Fires of Prophecy_ Book Two of the Morcyth Saga - Brian Pratt [48]
Looking behind him, he sees several soldiers running and jumping from building to building behind him. With no other choice, he races toward the end of the line of buildings and the fire until he reaches the last building that’s yet to catch fire. He slings the backpack over his shoulder and turns to face the oncoming soldiers. The heat from the fire consuming the building behind him is almost intolerable as he awaits their arrival.
When the soldiers get to the building before his, they stop and begin shouting to him. Unable to understand what is being said, he just stands there with his knives ready, planning to sell his life dearly.
A popping noise behind him causes him to turn his head and look. The building he’s standing on has now caught fire and the fire is creeping closer to where he is standing. He tries to take a step away from the flames, but the roof under his foot cracks and then caves in.
He falls through the roof to the floor below, smoke and fire are everywhere. He hits the floor hard and then comes up quickly as he looks around for a way out, the thick smoke stinging his eyes. Spying a doorway, he makes his way toward it through the smoke. He begins coughing, the smoke is so thick here, it’s even getting through the cloth tied to his face.
Passing through the doorway, he finds the hallway to his left is aflame, the heat from the flames searing his skin. A sudden thought crosses his mind, something James had said before he left, ‘Someone needs to go and retrieve it. Or at least destroy it and the papers it carries.’ The backpack! He takes it, throws it into the flames and watches for a brief moment as they begin to consume it and the letters inside.
Turning, he runs down the hallway away from the flames to the stairs, where the smoke is billowing up them like a chimney. With no other choice, he races down through the dense, hot smoke, barely able to see and coughing as his lungs try to expel the smoke.
At the bottom of the stairs, the flames wreathe one end of the hallway, the heat causing his hair to begin to curl and smoke. Unable to even see any longer through the smoke, he turns and moves in the opposite direction, away from the flames. Putting the heat behind him, he keeps one hand in contact with a wall as he moves blindly down the smoke filled hall. Suddenly, he feels cool air hit his face and is able to breathe a little better. Running, he makes it through the front door where he collapses on the ground, coughing and gasping, trying to get the relatively clean air into his lungs.
He hears a footstep beside him and looks up to see the officer standing there with two men holding crossbows aimed at him. The officer says something in their language and two of his men grab him and bring him to his feet as they carry him toward the jail.
Chapter Nine
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The following morning when James wakes up, his first thought is on Jiron and how he’s making out. Hope he makes it back soon, he thinks to himself. Getting up, he walks over and looks at the small pond that has developed over night. A small stream has begun to run the excess water off into the desert. It doesn’t get far before being reabsorbed back into the ground.
Waking everyone up, he then gets grain for the horses while the others have a quick meal before getting on the road.
“Wonder how Jiron’s doing?” Cassie asks.
“I’m sure he’ll be alright,” Tinok assures her. Looking over to the pond, he says, “Pretty impressive!”
“Yeah,” agrees James with satisfaction and pride. He’s created a new oasis here in this desolate land. Once the horses are fed, he takes some rations for himself and eats them quickly.
After everyone is finished eating he begins to get the horses harnessed to the wagons with help from Delia, while Tinok fills all the water bottles from the newly formed pond. By the time the sun has completely