When at last the inn appears in sight, Jiron brings them to a halt. “What are we stopping for?” Shorty asks.
“Remember when we left, there were men watching the place,” he says. “Don’t want them to know we came back.” Then he motions for Scar and Potbelly to work their way around to the right while he and Stig work their way around to the left. The others he has remain where they are.
He and Stig stay in the shadows as they slowly work their way to the far side of the inn. Taking it slowly, they search for anyone who may be hidden. But by the time they meet up with Scar and Potbelly on the other side, neither pair had found anyone. “Guess they all went to help with the fire,” Stig suggests.
“Possibly,” Jiron agrees. Then he heads back down the street toward where James and the others are waiting. As soon as they come into view, he waves for them to join him.
“Anybody?” asks James.
“Not that we saw,” Jiron explains.
“Have them keep an eye out while we take Perrilin inside,” James tells him. “And send someone around back to get the horses ready.” Then he indicates for Brother Willim and Reilin to follow him with Perrilin. As they head for the door, Jiron has the others fan out and take position around the inn. He sends Shorty to the stable.
Before they reach the door, it opens and the innkeeper steps out. “You got him?” he asks incredulously.
James nods. “He’s hurt pretty badly though.”
Glancing up and down the street, the innkeeper waves for them to enter. “Bring him inside,” he says.
As they enter the dimly lit common room, James notices two other men there. One of them is the man who led them to the Keep. “I didn’t think you were going to burn down the town,” he says to the man.
“It worked didn’t it?” he replies with a grin. “Don’t worry, we were very selective in what we torched. Business concerns and homes of those with whom we are at odds with.”
They bring Perrilin over to a chair and a serving woman appears with a mug of ale for him. “Thank you,” he tells her as he takes the mug. Then to the innkeeper, Perrilin says, “They must leave town quickly. Send someone to help get their horses ready and give each an ample supply of food for the road.”
The innkeeper nods and then has the second man go and see about getting it done. “Shouldn’t take too long to get it ready,” the innkeeper tells James.
“What about Korgan?” asks the man who led them to the Keep.
Perrilin turns his gaze to James who says, “I doubt if he survived.”
“Did you see him die?” the innkeeper asks.
Shaking his head, he replies, “No I did not. But with his injuries I highly doubt if you’ll be seeing him again.” Not to mention the fact that he let all the prisoners loose down there. It’s altogether likely one or two will have it in for Korgan.
“Good,” the innkeeper states with satisfaction.
Perrilin lays his hand on James’ arm. “I want to express my thanks for rescuing me yet again,” he says.
“Just stop making it a habit of having to be rescued,” he says. “I may not be around the next time.”
Perrilin nods his head and grins, “I’ll try.”
One of the serving women comes from the kitchen with several bulging travel packs. “Here,” the innkeeper says when she places them on the table before James. “Take this with our gratitude.”
“I will,” he replies. “Thank you.”
A few minutes later the man who went to get the horses ready returns and says, “They’re ready.”
To Reilin James says, “Go tell Jiron to bring the others around back.”
Nodding, Reilin hurries out the front door.
Coming to his feet, James holds his hand out to Perrilin. “Good luck,” he says.
“You too James,” he says, taking the hand and giving it a firm shake.
Reilin returns with Stig who together take the food packs out back to secure onto the horses.
“You better get out of here,” Perrilin urges. “It won’t be long before the search will be on.”
“Right,” he says. “Until next time.” Then with Brother Willim in tow, he crosses the common room and leaves the inn by the back door. Jiron and the others are already in the courtyard waiting with the horses. Two additional horses are present, replacements for the ones lost in the Mists.
Jiron sees him exit and says, “Everything’s set.”
“Good. Let’s get going.” James then moves to one of the horses and mounts.
The man who had led them to the Keep comes to stand beside his horse. “A man of ours reported that the gates leading from the city to the south were open less than an hour ago,” he says. “If you’re lucky, they still will be.”
“Then let’s not waste time talking,” Jiron says. He nudges his horse into motion and heads for the gate leading from the inn’s courtyard.
“Safe journeys,” the man says.
“Thank you for everything,” James replies then turns to follow Jiron.
They are soon out on the street and moving quickly toward the southern gate. Smoke continues to thicken as fires rage in several areas of the city. In the haze and darkness, visibility is reduced to almost nothing. If it weren’t for the lighted street lamps hanging at the intersections, they would never have been able to find their way to the gates.
When they finally turn down the street that runs directly to the southern gate, Jiron gets his horse up to a fast trot. There are no fires in this area and the only people on the streets are the more disreputable of the city’s citizens. Not so much beggars as prostitutes and what James takes for thieves and drunkards. They pay them little mind other than a woman calling to them as they pass.
“There’s the gate,” Jiron says as its gaping maw appears out of the smoky darkness ahead.
“Anyone around?” Scar asks.
“Doesn’t look like it,” he says. “Stay alert.”
They ride up to the gate at a quick pace. Each scans the area ahead and to the sides of the street for the presence of any hostiles lying in wait. The wall above the gate appears clear as does the area before it.
James all of a sudden gets the feeling they’re being watched. Could be just nerves and lack of sleep, but he feels like there’s someone out there. He pulls one of his few remaining slugs from his belt and holds it ready. Ahead of him, Jiron has pulled ahead and is just about to pass through the gate. The area remains quiet.
Kicking their horses into a faster pace, they bolt through the gate and hit the road on the other side. No bolts fly from the dark, nor do soldiers manifest and try to stop them.
“Did we kill them all back at the Keep?” asks Reilin.
“That, or they’re busy fighting the fires,” James replies. Glancing back at the city, he can see the glows from where the different fires still burn.
Jiron sets a furious pace as they leave Hyrryth behind. The sliver of a moon overhead shows that time is all but up. A few more days at the most and the Shroud of Killian will again blind the giant’s eye.
They ride for an hour until all sight of the city and the fire’s glow disappear behind them. Then they pull off the road for a ways and make camp. They leave the horses saddled in the event a quick getaway is required. Jiron takes the first watch and begins walking around the camp’s perimeter to help keep himself awake. The others work to get their bedrolls rolled out on the ground and positioned in the dark. A few hours sleep before they plan to hit the road again.
James feels a hand shaking him awake as a voice says, “James, wake up. It’s morning and Jiron wants to get moving.”
Groaning, James rolls over and says, “Doesn’t he ever sleep?”
“I don’t think so,” replies Miko. Despite not looking at him, James can hear the grin in his voice. “Get up before he comes over here and wakes you up.”
“I’d like to see him try,” James says with eyes still closed.
Miko’s hand again shakes him. “Come on, everyone else is already awake.”
James lifts his head and cracks open his bloodshot eyes. Looking around, he verifies the truth of Miko’s claim. Taking a deep breath, he releases it and says, “Alright. Give me a second.”
“I’ll have some food ready for you when you get up,” Miko tells him.
“Thanks.” He hears Miko get to his feet and walk away. He almost falls back asleep before he even realizes it. Right in the middle of a dream about nothing in particular, a boot begins nudging him. Opening his eyes he sees
