“Let’s get the hell out of here,” James says as he extinguishes the orb and moves to the back door.
As he opens the door, light springs to life outside as the shutters from several lanterns are pulled back.
Chapter Twenty Four
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“I thought you might try something like this,” Orlander’s voice comes from the dark behind the light. The other door leading from the tavern to the office opens behind them and the red haired thug comes in with the rest of his cronies, swords drawn and menacing.
James and Jiron stand there in hesitation as they take in the situation, Jiron has his knives out.
“No one steals from me,” Orlander says as he steps into the light. His face is contorted with anger as he advances, sword in hand. The rest of the men out there with him begin advancing as well. “Kill them!” he shouts.
Jiron grabs James and jerks him inside the office, slamming the door shut just as several crossbow bolts thud into the other side. Turning quickly, he moves to engage the half dozen men coming in through the inner door.
“You can’t hope to win,” boasts Red as he and the others move to intercept.
James pulls himself off the floor and drops the bar to secure the outer door as Jiron’s knives clash with that of Red’s sword. Turning to the fight, he begins flinging stones and the thugs drop quickly.
Those on the outside start pounding on the door in an attempt to force it open.
The confidence Red felt at the outset is rapidly diminishing when his cohorts begin dropping like flies and the man he’s facing with the two knives counters every attack he throws at him.
As the last of the other thugs falls, James asks Jiron, “Need any help?”
Laughing, Jiron replies, “Not with this.” Having taken Red’s measure, he launches a series of attacks. Red tries to defend himself but winds up leaving himself open and one of Jiron’s knives thrusts between two ribs and pierces his heart.
Staggering backward, Red falls to the ground and the light fades from his eyes as Jiron puts his foot against his chest and removes his knife.
Wiping his blade clean on the dead man’s shirt, he turns to find James over by the strong box in the corner. “What are you doing?” he asks. “We’ve got to get out of here!”
Lifting the lid, James reaches in and removes a bulging sack. After a quick glance within it, he tosses it to Jiron. “I was willing to be content with simply retrieving our possessions,” he says. Removing another pouch, he puts it into his shirt and says, “But after this, I’m not.” Tuning to Jiron he adds, “Consider this recompense for ‘pain and suffering’.”
The pounding upon the door continues and Jiron moves to the door leading into the main section of the tavern and glances out. Slamming the door shut, he presses his shoulder against it just as someone slams into it from the other side. “Not this way,” he says. “What do you plan to do?”
Coming over to the door Jiron is holding, he lays his hand against it and applies a holding spell. When he’s sure it is set properly, he has Jiron move away and the door continues to hold against the incessant beating from the other side.
The lantern one of the thugs had upon entering the office lies on the floor tipped to one side. James moves over and grabs it. Glancing to the ceiling, he gets an idea.
Climbing up onto the desk he reaches up and is able to touch the ceiling. With his hand pressed against the ceiling, he casts a spell and then gets down from the desk quickly. “Move back,” he warns Jiron who joins him in moving to the other side of the room. After a couple seconds the section of the ceiling he had touched suddenly explodes outward leaving a jagged hole roughly two foot in diameter.
“That’s not big enough for us to get through,” observes Jiron.
“Don’t be dense,” says James as he returns to the desk. Brushing aside the debris from the explosion he clears a spot for him to again stand upon the desk. Reaching up to the hole he takes hold of one of the blasted boards and pulls. With a creak and then a crack, the board breaks off, widening the hole.
Glancing back to Jiron he gives him a grin as he repeats the process again. When the hole is wide enough, he motions for Jiron to precede him through.
Climbing onto the desk, Jiron jumps up and manages to wriggle through the opening into the crawlspace above. Reaching down his hand, he says, “Take my hand.”
“Just a moment,” James says as he gets down from the desk. He glances over from one door to the other and can see they’re not about to last much longer. The doors themselves are surviving the impacts well but the walls around them are beginning to show signs of cracking. Taking the lantern he smashes it into the floor, the oil within catches fire as the flame begins to burn the pool of oil. He then removes papers and some of the debris from the desk and piles them on top of the flame.
As he climbs back onto the desk, the fire begins to burn fiercely and is starting to spread. “Do you think that was a good idea?” asks Jiron as he starts to choke from the smoke moving through the hole in the ceiling. It’s acting like a chimney and is funneling all the smoke right past them.
“Maybe not,” admits James as he takes Jiron’s hand and makes his way up into the crawlspace.
The crawlspace isn’t very large and they’re forced to move along on their hands and knees in order to make their way from the hole. Moving quickly, they traverse the length of the building and reach a vent in the side of the tavern leading outside. Jiron grabs hold of it and manages to pull it loose.
When the vent comes free, the opening accelerates the venting of the smoke which in turn causes the fire to burn hotter.
He glances outside and finds they’re in an area currently free of people. “I think we made it,” he says as he glances back to James.
Coughing from the effects of the choking smoke, James replies, “Just hurry.”
Turning around, Jiron exits through the vent feet first until he’s all the way through and hanging by his hands. Then he lets go and lands on the ground outside. Pulling a knife, he rubs his eyes with his other hand in an attempt to clear the tears the smoke had produced.
Glancing up, he sees James’ feet coming out and then shortly afterward he drops to the ground beside him.
“There they are!” a cry goes up and they turn to see men coming around the corner of the tavern. One has a crossbow and lets a bolt fly.
In reflex James brings up his barrier and the bolt is deflected. As they race away, light from the fire burning within the tavern silhouettes them as the others give chase.
“I’ll kill you both!” Orlander screams as he rounds the corner. Hate and rage radiate from the man as he and his cohorts race after the fleeing pair.
Crumph!
The street behind them erupts and slows their pursuers. Dodging down an alley, Jiron says, “Get to the inn and saddle the horses.”
“What are you going to do?” James asks.
“Give you time to do that,” he says. “Now get going!” With that he thrusts James further down the alleyway where he breaks into a run.
Jumping up onto a stack of old crates against one wall, he reaches up to the window ledge above. Pulling himself up, he gains the room on the other side of the window just as the mob enters the alley behind them.
They pause there just a moment when one catches sight of James running down the far end. “There they go!” one yells.
Jiron looks down and sees Orlander enter the alley. “Orlander you fat pig!” he shouts from the window. The mob down below pauses as they look up to see him illuminated by the lights from their lanterns. “Your mother was a whore and your father a mule!” he adds as he spits in Orlander’s direction. The spittle flies through the air and lands right between Orlander’s eyes.
“Get him!” he screams in rage as he points to Jiron in the window.
“What about that other guy?” another of the men below asks.
“I want him!” Orlander says with rage as he points to th
e smirking Jiron.
The men begin to immediately pound the door below and Jiron hears it crashing in. He turns from the window and comes to an immediate stop when he sees a man standing there in his nightclothes holding a sword at the ready.
“Stay right there,” the man says, his voice somewhat shaky.
Drawing his knives, Jiron advances upon him. A woman screams from the nearby bed as the man’s sword strikes out at him. Jiron easily deflects the blade and follows through with a punch to the side of the man’s face.
As the man stumbles out of the way, he races past and out of the bedroom. From downstairs the sound of many feet can be heard running up the stairs. Running along the hallway away from the stairs, he comes to the last door and smashes into it. The door bursts open and he rushes into the room, quickly closing it behind him.
He looks around for something to bar the way and realizes he’s stumbled into a nursery, over to one side of the room is a small child standing in a crib. Couldn’t be more than a year old, the child holds onto the side of his crib as he stares at Jiron. The pounding of feet toward him down the hallway tells him he doesn’t have much time.
Pulling a dresser over to in front of the door, he braces it with a couple chairs and then heads to the window next to the child. The child just stares at him curiously as he looks out. The street below appears to be empty.
Bam!
The door is hit from the other side as his pursuers attempt to break it in. He glances and finds the dresser and chairs are for the moment keeping them at bay.
“My baby!” can be heard coming from the hallway.
Ripping the sheet off the baby’s bed, he ties it to the side of the crib and then puts the excess out the window. At this point the child starts to sob and then lets out with a god awful scream. Jiron glances toward it and sees the child is attempting to reach through the bars for something.
On the floor next to the crib he finds one of Tersa’s teddy bears. Are these things everywhere now? Picking it up, he hands it to the child who immediately quiets down. It must have been lifted from the crib when he had removed the sheet.
Bam!
The door opens an inch and begins to be pushed further into the room as those in the hallway put their weight into it. Swinging out of the window, Jiron takes hold of the sheet and proceeds to climb down. Unfortunately the sheet only extends several feet and he has to let go and freefall the remaining ten feet.
Landing on his feet, he glances up just as Orlander’s head pops out of the window. “He’s on the street outside!” he hollers. He leaves the window and a crossbowman takes his place. Taking aim at Jiron he fires just as Jiron begins running away down the street and misses, the bolt strikes the ground where he just vacated.
Coming to the edge of the house, two of Orlander’s thugs round the corner and engage him. Not even slowing, he waits until the last possible moment then drops to the ground and rolls into their legs. One hops over him as he rolls and the other fails to move fast enough and is tripped.
Coming to his feet quickly, he turns and goes on the offensive with the one still on his feet. Feinting with one knife, he draws the man’s sword into a defensive position. Using his other, he knocks the sword out of the way and ends it with a kick to the man’s chest which sends him stumbling backward, tripping over his comrade.
Turning, Jiron resumes racing down the street as more of Orlander’s men leave the house and gain the street.
The commotion on the street has begun to draw the attention of those living in the vicinity and many are sticking their heads out the window to see what’s going on. When they recognize Orlander and his bunch, they immediately pull their heads back from the window and throw the shade.
Just three streets away is the inn where hopefully James has begun to get the horses ready for a quick getaway. Needing to give him a few more minutes to assure he’ll be ready when he gets there, he pauses at a corner at another junction where he’s sure the light from the moon overhead will illuminate him. Making sure he’s seen by Orlander’s bunch, he then races around the corner.
Ping!
A crossbow bolt strikes the building near where he had just stood. The thunder of pursuit remains behind him as he continues to lead the mob through town. At one corner a member of the city watch appears before him.
“Here now…” the man begins to say as Jiron runs right into him without even slowing. Bowling the watchman over, he continues fleeing down the street.
Hoping James has had enough time to get the horses ready by now, he begins to make his way back toward the inn. Shouts from all over begin to be heard as Orlander’s group splits up to cover many of the streets. The watchman join the group, seems they’re on rather friendly terms with Orlander. He must’ve bought them off.
Pausing for a moment to catch his breath in a darkened doorway, he holds still as a group of five men race past. He waits there until they turn at the next junction and then continues heading toward the inn.
In the dark of night with nothing but the moon to light the way, he’s not entirely sure he’s kept his sense of direction until he sees the inn coming up the road ahead.
Crumph!
From the back courtyard of the inn a loud explosion can be heard. Between him and there are three men all running with swords drawn toward the courtyard. Jiron leaves the protection of the shadows and races behind the three men. With knives in both hands, he comes up behind them and stabs two through the back and as the third turns to face this threat, slices him across the throat.
Leaving the dead and dying behind him, he races to the side of the inn and enters the courtyard. He finds James standing by the saddled horses holding off three men. A stone flies from his hand and takes one out as the other two charge.
With a cry, Jiron races to intercept. The men hear his cry and turn as he advances upon them. One moves to intercept him as the other continues toward James. The man heading to James suddenly cries out as he’s picked up and thrown across the courtyard where he smashes into the side of the stables.
The cry of his partner distracts the remaining man just enough for Jiron to get inside his defense and slice open his belly. Then he kicks out with his foot and smashes the man’s knee. As the man falls to the ground he yells to James, “Get on the horse!”
Closing the distance to the horses, James gets into the saddle just as Jiron catches the pommel of the saddle of his horse and quickly swings himself up. Without a word, they both kick their steeds into quick motion as they race for the way out of the courtyard.
As they near, Orlander and his bunch show up. “Don’t stop!” Jiron cries and they both hug their horses’ neck as they ride through the group.
Orlander and the others have to dive out of the way in order to avoid being trampled by the charging horses. When he gets to his feet, Orlander yells “I’ll kill you both if it’s the last thing I do!”
Leaving them behind, the two riders race through town following the western road leading to the mountains. “Let’s rejoin the others,” James tells him.
“I’m for that,” he replies. Behind them the glow which was once Orlander’s tavern lights the night.
Once they are again within the beginnings of the pass, they slow their speed. They don’t ride very far before Jiron asks, “Do you think the Empire’s men are still around?”
“Never know,” James replies. “Best if we kept an eye out.”
“Next time around should my horse become skittish I’ll be more careful,” he says, remembering the creatures they fought not too long ago.
Nodding, James says, “You got that right.”
As they ride the sky begins to lighten with the coming of the dawn.
Two hours after leaving the town behind, the thunder of approaching riders begins to be heard coming from the pass. Deciding discretion may be the wisest course at this time, they edge off the road and hide within a copse of trees.
Just as they gain the cover of the trees, the horsemen reach them a
nd thunder past.
“Fifer!” James exclaims at the departing riders as he quickly returns to the road.
The rider in the rear turns around to glance back and cries out, “It’s James!” Miko stops his horse and turns back, the others following suit.
“What the hell happened?” Uther asks as they come close.
“A lot,” Jiron replies. “Sure am glad to see you guys.”
“Where did you get the horses?” James asks Fifer as he pulls up next to him.
Nodding back the way they came he says, “Back a ways. We were hurrying to follow you when a couple soldiers from the Empire suddenly appeared in the road ahead of us. Seems they were coming from a hard to see trail and must not have seen us. When they finally saw us, a cry went up and one of them fired a crossbow but fortunately failed to hit.”
“Yeah,” interjects Uther, “after that we charged and took them out. From the looks of them they had already seen some action, bandaged as they were.”
Nodding, Fifer looks to James and says, “Some were even sporting severe burns.”
“We saw the explosion,” Dave says, not wishing to be left out of the conversation. “What happened?”
“Let’s find a spot off the road where we’ll not be observed and I’ll tell you,” he says to them.
Turning off the road, they move through the trees until they find a suitable clearing where they can rest without those passing on the road finding them. Once settled in, James and Jiron take turns in describing all the events which transpired since they left the others.
At the description of the creatures, Dave asks, “Hell hounds?”
“Possibly,” answers James. “Water and ice affected them where cold iron didn’t.”
The Star of Morcyth: The Morcyth Saga Book Five Page 31
