Fires of Prophecy_ Book Two of the Morcyth Saga - Brian Pratt [46]
Figuring on a wait before he’ll be able to reclaim his horse, he looks through the house and discovers some bread and fruit in the kitchen. He pulls a chair close to the window so he can keep an eye on what’s going on outside as he eats.
Nothing of interest happens while he’s eating, soldiers continue to come and go from the jail, and the occasional townsman runs past carrying a shovel or some other item used to combat the fire. After he’s finished, he tries to think of a way to retrieve his horse while he sits there looking out the window. The last twenty four hours begin to catch up with him and he finds himself yawning and rubbing his eyes.
Deciding on a short nap since he has to wait anyway, he climbs the stairs to the second floor and finds a bedroom with a suitably large bed. He places the backpack beside him on the bed as he lies down and then takes out one of his knives, keeping it in his hand in case of trouble.
Closing his eyes, he quickly falls asleep.
Voices from below waken him. He sits up abruptly and then makes his way to the bedroom door to listen. He can hear two, maybe three people downstairs talking in the Empire’s tongue, soldiers most likely. Returning to the bed, he grabs the backpack and then silently makes his way to the top of the stairs.
Looking down, he can see one of the soldiers with a partially filled sack in his hand, opening drawers and looking through them. Occasionally, he would take something out and put it in his sack. Looting, Jiron thinks. The soldier says something to the others and then makes his way to the stairs, looking as if he means to go up to the second floor.
Thinking fast, Jiron hurries into the bedroom again, flips a coin on the bed and then swings the door all the way into the room as he hides in the space between it and the wall. Shielded behind the door, he listens to the footsteps of the soldier as he comes up the stairs.
His heart beating fast, Jiron hears the soldier coming down the hallway toward him. When the footsteps come to the open door, he hears the soldier pause and then gasp as he sees the silver coin sitting on the bed. Jiron then hears him enter the room, hurrying over to pick up the coin to put in his sack.
As the soldier reaches the bed, Jiron silently comes out from behind the door with both knives drawn. Catching the soldier by surprise, he’s able to quickly take him out with minimal noise. Easing the dead body of the soldier onto the bed, he takes back his coin and then returns to the hallway, shutting the door behind him.
Returning to the top of the stairs, he listens as the other two are still rummaging around downstairs. One of them raises his voice and then pauses. He speaks louder this time and again pauses. The two down below begin whispering among themselves and then Jiron hears them both hurrying to the foot of the stairs.
Jiron returns quickly back toward the room with the dead soldier and enters a closet sitting across the hallway from the room. He closes the door just enough to leave a thin opening through which he can see out. Looking out through the crack, he observes the other two coming down the hallway, going from room to room as they holler for their companion. When they come to the room where the dead body lies, they both rush in. He hears them say something and then a moment later one of them exclaims and they begin to hurry out of the room.
When the first one exits and is close enough, Jiron kicks the door to the closet open, catching him in the shoulder, causing him to stumble and fall to the floor. With both knives drawn, he advances on the other soldier as the man exits the room.
Having seen his friend being knocked down by the swinging door, the last soldier draws his sword and thrusts at Jiron’s midsection.
Easily deflecting the blade with the knife in his right hand, Jiron slashes with his other, scoring along the man’s forearm. Keeping an eye on his companion, he presses the man with a series