Shades of the Past: The Morcyth Saga Book Six (50 page)

Quickening his steps, the sentry reaches the
edge of the stable. Just after he passes, Jiron jumps him from
behind. Clamping his hand over the man’s mouth to prevent him from
alerting the rest of the camp, he runs the edge of his knife across
the man’s throat. Tossing the dying man to the ground, he turns
toward the hill where James waits and waves. A minute later James
joins him.

“Let’s hurry,” urges James. Jiron gives him a
nod.

Jiron moves around the edge of the stable to
the entrance and peers through the doorway. When he finds it empty,
he signals James to follow as he enters. A light springs to life as
James’ orb appears on his hand. Not nearly as bright as it usually
is, it’s just bright enough for them to find the tack and saddle
for two horses.

Along the back wall they find all the items
they need stacked on shelves. While Jiron gathers the tack, James
removes two fine looking stallions from their stalls. One snickers
and snorts as he brings them forth. “Easy boy,” he says
reassuringly as he pats the nervous one’s neck.

Working quickly, they soon have the horses
saddled. James swings into the saddle while Jiron moves to the
gate. He opens it a crack and looks out to be sure no other sentry
is approaching. When he finds all is quiet, he swings the stable’s
gate open and returns to the horses. Taking his horse’s reins, he
leads him through the gate. Once James has left the stable, Jiron
closes the gate and throws the bar to keep it closed. He then
swings into the saddle. Unless someone stumbles upon the dead
sentries, it’s unlikely anyone will realize something has happened
before dawn. James cancels his orb before heading out.

Moving quickly away from the buildings, they
head southeast. Angling through the hills, they keep their distance
from the enemy camp while they make for the road that will take
them toward Madoc.

When at last the road appears before them,
Jiron dismounts and leaves his horse with James while he moves to
the edge of the road. Last time there had been hidden sentries
along this road, but then again, the last time the Empire had known
they were on the way. He comes to a stop within the edge of the
forest and gazes up and down the road. Scanning both directions for
several minutes for any movement he is at last satisfied the road
is deserted. He then returns back to his horse and mounts. “The
road looks deserted,” he says in a whisper.

“Then let’s get going,” replies James just as
quietly.

Jiron gets his horse moving and they’re soon
out of the forest. They turn eastwards once they are on the road
and quickly get their horses up to a canter. James casts glances
back to the enemy camp in the distance as they ride but no shout
arises or any other indication that they have been discovered.
After awhile, the lights of the enemy’s encampment disappear in the
dark.

They ride for an hour or two before the sky
begins to lighten with dawn’s approach. So far they haven’t
encountered anyone else traveling upon the road and with any luck
they won’t for some time.

When the sun begins to peek over the horizon,
Jiron examines the road closely. “I think horses passed this way
recently,” he observes. When James glances to him he indicates the
surface of the road.

Even James’ untrained eye can see that
hundreds of horses passed this way recently. The piles of dung the
horses dropped when they passed don’t look more than two or three
days old. His time of being around horses has given him plenty of
experience to figure that out.

“Then they have sent men to engage Illan,”
James states.

“Looks like it,” agrees Jiron. He points out
several different tracks of wagon wheels as well as the footprints
of foot soldiers. “Could be a sizeable force.”

“If this is the only one, Illan should have
little trouble,” observes James. “Two days…” Picturing the map of
the area in his mind he tries to estimate the position of Illan and
the rest of their friends. If this army passed through here only
two days ago, they may not have had the time to reach them yet.

Glancing to Jiron he sees he’s come to the
same conclusion. They kick the sides of their horses and break into
a gallop. Illan needs to be warned of this new threat.

Riding hard through the morning, they come to
where the road ends at Bindles just after noon. Another road passes
through the town going north and south. During their earlier
sojourn on their way to find Miko, they had passed through here in
the guise of merchants. Delia had even managed to secure additional
cargo bound for Korazan to give them more legitimacy.

When the town appears before them, they slow
down to look for any forces in the area. Not finding any, they
continue to follow the road into town. Out of water and short on
supplies they stop at the trader they visited on their last trip,
the one Delia had acquired the cargo from. A sign hangs above the
door depicting three barrels.

Dismounting, they head for the front door.
Just as before, the people on the streets barely give them more
than a cursory look. Jiron reaches the door first and opens it.
Upon entering they find the same merchant they dealt with the time
before.

The merchant looks up from where he was going
over a ledger and sees them enter. “Good day to you sirs,” he says
with a grin. Closing the ledger he comes over to them and asks,
“How may I help you?”

James was worried that he would recognize
them but looking into his eyes can tell he doesn’t. “Additional
water bottles and several days’ worth of travel rations,” he tells
him.

“And a mirror if you have one,” adds Jiron.
Glancing at James he gets a nod of approval. He hadn’t thought to
purchase a replacement for the one lost on the road.

“Very good,” the merchant replies. He then
goes over to a table with water bottles. “How many would you
require?”

“Two bottles each,” he says.

The merchant picks up four bottles and takes
them over to the counter. He then moves to another table containing
packages of dried beef and cheese. Picking up an armful, he brings
them over to the counter. “Will this be sufficient?” he asks as he
places the packages next to the water bottles. “I’m sorry I don’t
have much of a selection to offer, the soldiers bought almost
everything and the caravan carrying my goods is overdue.

Nodding, James says, “Yes, thank you.” He
gives Jiron a knowing glance. The caravan in question may very well
be one of the ones he secreted the explosive seeds in. The merchant
may be waiting a long time before he sees his goods.

The merchant moves behind his counter and
produces three mirrors of varying sizes. James selects one that is
only six inches by three and has a plain bronze frame. The merchant
replaces the other mirrors and then adds the one selected to the
rest of their items.

“I heard that an army passed through here a
day or two ago,” Jiron suddenly says.

“That’s right,” the merchant replies.
“There’s a rumor going around that Black Hawk has returned. But
that is hardly possible.” Finishing bundling the items together he
quotes a price to James who then hands over the required coins.

“Oh?” asks James. “Why is that?”

“He and his men were slaughtered years ago,”
he states.

Jiron casts a quick look to James who asks,
“Are you sure?”

“Well, I wasn’t there of course but that was
the story going around at the time,” he explains. “Supposedly his
men were destroyed by the Empire’s armies after some battle or
other.”

“Oh,” Jiron says with a barely concealed
grin. “So what about the soldiers who passed through here?”

“Well like I said, a rumor had been going
around town for some time that Black Hawk had returned. I never
gave it much credence, rumors seldom being reliable and all. But
when the men who had been stationed at Kern passed through, they
said the same thing. Apparently they are on their way to take out
whoever this is. Probably someone stirring up trouble and using
Black Hawk as a rallying cry or some other such nonsense.”

“Yeah,” agrees James. Taking his newly bought
goods from the counter, he turns for the door. “You wouldn’t happen
to know which road they took out of town would you?”

“Why?” the merchant asks.

“We’re heading east and if there’s a battle
about to be fought, we don’t want to be anywhere nearby when it
does.”

Nodding, the merchant says, “They took the
south road.”

“Thanks,” James says as he starts moving for
the door. Jiron reaches the door first and opens it for him.

“May your travels be safe ones,” offers the
merchant.

“Thank you,” Jiron replies. Stepping aside,
he lets James leave the chandlery and then follows him out.

They secure the rations behind their saddles
and James puts the new mirror into one of his belt pouches. Then
taking the water bottles over to the rain barrel sitting against
the building, they fill them up.

James says, “So they are indeed going after
Illan.”

“Hope he’s faring all right,” replies Jiron.
Worries for his sister and friends have been a constant companion
since he and James left them.

“With Miko and the Hand of Asran to take care
of any magical foes,” James says, “it would take a large force
indeed to cause him any real problems.”

Topping off his last bottle, Jiron secures
the stopper in the bottle’s neck. James finishes with his and they
return to their horses to pack the extra bottles away. Mounting
once more, they turn south to follow the road through town.

Once past the last building, they break into
a fast gallop as they race down the road. Seeing as how the force
of soldiers ahead has wagons traveling with them, they may be able
to catch them before they attack Illan. Alternating between a fast
gallop and at times dismounting to give the horses a break, they
put many miles behind them. As they ride they keep an eye on the
tracks of those they are pursuing to make sure the soldiers don’t
turn off the road unexpectedly.

By time they reach the town of Arakan, the
sun has begun its descent to the horizon. Having bought sufficient
supplies back in Bindles, they decide against stopping. Instead
they hurry their way through town.

As they enter the outskirts, James eyes the
building that the officer who had stopped and checked their papers
exited from during their last visit. Since neither one can speak
the language, any confrontation can only lead to disaster. Coming
abreast of the building, he quickens the pace of his horse slightly
and moves past. He breathes a sigh of relief when no one makes an
appearance.

“Take it easy,” Jiron says to him softly.
James gives him a nod and brings his horse back to a normal gait.
The last thing they want to do is attract attention. Continuously
scanning the people on the streets for any potential problems, they
make their way through town.

One thing James notices is the lack of guards
or soldiers. Since entering Arakan, he’s only seen one guard.
Glancing to Jiron he sees that he’s noticed that fact too. Last
time they had more of a presence. Perhaps when the soldiers passed
through here they took most of the guards with them.

If that is the case, James is both elated and
worried. Elated in that if they are forced to strip town garrisons
and city guards to bolster their army, then they must be hurting
for men. On the other hand, he’s worried because that would mean
more to face should there be a battle.

They reach the far side of town and leave the
last building behind them without incident. Not far past the town
they come across an area that looks like it could have been the
bivouac area the army they’re following used the night before.
Piles of horse dung dot the area and there’s evidence of over a
dozen fire pits spaced evenly throughout.

“We’re gaining on them,” Jiron says after
examining a pile of horse dung.

“I hope so,” replies James.

They push on for a couple more hours until
the sun drops below the horizon and twilight has almost turned into
full night. Pulling several hundred feet off the road, they make
camp without a fire. Rolling out their bedrolls, they have a quick
meal then James takes first watch while Jiron turns in. A little
after midnight, James wakes Jiron for his turn at watch and then
sleeps peacefully until dawn.

Up before first light, they’re back on the
road and put a mile behind them before the sun breaks over the
horizon. Using the same alternating pace as the day before, they
eat up the miles quickly.

Two hours before noon, date bearing trees
appear ahead of them. It’s the oasis where they rescued Jiron from
the Commander of Ten when he was captured in that ill-fated mission
to retrieve James’ backpack from Mountainside. A caravan is
currently watering their horses at the oasis’ pool, ten wagons
along with an accompanying guard of twenty.

“Better not get too close,” cautions
Jiron.

“I agree,” replies James.

The road passes alongside the oasis and it
would be very suspicious if they were to leave the road and pass in
the desert. Rather than raise their suspicions, they stay as far
away from those at the oasis as the road will allow them without
appearing to do so on purpose. They pick up their pace as they
hurry past.

One of the guards offers them what sounds
like a greeting in the Empire’s tongue. Ignoring him, they continue
on. When the guard realizes they aren’t going to answer he shouts
at them, obviously offended. James glances back and sees the guards
staring at them with an expression of indignation. They lock eyes
for a moment before the guard turns back to the others.

“I hate not understanding their language,”
comments James after the oasis has disappeared behind them.

“I know what you mean,” agrees Jiron. “Would
make life easier. Is there anything you can do with magic that
might help?”