“But they will realize you are not one of our men,” objects Ceadric.
Seeing Ceadric clearly getting irritated and Brother Willim balking, James gets to his feet. “If the rest of us are wearing breastplates and helms, and we put him in the center, then in the dark we might be able to get away with it.”
Ceadric nods his head. “That might work,” he says.
“Why sneak out at all?” Stig asks. “There isn’t anyone around here who could effectively stop us.”
“Two reasons,” James says as he turns to him. “One, if we are seen leaving and then moving into the Empire, war could erupt all over again and a lot of people are going to die.”
“Second, we are trying to rescue Tinok. Our effort would only be hampered should the Empire learn we are on the move again.”
“Oh,” says Stig slightly embarrassed, “that makes sense.”
“Alright,” Ceadric says, “there’s an hour or so until sunset. Once it begins growing dark I will return and escort you through the back ways down to the stables. Then those of you who have no armor will be fitted with a breastplate and helm. When you are away from the keep, you can return the armor to Hedry and he and his men will bring it back once their patrol is over.”
“In your horses’ saddlebags, you will find clothes that will enable you to blend in with the citizens of the Empire.” Turning to James he asks, “Did you wish a translator?”
“I think that would be best,” he says.
“Very well, I’ll have him meet you there.” Before he leaves he asks, “Is there anything else?”
Shaking his head, James says, “Not that I can think of.”
“Then I will return when it is dark.” With that, he heads for the door and exits to the hallway. Closing the door behind him, they can hear his footsteps as he makes his way toward the stairs.
James commences to fill his plate and then stops when his eyes catch something. He stares at Miko until Miko asks, “What?”
Smiling, he says, “I never saw a high priest before with tart jelly smeared across his cheek.” Laughter fills the room as Miko wipes the jelly off his reddening face.
Now, almost two hours later, James stands at the window in the darkened room looking out into the night. A knock at the door breaks the stillness and when Jiron opens it, light comes in from where Ceadric stands in the hallway with a lantern.
“It’s time,” he says.
Coming from the window, James along with the others pick up their things. Leaving the dark room behind, they follow Ceadric down the hallway to the stairs where they descend all the way down to the bottom.
Once they leave the stairwell, Ceadric takes them through hallways other than those they used to initially reach the tower. Few servants are about, those they encounter pay them little attention.
They finally arrive at a locked door where Ceadric pauses a moment and produces a key that unlocks it. Pushing the door open, the unmistakable odor of straw and horse manure comes to them.
Hedry along with a dozen other Raiders whom they recognize turn toward them when they hear the door open.
“Everything set?” asks Ceadric as he moves into the stable.
“Yes sir,” replies Hedry. He and his men begin equipping those who need it with armor they brought. All that is except Brother Willim who dons a plain dark cloak which is as far as he’s willing to go.
Ceadric waves over a soldier who comes and joins him while he helps James into his armor. “This is Reilin,” he says. “He’s willing to accompany you and be your interpreter.”
“Welcome aboard, Reilin,” James says in greeting.
Reilin merely nods in reply. Standing a hair over six feet, he makes an imposing figure with his jet black hair.
“Are the gates still being watched?” Jiron asks.
“Last we checked they were,” Ceadric replies. “Don’t worry, I doubt if they’ll suspect anything.”
“Let’s hope not,” says James.
When at last they are all suitably attired in armor, they mount their horses. James and Miko need help, the additional weight of the armor making it difficult for them to make it up. With the aid of two Raiders, they manage to get into the saddle.
Hedry mounts and looks back. “Form it up back there,” he commands. James and the rest tighten their formation with Brother Willim in the middle. “We leave the barn and head straight for the gates. No talking or stopping.” After receiving acknowledgement for the plan, he turns back toward the stable’s exit and nudges his horse into motion.
They leave the stable and begin crossing the open courtyard toward the gate. As they draw near, a clank is heard and the portcullis begins to be drawn up. On the other side of the wall is a group of four men dressed in Empire attire not more than ten feet from the gate. Standing around a fire, they turn at the raising of the portcullis.
One of the men comes forward and asks good naturedly, “Out for no good again Hedry?”
“You know it Ezzin,” he replies. “You’ll have to wait to win your gold back for a few days I’m afraid.”
Laughing, Ezzin says, “See you when you return.”
As James and the rest pass by the area where Ezzin and his comrades take their ease by the fire, his anxiety rises with fear of being discovered. But he has little to worry about as Ezzin and the others hardly give them more than a cursory glance. Still, he doesn’t relax until they are swallowed by the night and the light from Ezzin’s fire disappears in the dark.
“You know him?” asks Potbelly.
“Ezzin?” asks Hedry. “Oh sure. He likes to lose at cards and I’m quite happy to oblige him.” Several men chuckle at that. “You would be surprised what one can learn during a friendly game of cards.”
They ride to the southeast in the dark with only the stars and the moon above to light their way for an hour before Hedry brings them to a halt. “Here’s where we part ways,” he tells them.
Removing the armor they used to disguise themselves, they return it to Hedry and his men who pack it away behind their saddles. “I appreciate this,” James tells him once the heavy weight of the armor is gone.
“Not a problem,” he replies. “Just hope you find what you’re looking for.”
“So do I,” James tells him.
With farewells passing from one group to the other, Hedry gets his men moving and soon James and the others are left alone in the night.
“Which way?” asks Jiron. Now that they are finally on their way to find Tinok, his impatience is getting the better of him.
“Better head south until daylight,” says James. “When it’s light I’ll try to get a better idea of where he is.”
“South it is,” Jiron says and they get underway.
James glances with foreboding at the moon shining above them. Now less than three weeks before the Shroud of Killian once again blinds the Giant’s Eye, he fervently hopes they can find Tinok before it’s too late.
Chapter Eight
After their initial grief over losing the members of their village to the grayness in the desert, Zyrn sent a rider south. He hoped that when the rider reaches the temple he’ll be able to convince someone to come and deal with this. The rider was none too happy about the fact that the only temple close was that of Dmon-Li. After all, their priests were none too helpful to the ordinary man.
The day following Zyrn’s return to the village, he along with several others returns to the gray area. He makes sure to keep his distance, the memory of his friend’s death within the grayness still very much on his mind. When they finally reach the border of the gray area, Zyrn has the feeling it didn’t take him nearly as long to reach it as it did last time.
Only one of those who accompanied him this time had been with him last time. Kabu, one of the ones who
