Fires of Prophecy_ Book Two of the Morcyth Saga - Brian Pratt [158]
They quickly remove what they’re going to need from their horses before continuing on foot. Before they reach the docks, Jiron motions for James to follow him into a side alley. Once within the alley he asks, “Can you see if any of our pursuers are getting close to the city?”
Taking out his mirror, James looks and after locating the armies approaching, shakes his head, saying, “It looks like they’re all at least several miles away. We should have an hour, maybe more, before they arrive.”
“Alright then,” says Jiron, “let’s go find us a boat.”
They leave the alley and continue on their way toward the docks. When they get there, they see a dozen or more soldiers stationed in and around the dock area.
“Think they’re there for us?” Jiron asks.
“Probably,” replies James. “Looks like they’re covering all their bases.”
“Bases?” Jiron asks, confused at the term.
“Sorry,” says James. “I just mean they’re watching every avenue that we may take to get away.”
“Oh.”
They pause near the entrance to the docks as they look at the ships tied there. One is a massive, deep sea cargo ship and the others are smaller, but all are clearly too big for their needs. Shaking his head, Jiron says, “I don’t think these are going to help us any.”
“I don’t think so either,” agrees James. Then he grabs Jiron’s arm and directs his attention further down, away from the docks where a small, private ship is just pulling up to a small dock. “That will do fine, don’t you think?” he asks.
“Perfect!”
They leave the dock area and head over toward the estate where the ship just docked. The estate has a protective wall around it and the gate is closed with a guard posted on the outside. They walk around the estate, doing their best not to attract attention as they look to see if there’s another way in. The wall is high, too high to jump and grab the top. The only way in is through the gate.
They return to a spot near the gate and James asks, “Now what?”
“We gotta get through that gate,” he replies. “I don’t see any other way in.”
The street passing in front of the estate is well traveled and any attempt to take out the guard will be readily seen by those passing by.
“We need a diversion so everyone will be looking away from the guard at the gate,” he says as he looks to James.
“You want me to blow up the town again?” asks James, not entirely enthused with the idea.
“Not necessarily,” he replies. “Just something that the people on the street will turn their attention to.”
“Anything I do will announce that we’re here,” he says.
“They’re going to know that soon enough anyway,” Jiron explains. “As soon as those approaching forces meet up, they’ll know we’re here. A few minutes earlier really won’t make that much of a difference.”
“I suppose you’re right,” James says, resigned to the plan. “Let’s go further into town and see what opportunity presents itself, I don’t want to hurt innocents.”
“Alright,” says Jiron, understanding. “I’m sure there’s something you can do that won’t hurt anyone.”
As they walk, James ponders different ideas, trying to come up with something that will distract but not hurt. “I think I have an idea,” he tells Jiron after they’ve walked several blocks.
“What?” he asks.
“Well, you see…”
After getting everything ready, they return back to the gate. Jiron glances over at James where he’s standing, silently counting. Three…Two…One…
From further into town, they begin to hear people screaming and running. The people on the street outside of the gate turn their attention toward the center of town and away from the gate to see what’s going on.
“It’s working,” Jiron says as he begins edging slowly toward the gate.
James just nods in satisfaction with his solution and follows him.
When they near the gate, the guard is looking toward the center of town as well, fear evident on his face. James glances toward where he’s looking and smiles when he sees the fifteen foot giant walking through town, a flaming