“And how are you to do that when you can’t even get out of this room?” asks Councilman Rillian smugly.
“Like this,” replies James. Moving to the window, he creates his orb and tosses it out, causing it to increase in size as it slowly descends to the ground.
As soon as the orb passes through the window, the soldiers below become aware of it. They back up as a murmur begins to grow as more and more of the waiting escorts come over to see what’s going on.
Once the orb is on the ground, he has it flare to intense brilliance before disappearing abruptly. Framed in the window, James looks out over the faces gazing up to him. “Please inform Lord Pytherian that James is here and would like to meet with him. And ask him to hurry!”
His words produce another round of muttering and then one of the faces breaks off and runs for the castle.
“What are you doing up there?” demands one of the faces.
“I’ll tell that to Lord Pytherian and Lord Pytherian only,” James announces to the crowd.
James continues looking out over the crowd and finally sees a group of people coming out of the castle’s gates. Striding in front of them is Lord Pytherian himself. The crowd of onlookers parts as they allow him to come before James.
When he’s at last close enough to hear him well, James says, “Greeting milord.”
“This is a strange way to come for a visit,” Lord Pytherian says.
“Unavoidable, milord,” James replies from the window. “If you would come up here with some of your own guards, I’ll tell you all about it.”
“Very well,” he says. “I’m coming up.”
Chapter Twenty Seven
James watches as Lord Pytherian begins moving toward the entrance of the building. He calls out to guards in the area who fall into line behind him. The men he’d come from the castle with begin to follow him as well, but he pauses a moment to talk with them. When he again moves toward the building, they remain in the courtyard. Once he’s moved out of view, James goes over to a chair near Councilman Rillian and sags into it.
Jiron moves over to Fifer and attempts to bring him back to consciousness with little success. The throbbing from the bolt in his shoulder flares up periodically as he moves around.
From where he sits in his chair, James glances over to the councilman and is amazed at how calm he appears. “Aren’t you worried?” he asks him.
“Not especially,” he says. “You are the trespassers. You’re the ones who’ve spilled blood this night, not I.”
“But you lured us here and drugged us,” James accuses.
“It’s your word against mine,” he tells him. “And who are the people here going to believe?”
Just then, the beating upon the invisible wall blocking the doorway stops. James turns his attention to the doorway and watches as the men there put the bench down and begin backing away.
Lord Pytherian appears in front of the doorway and James removes the invisible barrier. “It’s clear now, milord,” James tells him.
Nodding, Lord Pytherian glances to his right and says, “Let no one in.”
A muffled reply could be heard. As he steps into the room, two guards take position in front of the shattered doorway. James can see Councilman Rillian’s guards standing in the hallway looking anxiously within the room.
“I want these men arrested!” demands the councilman. He indicates his dead underling lying in a pool of blood as he continues, “They killed my servant and tied me here. They were just about to begin torturing me when my men arrived.”
Lord Pytherian looks from the dead body, to Councilman Rillian and then to James. He moves over and begins to untie the councilman.
“What’re you doing milord?” exclaims James as he comes to his feet. “He’s a traitor to Madoc. He lured us here, drugged us, and was about to begin questioning us about who knows what before Jiron here showed up and foiled the whole thing.”
“Surely you’re not going to take the word of this thief and murderer, are you?” Councilman Rillian asks once Lord Pytherian has untied him. Coming to his feet, he adds, “I want them executed right now for what they’ve done here!”
“You know the law as well as anyone, Councilman,” Lord Pytherian says. “No one is to be executed until duly tried.”
“This is outrageous!” cries the councilman. “Then I demand them to stand before the council first thing tomorrow.” He stares at Lord Pytherian and says, “I want them locked in the dungeon where they can’t get away.”
“As you wish, Councilman,” Lord Pytherian says. Turning to the guards at the door, he says, “Come in here and take these men to the palace dungeons.”
Eight guards enter the room with their swords drawn and take James, Jiron and Fifer into custody. One of the guards slings Fifer over his shoulder.
James glares at Lord Pytherian and says, “But we rescued you! How can you do this?”
“I have no authority in civil matters,” he explains. “Councilman Rillian here is one of the ruling body of Madoc, he has the right in this matter.” Nodding to a guard, he says, “Take them away.”
“But we have proof! Miller is holding a man who works for him,” he says, indicating the councilman. “He’ll explain everything!”
“We’ll see,” Lord Pytherian replies. To the guard, he says, “Go ahead.”
“Yes, milord,” the guard says. Then to his prisoners, he says, “You heard his lordship, move.”
The guards follow as James and Jiron leave the room. Just as they begin to move down the hallway, they hear Councilman Rillian begin yelling at Lord Pytherian.
Down the hallway and then to the bottom of the stairs they’re led. When they exit the building, the crowd of people in the courtyard parts, allowing them to pass through to the castle.
James is trying to understand what just happened. He was sure Lord Pytherian would’ve believed them and been on their side. Strange things indeed must be afoot.
“James, can you get us out of this?” Jiron whispers as he leans closer to him.
“Too tired,” he replies quietly. “By morning, who knows?”
“Quiet you two!” orders the nearest guard.
They can hear Fifer groan from where he’s being carried by one of the guards, the drug must be beginning to wear off.
The front gates of the castle are twenty foot high and twice that wide. The classic moat runs around the outside with a drawbridge allowing access over it. As they cross the drawbridge, James notices a strong, iron portcullis hanging above them that would be dropped in emergencies, effectively blocking the entrance to the castle.
A forty foot tunnel leads from the gates to the inner courtyard. No doors lead from it, but there are arrow slits in the walls where defenders could fire upon any attackers caught in the tunnel. Above the tunnel, the ceiling contains holes, murder holes, where defenders could rein down rocks or burning oil to cost the attacker’s dearly.
At the end of the tunnel hangs another portcullis, similar to the one at the other end. Exiting the tunnel, they enter the inner courtyard of the castle, itself designed as a killing ground. Only two sets of doors lead out of it and they’re lead to the one on the right.
Once through the double doors, they proceed down a long corridor past several other closed doors before coming to a flight of steps leading down. The lead guard takes a torch that is burning in a wall sconce and begins descending the steps. James and Jiron follow close behind with the rest of the guards, the one carrying Fifer bringing up the rear.
The stair winds its way down until finally opening on a large room with cells on both sides. “This way,” the guard leading them says as he continues on toward the end where he opens one of the cell doors and directs them
