level just as Shyn had said.
As he begins to descend the final few steps, he notices a light illuminating the stairwell from below. The closer to the second floor he gets, the brighter it becomes. The second floor landing is completely illuminated by a candle sitting in a wall sconce across from the hallway. Jiron slows down as he nears the landing, listening for anything that might indicate whether or not someone’s near. Step by slow step, he moves down the last few steps to the beginning of the hallway and then peers around the corner.
The hallway extends from the landing just as the others had. Candles in recesses line the entire hallway banishing away the shadows. He sees the double doors that Shyn told them about, a guard stands watch before them.
Sighing with relief, he knows that the presence of the guard can only mean they’re still in there. He ponders the situation briefly and realizes the only way is to rush the lone guard and hope there’s no one else around. The thought of coming in through the outside window entered his mind briefly, but the window overlooks the courtyard and there’d be no way to get in without being seen by those in the courtyard below.
Getting ready to rush down the hallway and take out the guard, he hears two people talking as they begin to come up the stairs from the floor below them. Backing up quickly, he moves up the stairs away from the landing until the shadows once more conceal him. The voices grow louder as their owners come nearer to the second floor.
“…don’t care, this must be done before the night’s over!” exclaims one voice.
“I understand that milord,” the second voice replies.
“You have the antidote?” the first one asks.
“Yes, right here,” answers the second.
“Can you give the one called James enough for him to answer questions, yet not enough to allow him to use his powers?” asks the first one.
“Yes, milord,” he replies.
The two men round the corner of the stairs as they begin to move down the hallway toward the double doors. One is dressed richly with the trappings of rank and has a commanding presence. The other is dressed finely as well, though is obviously the other’s subordinate. Looking to the one with the trappings of rank, he thinks, Must be the Councilman Rillian.
He waits until they pass into the hallway and begin moving down to the doors before coming back to the landing. He peers around the corner and watches as they move toward the double doors. The guard standing in front sees them coming, straightens up and opens one of the doors for them. He stands at attention while they pass into the room. Jiron suddenly realizes this is his chance. The guard is standing at attention and is facing away from him.
As the guard begins to close the door, Jiron sprints forward on the balls of his feet to avoid making any noise the guard might hear. He reaches him just as the door swings shut. Before the guard even realizes what’s happening, Jiron grabs his head and slides a knife across his throat, silencing him.
Jiron holds the guard as he gasps out his last breaths, preventing him from falling to the floor with a clatter and announcing his presence to those within the room. When the guard at last becomes still, he drags his lifeless body further down the hallway away from the door, and then quietly lays him down.
Moving back to the double doors, he puts his ear to them but the thickness of the doors muffles the voices from within.
Suddenly, one of the doors opens up and the Councilman’s underling begins to say, “Go down to the…” Then he realizes Jiron is there and tries to slam shut the door.
Throwing his shoulder against it, Jiron pushes the door into the room and follows right after. He grabs the underling and places a knife against his throat as he looks over to where Councilman Rillian is seated in a chair next to James.
The Councilman looks to Jiron in shock as he sits there. When he looks to draw a knife from his belt, Jiron says, “Don’t! I have no problems with killing you both if you try anything.”
Looking haughtily at Jiron, Councilman Rillian says, “Do you even know who I am?”
Nodding, he replies, “You’re the Councilman Rillian. A traitor to your people and a spy for the Empire.”
“Harsh words from someone intruding upon what he aught not to,” replies Councilman Rillian. He gestures to the window he’s sitting next to and says, “I can but call for help and a hundred men will be here in moments.”
“You could,” agrees Jiron. “But then you’d have to explain why you have friends of Lord Pytherian tied up and drugged here. I don’t think you could talk your way out of that.”
He narrows his eyes at Jiron and says, “It seems we are at an impasse. Surely we can work this out somehow?”
“All I want are my friends there,” he tells him, nodding over at the two comatose forms on the couch. “Then I’ll leave.”
“Just like that?” he asks. “I don’t think I can let any of you out of here alive.”
Then Jiron notices his eyes flick for only a brief moment to the hallway behind him. He suddenly kicks out with his foot and connects with a guard that had been sneaking up behind him. Glancing back quickly, he watches as the guard stumbles back a few paces and then draws his sword.
Jiron pushes the man he’s holding further into the room as he turns to shut the door before the guard has a chance to prevent him. With a bang, the door slams shut and Jiron turns the lock. The guard on the outside begins to beat upon the door, his cries coming through the door asking if Councilman Rillian is safe.
“It seems you’re trapped young man,” the councilman says from where he’s still sitting in the chair.
The beating on the door finally stops as the guard begins running down the hallway to get help. Jiron turns to the underling and says, “You! You have an antidote for the drug, right?”
The man looks to the councilman and then shakes his head as he says, “No, I don’t.”
“Don’t lie to me!” Jiron hollers at him. “I heard you say you did when you two were coming up the stairs.” Pointing at James he says, “I want you to give it to him. If he dies, you both shall die.” Drawing his knife he puts the point to the man’s throat as he stares into his eyes.
From the corner of his eye, he sees Councilman Rillian begin to reach for the knife at his belt. Pushing the underling away, he rounds on the councilman and before he’s able to grip the knife, he takes hold of his arm. “Don’t even think about it, milord,” he says.
“Stop!” he yells to the underling when he sees him moving toward the door. “One more step and your boss here is dead. Understand?”
Turning his attention back to the councilman, he says, “I’m sorry to have to do this to you milord.” He removes the outer coat of Councilman Rillian and with his knife cuts it into strips which he then uses to secure him to the chair. All the while casting glances over to his underling to make sure he gets no closer to the door.
When at last the councilman’s secured and his knife rests with the others in Jiron’s belt, Jiron turns to the underling and asks, “What’s your name?”
“Stephen,” the man replies.
“Well, Stephen, get over there and administer the antidote,” Jiron demands. When he hesitates, Jiron places a knife at Councilman Rillian’s throat and says menacingly, “Now!”
Pulling a small crystal vial from within his jerkin, Stephen moves over to where James lies on the couch. “Don’t do anything stupid,” Jiron warns him.
Suddenly from the door, more banging can be heard as the guard returns with help. It sounds like they’re using a battering ram or perhaps a bench in an attempt to break the door down.
Jiron moves to the window and looks out over the courtyard. The soldiers in the courtyard below remain oblivious to the events taking place within the Councilman’s offices. He moves back over to the councilman, indicates the door and says, “So those are just your own personal guards eh? What, don’t you want everyone to know what’s going on in here?”
The councilman just glares at him, keeping silent.
Stephen has finished administering the antidote to James. When Jiron looks over to them, Stephen says, “It’ll take a few minutes to work.”
“How many?” asks Jiron as the pounding on the door increases. A crack begins forming in the heavy door.
Shrugging, Stephen replies, “I’m not sure. The instructions I was given wasn’t that clear.”
