The Star of Morcyth: The Morcyth Saga Book Five (40 page)

“What are you going to do now?” he asks.

“Find out if our stuff is there or not,” he
replies.

“And if it is?” prompts Jiron.

“We go back tonight and reclaim them,” he
states.

Nodding, Jiron follows him down the road a
ways until James ducks down a deserted side alley. Moving away from
the entrance, he comes to a stop. Glancing around quickly to make
sure no one is observing them, he creates his translucent seeking
bubble which he has used before.

Letting it go, it begins floating through
the air as it hunts for the medallion bearing the Star of Morcyth.
Moving out of the alley, it’s barely perceptible as it drifts along
through the people on the street. One young girl does a double-take
as she takes notice of it but then her mother pulls her along and
she dismisses it.

They follow it from a discreet distance,
just far enough to be able to keep it in view. Even though they
know exactly what they’re looking for they still at times lose it
only to pick it up again a second later. It bobs around people as
well as over and under wagons and carriages as it continues making
its way through the street.

When it begins nearing the thugs outside of
Orlander’s establishment, James watches it carefully. If it’s not
in there, the bubble should go around the building. If it is, stop
at the door. He made it so as not to go through walls, he was
afraid he might lose it if it went through a building.

Sure enough, it floats toward the door to
the tavern and comes to a stop. Just as the red haired thug begins
to notice something there, James cancels the spell and the bubble
disappears. ‘Red’ squints his eyes and with a shake of his head
returns to his conversation with another of the thugs.

“So it is in there,” states Jiron.

“It would seem so,” replies James. They turn
and move back further from the tavern, coming to stop in front of
an ironsmith. The sound of the smith’s hammering creates quite a
din.

“What are we to do?” Jiron asks. The
hammering coming from the building next to them drowns out their
conversation.

Glancing back down the street in the
direction of the tavern he says, “Let’s find an inn and get some
rest. Tonight we’ll pay them a visit.”

Grinning, Jiron says, “I like that
plan.”

They return to collect their horses and then
find an inn. Eating a quick bite, they retire to their room for
some sleep before the coming of night.

“Doesn’t look as if anyone’s around,” Jiron
says as they watch the tavern from across the street.

They waited until well past midnight until
only a few hours were left before the dawn. James had thought the
place would have some activity even at this hour, it was a tavern
after all. But when they got there, the place was dark and no one
was about.

The entire area around the tavern was
deserted, not even a bum lying in the street. No one passing by or
anything, altogether giving off the feel that something wasn’t
quite right.

“Do you think they are waiting for us?”
James asks.

“Maybe,” replies Jiron.

They stand near a building across the street
for some time and still no one or anything makes an appearance.
“Guess we better do this,” James whispers.

Sensing more than seeing Jiron’s nod in the
dark, they begin making their way across the street toward the
building. Nestled in James’ hand is a stone, one of many he
acquired since his slug belt was stolen. The rest are in his
pocket.

Approaching the front door cautiously, Jiron
indicates they should go around the side and see if there is a back
entrance which may afford them a better entry. James turns to
follow him as he begins heading around the side.

As they follow the side of the tavern, no
opening presents itself. After turning the corner to the rear of
the building, they find another door. Apparently the only other way
in besides the door in the front, this must lead to the office
where they talked with Orlander earlier.

Jiron motions for James to halt as he puts
an ear to the door. After a moment he whispers, “Don’t hear
anything.” He puts his hand to the door handle and attempts to open
the door only to find it locked.

Pulling a knife, he begins working on the
lock while James keeps an eye out for anyone approaching. A soft
‘click’ can be heard following several tense moments and Jiron
turns the handle and then slowly opens the door.

The other side is dark. The only light being
what is filtering in past them through the door. They move inside
and Jiron closes the door behind them just as a soft light springs
into being on James’ hand. Jiron turns to find his glowing orb
resting upon his palm.

“We better hurry,” James tells him and
receives a nod.

They start moving into the room when they
come to a quick halt. It is indeed the office in which Orlander had
met them but that isn’t what stops them. Resting upon the desk in
plain view are the three necklaces, situated as if on display.

This can’t be good
. James glances to
Jiron and can see his worries reflected in the eyes of his friend.
“Just grab them and let’s get out of here,” he says.

Jiron nods as he moves to collect the
necklaces.

Standing there nervous, he waits while Jiron
goes to the desk and picks up the necklace designating him as a
Shynti and puts it around his neck. He then picks up the medallion
bearing the Star and tosses it over to James who does the same. The
necklace with the three dots and lines almost connecting them he
puts into his pouch.

“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.

“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 the 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.