Warrior Priest of Dmon-Li: The Morcyth Saga Book Three (55 page)

“What?” asks Miko, worriedly.

“You’re growing,” he says. “Since you’ve
been carrying the Fire, you’ve grown almost six inches. Heck,
you’re almost as tall as I am now. Plus you’re gaining muscle mass
faster than normal.”

Miko looks down at his arms and chest as he
moves his hands over them, feeling the muscles beneath. He looks to
James and asks, “What should I do?”

“When we get back to Cardri, we’ll find a
place to hide it and you could possibly go back to normal once
you’re rid of it,” he tells him. “At least you won’t change any
more, I hope.”

“You hope?” he asks. “What does that
mean?”

“It means that I really don’t understand
what’s going on,” he explains. “I believe the Fire is some sort of
a focal point of Dmon-Li here on earth. What it does, how it does
it, or what it might do in the future, I have no idea.”

When Miko casts him another look full of
worry and fear, he says reassuringly, “But as long as we keep you
out of battles, nothing seems to happen. All the changes take place
while you’re in battle and under the influence of the Fire.”

He lays his head on the pillow and says,
“Okay.”

“Get some rest,” James says to him. “Not
sure just what’s going to happen next, but we’ll need our rest.” He
glances over and sees his eyes have already closed.

James lies back and rests his head on the
pillow. Though he’s tired, thoughts of Jiron run through his mind
as well as concern for Miko. Korgan is still on the loose as well,
at least his plans were foiled, this time. Going to have to track
him down if he’s still here. Not just because he’s a danger to the
city, but because he owes him.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Suddenly brought out of a deep sleep by
someone knocking on the door, James holds his head as a headache
blossoms to life. Sitting up on the edge of the bed, he looks over
to Miko, but he’s still asleep.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Getting up, he goes over to the door and
opens it. “Yes?” he asks.

Outside the door is a boy about eleven or
so. His clothes mark him as a page from the castle, he’d seen a
couple of them when he’d been marched through the castle on the way
to the dungeons. “Are you James?” the page asks.

“Yes,” sighs James, “I am.”

“Your presence is requested at the castle,”
he says.

“By whom?” he asks.

“Lord Pytherian, sir” he replies.

“Alright, let me get ready,” James tells
him.

“He said it was urgent,” the boy says,
urging him to hurry.

Glancing back at Miko who’s still sleeping,
he says, “Let me tell someone where I’ll be so they’ll not worry.”
Stepping out into the hall, he goes to the next door and
knocks.

When Uther opens it, he says, “I’ve been
summoned to the castle.”

Coming instantly alert, Uther asks,
“Trouble?”

“I don’t know,” he replies. “The page said
it was urgent. Lord Pytherian wants to see me.”

“Do you think we should come with you?” he
asks.

Shaking his head, he says, “No, I don’t
think that will be necessary. Besides, you weren’t requested, just
stay here and wait for Jiron. When Miko wakes up, let him know
where I’ve gone.”

Uther glances at the page standing behind
him and then says, “Okay, good luck.”

“Thanks.” Turning back to the page, he says,
“Alright, let’s go.”

With the boy in the lead, they leave the inn
and work their way through the streets to the castle area. “What’s
the enemy doing?”

“Rumor is they are waiting for
reinforcements,” the page explains. “They’ve also begun
constructing defensive fortifications and from what I’ve been told,
it looks like they intend to stay out there for a while.”

“Since they can’t take the city, they’ll
just maintain a presence there?” he asks.

“That’s what they’re saying,” he
replies.

They pass through the gate leading into the
castle area and when they get to the courtyard, he notices how
they’ve turned it into an area for the wounded. Tents have sprung
up and everywhere are men with bandages or lying on cots.

When they pass one tent, he’s startled when
a man suddenly screams inside. The pile of amputated arms and legs
lying just outside the entrance gives testament as to what is
transpiring inside. James just shudders as he thinks of what these
people are going through.

He feels a great sense of relief when they
come to the castle’s entrance and they’re able to leave the scene
of misery behind them. The page takes him down a long corridor and
then up a flight of stairs to the next level. Then down another
hallway where he stops before a single door.

“He said to wait in here,” the page says as
he opens the door.

Where have I heard that before!
Stepping through the door, he enters a room. A large table with
several chairs sit in the middle of the room. The door the page is
holding open is the only way in or out. Before closing the door,
the page says, “He shouldn’t be too long, make yourself
comfortable.”

“Thanks,” James says as the page closes the
door. He walks around the room but other than the table and chairs,
nothing else is in here. Taking a seat, he takes out a slug and
places it in his hand, just in case. He isn’t going to be too
trusting again.

Ten minutes later, the door opens and he
looks over to see Lord Pytherian framed in the doorway. “See that
we’re not disturbed,” he says to the guards who’ve accompanied
him.

“Yes, milord,” one of them replies as he
moves to enter the room. The guard shuts the door once he’s
inside.

James knows he should stand, but he’s just
too tired.

“Thank you for coming so quickly,” he says
as he takes a seat across the table from him.

“The boy said it was urgent,” he replies as
he replaces the slug in his belt.

Lord Pytherian notices him returning it and
raises an eyebrow.

“After the last time, I don’t plan on taking
any chances,” he explains.

“Understandable,” he says.

James asks, “So what’s the urgency?”

“One of our agents who has been watching
Councilman Rillian suspects there may be an attempt made to either
kill or capture you,” he replies. “We’re not sure when, but we do
know it’s being worked out as we speak.”

“Why don’t you just arrest the councilman
and be done with it?” he asks.

“Only by order of the Council can that
happen, and he has powerful friends,” he explains. “There are some
on the Council who believe, but they’re unwilling to act without
proof.”

“So now what?” James asks. “You’re going to
leave a known traitor on the ruling body of Madoc?”

“As I said, it’s not in my power,” he
replies. “But since we know, and he knows we know, his actions will
be much curtailed. He won’t do anything, or be a party to anything
that might change the will of the Council.”

“But he’s coming after me!” James exclaims.
“What do they plan to do about that?”

“Nothing,” he says.

“Nothing!” he cries out. “How can they do
nothing?”

“In their eyes, it’s a private matter, not
one that affects Madoc as a whole,” he tells him. “Actually, if
something should happen between you and Councilman Rillian, then it
would fall to me to deal with it. So that’s what I’m doing.”

“What are you doing?” asks James.

“Letting you know about it so you can take
measures against it,” he says. “We owe you that much. Though I’d
suggest you leave Lythylla as soon as possible to avoid any such
attempts.”

“But Jiron is still out there with the
enemy,” he reminds him.

“I know,” Lord Pytherian says. “That’s not
working in your favor either. True, Jiron stopped the Parvatis when
we needed him to. But he also went with them to their camp, some
see that as a questionable act.”

Seeing the look on James’ face, he says, “I
know, but there are those who will always believe what they want to
believe.”

Sighing, James nods his head. “What about
Korgan? Has there been any word since the attack?”

“No one has seen him,” he tells him. “We
think he’s left the city since they know we know about him.
Councilman Rillian definitely doesn’t wish to be connected to
him.”

“I suppose not,” agrees James.

“Where do you plan to go from here?” he
asks.

“We’re heading to Cardri,” he replies.
“Jiron’s sister and others are waiting for us there.”

“How do you plan to get there?” he asks.

“Honestly, I haven’t thought that far
ahead,” admits James.

“Maybe I can help you out there,” Lord
Pytherian says.

“How?” asks James.

“It would greatly speed your trip if you
sailed across the Sea of the Gods rather than made your way around
it,” he explains. “I’ll send a letter to the inn where you’re
staying that you can take with you. It’ll request that whoever
reads it to help you in any way possible. With it, you should be
able to get someone to ferry you across to the other side.”

Nodding, James says, “That would be quite
helpful, thank you.”

“Like I said,” he says, “it’s the least we
can do. I’ll have it over there by nightfall.”

“I don’t plan to leave until Jiron returns,
anyway” he says. “But once he does, we’ll be gone.”

“Good,” he states. “I would hate to have
anything happen to you before then.”

“So would I,” replies James.

Getting up, Lord Pytherian extends his hand
to James who stands as well, taking it. “I must be off, there’re
still things I must take care of,” he says, indicating the meeting
is over.

“Thank you again, milord,” James says.

“You’re welcome, and good luck.” He goes
over to the door and opens it. Stepping out into the hallway, he
turns to the right and the guards fall into step behind him.

The same page that had brought him here
steps in through the open door and says, “If you’ll follow me sir,
I’ll take you back.”

“Very well,” James says as he comes around
the table and follows the page out the door. He’s led back through
the castle along the same route that he’d been taken on his way in.
It doesn’t take them long to return to the inn and at his door, the
page says goodbye before promptly returning to the castle.

He opens the door a crack so he can peek in
to make sure Miko is still there. When he sees him sleeping on the
bed, he sighs in relief and closes the door. Moving down the
hallway to the next door, he knocks and it’s opened again by
Uther.

Opening the door wide, he steps aside to
allow James to come in the room. Everyone’s there except Jiron and
the ones on the wall watching for his return.

“What happened?” Illan asks.

James relates what Lord Pytherian had told
him. He can see their faces get red when they find out nothing is
going to be done about anything. “We should take care of this
ourselves!” Uther shouts.

“They kill Miller and we’re just supposed to
walk away?” Yern asks incredulously. “I don’t think so.”

He can see everyone there is thinking the
same thing:
Revenge!

“Can’t you look in that mirror thing of
yours and find out where this Councilman Rillian is?” asks Jorry.
“Or maybe Korgan, the one eyed man?”

“Before I do,” James says, “I don’t want us
to do anything until Jiron comes back. Agreed?”

“Agreed,” Illan says, the others nodding
their heads.

“Okay,” he says as he pulls the mirror out
of the pouch at his hip. He takes a seat in one of the chairs and
places the mirror on the table as everyone gathers around to
look.

“Find that councilman first!” insists
Uther.

James concentrates until the mirror begins
to coalesce into an image of Councilman Rillian sitting at a table
with six other important looking men. “Must be the Council,” he
guesses.

The image begins to change as he starts
concentrating on Korgan. When the image clarifies, they see him
riding a horse through the grasslands. “He could be anywhere by
this time!” he hears one of them exclaim. He lets the image go and
the mirror reverts back to normal.

“It doesn’t look as if there’s anything that
can be done now,” James states. He leans back in the chair and
contemplates the remnants of Miller’s band. “What do you all plan
to do now?”

They look at each other and Uther says, “We
haven’t really thought about it.”

“Yes, that’s true,” Illan adds. “Miller was
our leader, our heart and soul.”

“What are you going to do?” Jorry asks
him.

“When Jiron returns, we’ll probably start
heading back to Cardri as fast as possible,” he tells them.

“Why?” asks Uther. “I mean, Madoc could use
you and what you can do.”

“I know,” he says, “but they’ll have to get
along without me. There are other things that I must do.”

“Like what?” asks Yern.

He looks from one face to another and says,
“I’m not entirely sure. I’m still trying to figure that out, but
I’m sure it’s not to embroil myself in this war. I feel that to be
true.”

“Will it be to the detriment of the Empire?”
asks Uther.

“I don’t know,” replies James. “But since
I’ve started on this path, I’ve done nothing but hurt them,
though.”

“Yeah, that’s the truth,” Jorry says and
then breaks out into a laugh that’s shared by all.

“We’ve been talking while you were at the
castle,” Illan says. “If you wouldn’t mind, we’d kind of like to
stay with you for a while. Miller’s gone so all we’d be doing is
joining the regular army and none of us are cut out for that. Of
course I can’t speak for the ones on the wall waiting for Jiron,
but I’m sure they’d go along with it.”

James considers it a fraction of a second
before saying, “I’d be more than happy to have you come along.”

“Great!” says Illan and the others offer
other exclamations of jubilation as well.