later. “Borok Ingak!” I said forcefully and released the power I held within. An invisible ram struck the door, shattering it with a sharp cracking sound. The force was so great it continued inward and I felt more than saw a wall collapse beyond the doorway.
Penny had tensed and was about to run for the doorway but I put my hand on her arm, “Wait.”
Almost a minute passed before three men came out. I thought two of them might be the ones I had already put to sleep. One of them was bleeding badly, probably from the inward explosion of the door. They immediately took note of the two flame-robed people in the street.
“Holy hell!” one of them shouted, stumbling back toward the doorway. I put him to sleep before he could go further.
“Stop!” I commanded, walking toward the remaining two men. Having seen their companion collapse they both stood still. I could sense them trembling as we walked nearer. “Who is in charge here?”
One of the men looked as if he were about to faint but the other retained enough presence of mind to speak, “C..c..c..aptain Gerold sir!”
“Go fetch him for me…,” I told him. He hesitated for only a moment before I shouted, “Now!” That was more than enough; he took off at a run. I glanced over at Penny, “Move around the tower, they may have another exit. We can’t afford to have anyone running loose.”
She looked at me with worry. I could tell she was afraid something might happen to me if I were left alone. Finally she made up her mind. “Alright… don’t do anything stupid,” she said, and then she sprinted off into the dark near the base of the right side of the tower.
A minute later three men emerged from the shattered doorway; one of them looked significantly less sloppy than the other two. All three approached cautiously. “May I ask what business you have with me… sir?” I had to give their captain credit, even scared and facing a man covered in flames he managed to keep his voice calm.
“Do you have the keys to the cells within the tower?” I tried to sound menacing but I’m not sure if it helped. The flames were more than enough already.
“They’re in my desk,” he answered nervously. I could see his right cheek beginning to twitch.
“Go get them and release everyone taken from Duke Lancaster’s home,” I told him.
“Begging your pardon, I’m not sure I know all of them.”
“Ask them… open any cell that contains some of them. I want them out here in five minutes, otherwise… Well you won’t like ‘otherwise’, so let’s just make sure I don’t have to go there,” I ground the words out with as much authority I could muster.
It took longer than five minutes but I pretended not to notice. I wasn’t really keen on ‘otherwise’ either. In fact I didn’t have a plan for it. Soon men were emerging from the building, forming a large crowd. One of them shrieked when Penny appeared from the left side of the tower and ran by the milling throng. I had to suppress a smile.
“Someone started to climb down from the top back there,” she informed me.
“Did you hurt him?” I asked.
“No he took one look at me below and changed his mind,” she replied.
I couldn’t blame him. At a guess it had been the guard captain looking for an alternative to violating his orders. I addressed the crowd, “I’m here to reclaim those wrongfully taken from the Lancaster residence yesterday. Is there anyone here that wasn’t hired by Rose Hightower?” Since there were more than three hundred people standing in front of me I figured it was a good guess that some of them were just along for the ride. Unsurprisingly none of them volunteered to return to their cells.
I turned to Penny, “If you don’t mind, take the good captain and his men inside and lock them in one of the cells.” She nodded and began herding them back toward the tower. “Be good and she won’t have to hurt you!” I called as they went reluctantly back inside. Inwardly I was nervous, if they turned on her once they got inside things could get ugly. I could only hope their fear was as great as it appeared.
It turned out I needn’t have worried. Penny returned a few minutes later without having had any trouble. I extinguished the flames shrouding us; it seemed to be making our new recruits nervous. “Those of you who are ready to work come with me. I have a job for you. I can’t promise it will be safe, but those who follow me will be far from the king’s reach within a few hours. Those of you who don’t wish to come are free to leave, but you’re on your own if the watchmen find you.”
People began drifting away silently. Mostly those that Rose hadn’t hired and I sincerely hoped I wasn’t releasing a large number of violent criminals upon the city. I simply didn’t have the time to try and be more specific. Of those that remained a voice rang out, “Exactly who are we working for?”
The person speaking was careful to do it from the back. I’m sure whoever it was worried that I might be a lunatic. “My name is Mordecai Illeniel, the Count di’Cameron. The king and I have had a few differences regarding how things should be handled. The end result being that many of you were locked up for nothing more than agreeing to take a job. If you stick with me I will do my best by you. I can’t promise it won’t be dangerous though.” I lit the end of my staff to make it easier for them to see me in the gloom.
“What exactly does ‘dangerous’ mean?” It was a different voice but still it came from the back. Given the situation I couldn’t blame them.
“I’m planning to recover my possessions from the King’s warehouses in the next hour. I plan to be away from the capital in less time than that afterwards. Any more questions? Because I’m really short of time,” I answered. I could see lights going on in some of the nearby houses. My antics had not gone unnoticed.
A short man standing in the front spoke up, “Do we have to fight?”
“Not today, not if I can help it, in a few months possibly. You’ll have plenty of time to change your minds before then if you so choose,” I replied hastily. “Now we really have to be moving. Those of you who wish to come… follow. I will hold no grudge against those that don’t.” I turned and began striding purposefully down the street. For a moment I had a horrible urge to look back, certain they would be dispersing in every available direction. Magesight comes in handy sometimes… I could feel the majority of them following us.
I spoke to Penny without turning my head, “Looks like most of them are still with us.”
She smiled slyly in the dim light, “Most of them I think. We need to move faster Mort. That scene outside the tower had to have drawn attention. Even if none of the guards from Hightower’s have reported, someone must surely be taking news to the watch.”
Her words echoed my own fears. If the city guard was roused in full force things would not go well. A conflict in the streets would be a loss for all concerned. The men I would be fighting here were citizens of Lothion; any casualties would only weaken us… and further alienate us from the king. I paused to address the people behind us, “We’re going to move faster now… follow my light and try not to fall behind.” I increased the light coming from my staff to highlight my words.
We began jogging down the streets of Albamarl. It was a surreal experience; my staff cast strange shadows around us, creating odd shapes between the buildings as we passed. The sound of over a hundred feet running behind me was exhilarating in a way that I had not expected and Dorian’s words came to mind… he was right, this was true power. Except you barely have any control here, these men are strangers, I added mentally.
Two startled watchmen on patrol appeared suddenly from the dark. Their faces were lit with shock and surprise as they saw the huge crowd of people running toward them. I put them to sleep without slowing and hoped they wouldn’t be trampled by the men behind me.
Fifteen minutes later we had reached the duke’s house. The gate was open and the instinct of those following me was to enter. I held my staff high, “Stop! We wait here for a moment.”
Joe had been waiting for us and as I spoke the wagons began rolling out into the street. Rose sat beside him in the lead wagon, a crossbow in her lap. “Are the lanterns ready?” I asked him.
“See for yerself,” Joe answered pointing behind him. On each wagon were two lanterns, one sitting beside the driver and another unlit in the bed of the wagon. We would need them in a few minutes.
“Follow the wagons! We’re only a few minutes from our goal,” I shouted to the crowd. The wagons began moving as the crowd walked alongside them. Penelope slipped her hand into mine as we walked. “Are you alright?” I asked her.
“Nervous,” she replied with tight lips.
“There’s no way left but forward,” I told her.
Her free hand was gripping and releasing the hilt of her sword repeatedly. “I know,” she said.
Mentally I hoped things would go smoothly. If a confrontation occurred and got out of control Penny might
