is? He’s down the street at an eatery!”

  “I know,” replies Illan as he glances out the window. “I’ve been keeping an eye on him for some time now. It was a mistake to have taken him with us.”

  “So why did we?” Miko asks as he sinks into the chair. A serving girl comes over and he orders some ale.

  “James wouldn’t leave him alone,” he explains. “Not after what he’s gone through. Plus, Jiron would’ve killed him if we had left him there with his sister.”

  Nodding, Miko sees the girl returning with his ale. After he’s taken a sip, he asks, “Any word from Jiron and Fifer?”

  Shaking his head, Illan says, “No, not yet.” In hushed tones, he goes on to relate what Ellinwyrd told him about James. When he’s done, he all but has to restrain Miko from rushing to the castle to rescue him.

  “We can’t just sit here and do nothing!” he exclaims.

  “I don’t plan to sit here and do nothing,” he states. “But we have a day, maybe two and we don’t want to act prematurely. I think it’s safe to say that they’re not planning on killing him here. Most likely they are going to return him to the Empire for interrogation first and find out what he knows.”

  “About what?” he asks.

  “About that certain something you all found and which we just recently put away somewhere,” he explains in a roundabout way in case they’re overheard.

  “Oh right,” he says and then mouths ‘The Fire’.

  “Exactly,” he says. “Our first priority has to be finding Jiron and Fifer. Once we have them back with us, we’ll be in a much better position to attempt a rescue.”

  Miko then tells Illan about what he’s having those kids of his do, and about the connection between Lord Kindering and the Ambassador.

  Nodding, Illan says, “That puts some things in perspective.”

  “What do you mean?” asks Miko.

  “Well, first of all it explains why he was summoned here,” Illan explains. “From what we’ve found out, Lord Kindering and Lord Colerain are bound together in some way. Could be simply trading partners, who knows? Lord Kindering might have gotten the idea that if he managed to get James here and to the Empire’s delegates, then they may give Cardri, and thus him, better terms in the negotiations.”

  “So you’re saying they’re giving up James just to make more money on trade?” he asks.

  “Something like that,” agrees Illan. “Though this is all just conjecture on my part, it does fit with what’s happening. The fact that it also enables Lord Colerain to extract revenge upon James is probably just an added bonus.”

  Just then, Dave walks in through the front door. He sees them sitting at the table and simply nods to them as he makes his way to the stairs and up to his room.

  “Hope he stays there,” grunts Miko.

  “We’ve got more important things to worry about than him,” Illan says.

  “You’re right,” agrees Miko.

  Jiron comes awake and finds Qyrll sitting against the wall. He turns his head when he sees Jiron sit up. Nodding over to the candle sitting on the crate, he says, “We’re almost out of light.” Fifer remains asleep over against the far wall.

  “Is it light out yet?” Jiron asks.

  Shrugging, the Parvati says, “It’s hard to tell, but I think the sun’s been up for some time now.”

  Worried, Jiron says, “I was sure James would’ve found us by now.”

  “Maybe he’s otherwise occupied?” suggests Qyrll.

  “Let’s hope not.” Getting up, he stretches and comes to sit next to the Parvati.

  Voices can be heard coming from the other side of the door as footsteps approach and then continue on past. “People have been moving along the corridor outside for some time now,” Qyrll states. “Fortunately none have come in here.”

  Gesturing to the room, Jiron says, “Do you blame them?”

  Qyrll just gives him a grin at that as he shakes his head.

  More footsteps approach and they become silent. This time instead of passing by, the footsteps stop at the door.

  Glancing at one another, they get to their feet just as the door opens. Swinging wide, several girls in their late teens come in and stop with a gasp when they see them standing there.

  Jiron is about ready to say they’re not going to hurt them when one gives out with a scream at the sight of the Parvati and his extensive tattooed skin.

  Fifer starts awake and comes quickly to his feet.

  The girls turn and flee out the door and down the hallway all the while screaming for help.

  “That tears it!” says Jiron as he moves for the door. “Let’s go.”

  He reaches the corridor on the other side just as a group of six thugs comes at them wielding clubs and swords. “Back in the room!” he hollers. Once they’ve returned to the room, he shuts the door and puts his shoulder against it.

  Qyrll and Fifer lend their strength in holding the door closed as the thugs begin hammering on it from the other side. One of the thugs on the other side shouts for them to open the door but they pay him little attention.

  “There’s no other way out!” Fifer exclaims.

  To Jiron, Qyrll says, “Let them in. We have to face them some time, they block our only way out. We should do it now before more come, or the city guard is summoned.”

  The incessant hammering on the door by the thugs has begun to produce cracks in the old door. Jiron realizes the truth in what Qyrll’s saying. “You guys ready?” he asks.

  Standing back, Qyrll draws both swords and nods.

  “Alright,” he says as he too stands back, knives appearing in both hands, “let’s do it.”

  Fifer draws his sword and they wait.

  They don’t have to wait long as the next strike upon the door by the thugs outside splits it down the middle. When they again strike the door, it completely comes apart and one of the thugs stumbles through only to be met by Qyrll and his swords. Off balanced, the man has no chance and falls to the floor as Qyrll removes his shortsword from the dead man’s chest.

  As the thugs pour through the door, Jiron lashes out with his knives and another falls to the floor. The others press on through the shattered door and engage them.

  Fifer faces off with one while Jiron and Qyrll each have two. Qyrll’s swords dance as they block the attacks from one and strike out at the other.

  The thugs are hopelessly outclassed. One strikes out at Jiron with his club while the other strikes out with his sword. Easily parrying the club, Jiron twists to avoid the sword. At the same time, he strikes out with his elbow to the clubber and connects with his chest, sending him stumbling backward. The man with the sword strikes down hard with both hands in an attempt to cleave Jiron in two. Dancing to the side, the sword misses him by scant inches as he strikes out with one of his knives, thrusting it deep into his side.

  The man cries out as he stumbles to the side, blood beginning to well from his mouth as his lung fills with blood from where the knife punctured it. Crashing to the floor, he coughs up blood in a vain attempt to clear his lungs and soon passes out.

  Qyrll has already killed one of the thugs and is now facing off with another of the clubbers. His shortsword knocks the club to the side and he follows through with his longsword, connecting with the man’s neck and sending his head flying.

  The torso stumbles around as blood fountains out of the severed neck. Crashing into the crate which had Qyrll’s candle resting upon it, it sends the candle flying into a heap of garbage which begins to smolder.

  Fifer is having trouble with the man he’s facing and Qyrll comes up behind him and strikes him down. Glancing around, they find all the thugs dead. Smoke begins filling the room as the candle ignites the garbage and the flames start to spread rapidly.

  “Move!” cries Jiron as he races for the door. A scream greets him as he enter
s the hallway. People congregating in the hallway to see what’s going on begin running away when they see him there with his knife dripping blood. Smoke from the fire behind him begins filling the hallway as well.

  Moving in the direction they originally entered from the night before, he breaks into a run, the other two right behind. Those still in the hallway in the direction he’s running flee in a panicked run when they see him and his blood red knife coming at them.

  Racing out into the alley, Jiron pauses only a moment to grab an old shirt off the ground to clean the blood from his knives before returning them to their scabbards. The smoke is beginning to billow through the doorway as the fire within consumes more of the old building.

  Qyrll, hooded cloak once again hiding his features, is already moving down the alley away from the fire. Turning back to where Jiron and Fifer have paused to clean their weapons, he hollers, “Come on!”

  Racing for the end of the alley, they collide with a squad of the city guard who were on their way to investigate the commotion. Screaming ‘fire’, Jiron points back the way they came to the guard captain as he and the others turn and race away down the street. Glancing behind them, he sees the guards moving into the alley to see about the fire. Soon, horns begin blowing as others come to help combat the spreading blaze.

  Using the confusion the fire has created, they make their way to the nearest gate leading into the city and slip through at the same time that a fire team was coming out. Once inside, Jiron says to Qyrll, “Keep your hood close to your face. One look and anyone will know a Parvati is in the city.”

  Nodding, he reaches up and holds the bottom of the hood secure under his chin. Now, only a very close examination will reveal what lies beneath.

  Jiron leads them through the city to the gates leading past the inner wall. On the other side is the Silver Bells and hopefully where they’ll find James and the others.

  As they near the gates, Jiron notices that the number of guards has been doubled. Probably due to the events of last night when the adjutant was killed. They move to a nearby alley and watch the gates for several minutes.