“We’ll dig a hole out in the forest and dump them in,” Illan replies.
“I’m going to go see the mayor tomorrow and let him know what happened,” James announces. “I think he has a right to know, maybe he can get word to Ceryn who could keep an eye out as well.”
”Good idea,” Illan says. To the rest he raises his voice, “Everyone grab a shovel and pick, we’ve got a hole to dig.”
When James starts to head to the barn to grab a shovel to help, Illan stops him and says, “You leave this to us.” Then he moves along with the others to get this deed done.
Uther comes out of the house with a lantern and joins them.
James walks back into the kitchen and sees Yern sitting at the table, Tersa finishing securing the bandage on his arm. “You okay?” he asks.
Yern gives him a smile and replies, “Been better, but with this lovely angel’s help, I’ll survive.”
Tersa blushes slightly as she begins clearing away the blood and the soiled rags.
“Who were they?” Roland asks.
“One was a mage, the others soldiers of the Empire,” he tells them.
Ezra gets a scared look in her eye and clutches Arkie tighter. “What were they doing here?” she asks.
“The Empire has little love for me, I’m sure,” he says.
Roland chuckles a little as he adds, “After what you’ve said you did, I don’t think we can assume they’ll just leave you alone. Besides, you’re a rouge mage, not under their control and they will most likely see you as their greatest threat.”
“Oh I doubt that,” James says. “But we should be cautious from this point on.” Turning to Ezra he continues, “Tomorrow I’m planning on going into town to talk to the mayor. I’ll also see about getting more chickens, the ones we had are dead.”
“You leave it to me to get the chickens,” she tells him. “I know someone who was saying at the market just the other day how she has too many now that her boys are gone.”
“Very well, tell Roland how much you think you’ll need,” he says. Getting up, he moves over to the window and looks out. He can see the light from the lantern off in the forest where they’re digging the grave. Suddenly tired, he says, “I’m going to bed.”
“Good night James,” Ezra says to him.
“Good night to you all,” he replies and then leaves the kitchen.
Getting into bed, he lies there for awhile as he thinks about the attack. I’ve got to get the Fire out of here, it’s putting innocents in jeopardy. Next time we may not be so fortunate. How long till next time?
Finally sleep wins out over worry.
Chapter Four
The following morning when James heads into town, Jiron and Miko accompany him. Illan told him that after last night, he shouldn’t be out alone. At the end of the lane, he finds Jorry and Yern standing guard to stop anyone from coming onto the property.
They wave at them as they pass by and soon are nearing the outskirts of town. With Jiron on his right and Miko on his left, they move through the outlying buildings of Trendle.
“The streets look a bit more crowded than before,” Jiron states.
James had been thinking about the night before and hadn’t been paying very much attention. But now that he is, he sees what Jiron means. The crowds are slightly more crowded and there are many faces he’s never seen before.
When they begin moving among the people, he can hear hushed conversations and every once in a while catches someone pointing at him out of the corner of his eye. Irritating.
Once at the mayor’s office, they dismount and leave Miko to watch the horses while James and Jiron go up to see the mayor. “Just be careful,” he warns Miko. “As long as the crowds keep their distance, don’t do anything.”
“Alright,” he replies. Miko stands at the ready with his back to the building, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
James tries to hide the grin that wants to escape at the sight of Miko being so serious. “Let’s go,” he says to Jiron who opens the door for him. They quickly move up to the second floor and down the hall to the mayor’s office. When they knock on the door, they receive no answer. Jiron opens the door and looks inside. “No one’s here,” he says.
After closing the door, they retrace their steps back down the hallway. When they come abreast of a door on their right, several people can be heard talking on the other side. James stops and looks to Jiron who only shrugs.
Jiron knocks on the door and the talking abruptly ceases. The door opens and a man peers out who asks, “Yes?”
“We’d like to see the mayor,” James tells him.
“Do you have an appointment?” the man asks.
“Well, actually no.” he admits. “But this is rather important.”
“Then you’ll have to come back another time,” the man says. “He’s in a meeting with the town council.”
As the man begins to close the door, James says, “Just tell him James was here to see him.”
Before the door closes, it opens back up quickly and the mayor stands there. “You come on in, James,” he tells him. To the other guy, he says, “James here never needs an appointment to see me.”
“Yes, sir,” the man replies.
Within the room, he sees seven other men, Corbin being one, sitting around a large table. He gives James a nod as he enters. The mayor takes his seat at the head of the table and the man who answered the door pulls two more chairs over for James and Jiron.
“Gentlemen,” the mayor announces, “for those of you who have yet to meet him, this is James.” A murmur begins which the mayor quickly silences.
“Now, you know Corbin here,” the mayor says. “Next to him is Polin, and then Berill, Monn, Durik, Aarron, Igren. This is the City Council of Trendle.”
“Good day to you all,” says James. He receives an answering salutation from the council members.
“We were just talking about you,” Corbin says.
“Yes,” John, the mayor jumps in. “It seems your notoriety had attracted many people to the area.”
“I’m sorry about that,” apologizes James. “I hadn’t planned on that.”
“No, don’t be sorry young man,” Polin says. A man of middle years, dark hair and dressed well, Polin gives off an air of friendliness. “In fact, we were just talking about how we could increase it.”
Getting a dark look, James asks, “What for?”
“All these people are going to need a place to rest and food to eat,” Monn replies with a grin. Monn being a fat man with slightly stained clothes, James figures him as some kind of innkeeper or possibly someone in the service business.
“There’s a profit to be made here,” adds Aarron, an older man who is all but grey.
“But at my expense!” James exclaims. His outburst takes the council aback.
“You’re not having to pay for anything,” Berill interjects. A younger man with a slight attitude, he looks at James like he shouldn’t have to state the obvious.
Corbin jumps in and says, “I think what James means is that he’ll be paying with his privacy. Isn’t that right James?”
“Yes, Corbin,” he replies. “Exactly. Already I’ve had people out at my place who are disturbing me. I’ve even set up guards to keep them off my lands.”
“Do you think you should do that?” Durik asks. Another middle aged man, he fits in with what Corbin had said a long time ago about John’s drinking buddies. “If word gets around that you turn people away, they may not come.”
“Good!” he exclaims. “I don’t want them to come, and I certainly don’t want to become a tourist attraction
