“Ready?” Bart asked from where he stood near the window by the door.
Riyan turned and saw that he and the others had already donned cloaks and were waiting for them. “Yeah,” he replied as he and Chad came to join them. “We’re ready.”
Bart gestured with a nod of his head toward the street outside. “There aren’t that many locals out on the streets,” he told the others. “I think most are helping to put out the fires.”
Soth nodded. “Our group might stand out,” he said.
“Possibly,” agreed Bart. “But if we don’t find a better location, we’ll never remain undiscovered until dark.”
“Do you know where we’re going?” asked Seth.
Bart nodded. “When I crossed the bridge on my way in, I passed several buildings that looked abandoned,” he answered. “If we can get to one, we should be alright.”
“If,” mumbled Seth.
Bart turned an annoyed glance his way but said nothing. Turning back to the others, he said, “The bridge is only five streets over,” he explained. “We’ll move quickly but not rushed. Act like you belong and most people will not give you a second look.” He took a moment for that to sink in. “Understand?” he asked.
The others replied that they did.
“Alright,” he said. “Let’s go.” He turned back toward the door when he caught sight of Kevik standing with staff in hand. “Uh, Kevik.”
“Yes?” Kevik asked.
“You’re not exactly going to blend in as a local if you’re holding a magic user’s staff,” he said.
Kevik glanced to his staff. “I’m not leaving it behind,” he stated. The tone of his voice said he’d brook no argument on this subject.
“I didn’t say you had to,” replied Bart. Glancing around the shop, his eyes fell on a bolt of cloth leaning upright against the wall. It looked to be about the length of the staff. “Riyan, give me a hand,” he said as he started toward the bolt of cloth. To Seth he said, “Keep a lookout.”
“Okay,” Seth replied. Moving to the window, he kept watch for anyone coming their way.
Upon reaching the bolt of cloth, Bart took hold of it and saw that there was a hollow space in the center, large enough for the staff to slide in. “Kevik, see if your staff will fit.”
Kevik came forward. While Bart and Riyan held the bolt of fabric for him, he slid his staff into the opening. As it turned out, the bolt of fabric was a foot shorter than the staff. Looking to Bart, Kevik asked, “What now?”
“Not a problem,” he said. Pulling a cloak off a nearby shelf, he wrapped it over the part of the staff still exposed. Then as he held the end of the bolt where the cloak shrouded staff protruded, Riyan lifted the other end. To Kevik he said, “Walk next to me.” Indicating the portion of the staff protruding, he said, “If we keep this between us, it will be less noticeable.”
Kevik nodded and moved into position.
“Can we go now?” asked Chyfe.
Bart glanced to Seth who said, “The street’s clear for the moment.” Turning to Chyfe, Bart nodded. “Let’s go.”
Chyfe pulled his hood over his head then opened the door and stepped through. Glancing to the left and right, he saw that it was clear and moved out.
“To the left,” Bart directed. “Then at the next intersection, head to the right.”
Silently, Chyfe nodded. Turning to the left, he led them down the street. Beside him walked Seth, then came Bart, Kevik, and Riyan with the bolt of cloth concealing Kevik’s staff. Soth and Chad brought up the rear.
Smoke still rose to the sky from the areas where fires were burning. Off in the distance they could hear men shouting and axes striking wood as those fighting the fire worked to put it out.
Upon reaching the intersection, Chyfe turned to the right and walked at a fast, but not hurried, pace. Riyan felt sure they would be caught, but the attention of those on the streets was primarily directed toward the fires burning in the distance. Riyan glanced back and saw flames arcing to the sky above the rooftops behind them.
A few people on the streets did glance their way as they passed, but their gaze didn’t linger long. Street by street, they drew ever closer to the bridge and the buildings Bart had said looked abandoned. When the bridge finally came into view, they saw that soldiers, totaling near fifty in all, were stationed at either end of the bridge.
“Hold up a minute,” Bart said when he saw the soldiers. They were still a full block away from the nearest abandoned building, and the river was a little bit further away than that.
Chyfe came to a stop and glanced back to Bart. He saw Bart nod toward the mouth of an alley to their left. Nodding in reply, Chyfe began leading the group in that direction.
Once they were in the alley and hidden from the view of the soldiers, Bart had them continue down the alley to the next street over. At the end of the alley, Chyfe stopped and waited for Bart to join him. “Look over there,” he said, pointing to a building standing down the street a little ways closer to the bridge and soldiers.
It was a single story structure. The front door was closed and the windows facing the street were boarded over. All in all it had the look of being exactly what they needed. “Perfect,” said Bart. To Kevik he said, “Here,” and gave him his end of the bolt of cloth. Once Kevik had hold of it, Bart said to the others, “I’ll go have a look.” Then with a quick glance to make sure the coast was clear, he stepped from the alley.
Riyan and the others watched as Bart moved alongside the front of the building abutting the alley. Then he turned and began crossing the street. Riyan held his breath as Bart crossed the exposed distance.
There were others moving about the street, but they paid him little heed as they were too engrossed in discussing various rumors and watching the smoke rising from the fires. When Bart reached the other side of the street, Riyan relaxed.
Moving along the front of the buildings, Bart made his way to the one with the boarded up windows. Pausing at the first window, he glanced between the slats before continuing on to the far side. There he turned off the street and disappeared in the alley running alongside the building.
Riyan watched in growing apprehension as seconds ticked by and Bart didn’t reappear. After he had been gone five minutes, they began to grow concerned. Surely he would have appeared by this time. They were about to send Seth in search of him when he reappeared. Walking nonchalantly, he crossed the street and made his way back to where they were waiting.
When he rejoined them in the alley, Riyan asked, “What took you so long?”
“Ran into some trouble,” he replied. Before Riyan could ask what kind, he said, “Don’t worry. It wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle.” He saw Riyan relax then continued. “The building is deserted. Around back is a door that’s ajar we can use to enter.”
“Is it going to be safe?” asked Kevik.
Bart shrugged. “As safe as anywhere else,” he replied.
As if to accentuate his point, a squad of soldiers emerged from a side street further down and began heading their way. Bart was about to have everyone move further back into the alley when the guards turned at the next side street and moved out of sight.
“We’d better get over there while we can,” Bart said.
“Lead on,” Riyan said.
“We’ll go in twos so as not to draw unwanted attention,” he said. “Riyan, you come with me.” And with that, he stepped from the alley. Riyan quickly moved to join him.
The others waited until Bart and Riyan had disappeared in the alley adjacent to the building. Then Chad and Kevik, who were now carrying the bolt of cloth concealing the staff, emerged onto the street. Once they had crossed and were in the alley, the twins and Chyfe followed.
As Riyan walked with Bart down the alley, he couldn’t help but notice the torso lying on the ground, partially covered by rags. He glanced questioningly to Bart who said, “With the town threatened by fire, not to mention the streets crawling with soldiers, he tried to rob me. Can you believe that?” Bart chuckled as they passed the dead man. “He was an amateur.”
“Won’t questions be raised if someone should discover the body?” asked Riyan.
“Unlikely,” he replied. “The only ones who are likely to discover it any time soon are those who won’t have anything to do with the guards in the first place.” He glanced to Riyan and could see the doubt in his eyes. “Either we leave him there, or we carry him with us in full sight of the locals.”
