“Won’t they be expecting that?” argued Soth.
“Probably,” replied Bart. “But what choice do we have? Unless that is, you want to slug our way through their entire army.” Turning to the twins, he said, “You two head over to the river and check it out. Find out what we’re up against.”
“You got it,” Seth said. Then to Soth he said, “Come on.”
As the twins left, Bart moved to the window and kept watch.
Riyan watched the glow from the gem as its healing properties worked to ease his friend’s pain. “Better?” he asked Chad.
“Getting there,” he replied. After another minute of Kevik’s ministrations, Chad said, “The pain’s gone.”
Riyan turned to Kevik as he was putting the gem back into his pouch. “I thought the gem healed him last night?”
“It did,” answered Kevik. “But I’m not a healer and I’ve always heard injuries to the head could be bad.”
“That’s what they told us at the Guild too,” replied Riyan. He gave his friend a hand up and they hurried to get their things together before the twins returned.
They didn’t have long to wait before Bart turned from the window and said, “They’re back.” Moving from the window, he crossed to the back door and opened it for the brothers. “Well?” he asked.
“Soldiers line the shoreline on both sides,” explained Soth.
“There are more on this side than the other,” added Soth.
“How many are there?” asked Chyfe.
“More than a couple,” replied Seth. Moving to the window, he pointed to the nearest alley running through the buildings closets to the water. “Where that alley ends are four soldiers.”
“Not guards?” asked Chad.
Seth shook his head. “No, just soldiers. From what we could tell, similar groups of four are stationed at the mouth of every alley and street coming out near the river. Two bowmen are along the banks of the river as well.”
“Close?” asked Chyfe.
Seth nodded.
Bart considered the situation a moment then glanced to Riyan who said, “We’re not going to be able to sneak out of here are we?”
“Doesn’t look like it,” replied Bart.
A silence hung in the air for several seconds as each thought of what to do. Then from outside, voices were heard. They were coming from the main street running along the front of the building. Bart immediately rushed to a window and saw a squad of soldiers moving toward the door of the building across the street from where they hid. Behind those soldiers, others began to appear as they moved to search other buildings. One squad was heading for the door to their building.
Turning back to the others, he said, “Out of time.” Moving quickly, he reached the back door. As the others joined him, he flung open the door and scanned the area for soldiers. Not finding any, he emerged from the building and hurried across the alley toward the back door of the building opposite theirs.
Wham!
Upon finding it locked, he used his foot and kicked the door open. “Come on!” he said, encouraging the others to move quickly. Passing inside, he moved deeper into the building.
Chyfe was the last to pass from the alley. Shutting the door behind him, he was about to follow the others when he heard a voice from outside on the street say, “It came from over here!”
Next to the door was a small window. Moving to it, he looked out and saw a squad of soldiers appear. The six soldiers came to a stop and looked around.
“Are you sure you heard something?” asked one.
“Yes,” the second soldier replied.
“I heard it too,” confirmed another.
Then a noise behind him caused Chyfe to turn and see Riyan framed in the doorway leading deeper into the building. Chyfe indicated the soldiers outside and mouthed, “Soldiers.”
Riyan nodded. “They’re everywhere,” he replied in a whisper. “Now come on!”
Chyfe glanced one last time out the window and saw the guards still standing in the same spot deliberating. He then left the window and followed Riyan as he moved further into the building.
There they found Bart standing near a man lying unconscious on the floor. It was an older man, maybe in his fifties. And by the way the room in which they stood was decorated, he had to be wealthy. Chyfe was frankly surprised that Bart had been able to subdue the man before he could raise an alarm.
From another doorway leading still further toward the rear of the house, Soth emerged. “The river’s right behind us,” he said with a nod in that direction. Indicating the man lying supine on the floor, Soth added, “It looks like he might have a boat we could use to get out of here.”
“Where?” asked Riyan.
“There’s a dock not thirty feet from the front door,” explained Soth. “Next to it is a small building which could possibly house a boat.”
“Excellent,” stated Bart. He glanced down at the unconscious man before heading to the front of the house. The others went with him. From neighboring houses, they began to hear people protesting the invasion of their homes by the soldiers.
As Bart joined Seth by the front window, Seth turned toward him. Pointing to the right he said, “Four soldiers stand guard not ten feet that way.” Then pointing in the other direction he said, “Another four down there about thirty feet away.”
Bart nodded as he came to the window to see for himself.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A second later, Chyfe appeared. Pointing back to the way they had entered the house, he said, “Soldiers!”
“Time to leave,” announced Bart. To Kevik he said, “Can you make the men to our right fall asleep?”
Kevik nodded. He quickly moved past Bart and went to the window. Looking out, he saw the men where they stood at the mouth of an alley.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Open up!” a soldier demanded.
Arcane words issued from Kevik’s mouth. When the words ceased, he turned to Bart. “It’s done.”
“Good,” stated Bart. “You follow me and goo the soldiers to our right as soon as you get out the door.” To the others he said, “Let’s hope that boathouse houses a boat.”
Bam! Crack!
“They’re breaking in!” exclaimed Chad.
Followed closely by Kevik, Bart moved to the front door and flung it open. Racing through, Bart headed directly to the boathouse. From behind him he heard Kevik cast his goo spell which was followed closely by the startled exclamations of newly gooified guards.
Chyfe brought up the rear as they raced toward the boathouse. Just as he was about to pass through the door, he heard from behind him, “Stop!” Then… “We found them!”
Glancing back, he saw the squad of soldiers who had been deliberating earlier appear from the back. Drawing their swords, they rushed forward. Increasing his speed, Chyfe raced through the door, grabbed the door handle, and slammed it shut. He held onto the handle to prevent the soldiers from opening it and following.
“Chyfe!” hollered Riyan. From the doorway to the boathouse, Riyan caught Chyfe’s attention. “Move aside!”
“What?” he asked. Then he saw Kevik standing beside Riyan and understood. Diving to the side, he barely missed being caught in the goo spell Kevik used to seal the door closed. Chyfe hit the ground, rolled and was quickly back on his feet. As he raced for the boathouse door, an arrow sailed past. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the nearest archer by the river moving toward him. Readying another arrow, he took aim as Chyfe rapidly closed the distance to the boathouse.
Energy missiles flew from Kevik’s hand, striking the archer in the chest and face. Knocked backward, the archer hit the ground and didn’t get back up. Moving next to Riyan, Kevik motioned for Chyfe to hurry up.
