Shades of the Past_ Book Six of the Morcyth Saga - Brian S. Pratt [106]
“They’re trying to locate him,” whispers Jiron.
“Is he okay?”
“So long as the glow remains, he’s fighting them,” explains Jiron. “Keep an eye on the door, wouldn’t want anyone coming in just now.”
Moving to the door, Jared puts an ear to the door and listens. “No one’s out there,” he says.
“That’s a relief,” mutters Jiron.
“Why?” Jared asks as he returns to the bedside.
“You see, when mages work magic, others who are nearby can sense it,” Jiron explains. Gesturing to James, he says, “This has been going on for awhile and if there had been one near, they would have been here by now.”
“You mean he could attract a mage from the Empire?” he asks.
“Yes.”
They watch him as he lays there and combats those seeking him. The glowing crystal in his hand gradually loses its glow until…
Crack!
…its glow completely disappears and shatters in his hand. After dropping it on the floor with the other, he takes the remaining crystal in hand and the battle continues.
“Doesn’t look like much is happening,” comments Jared after several more minutes.
“If they knew exactly where he was, it would be more dramatic,” Jiron replies. “Now they know he’s missing and are trying to punch their way through whatever deception he’s got going.” Turning to gaze at Jared, he continues. “Think of it like there’s a pebble hidden beneath a large blanket and you have to keep poking the surface of the blanket until you discover where it is hiding. Once you locate where the pebble is, then you use all your force to tear through the blanket until you have the pebble.”
“I don’t understand,” he says.
Jiron smiles at him and says, “I didn’t either at first. But he’s explained it to me often enough that I think I get what he means.”
The glow from the crystal in James’ hand flares as the light within begins to drop dramatically. Muscles in James’ body start to twitch as he struggles against the power of those searching. His breath becomes more labored as sweat beads across his forehead.
“What should we do?” Jared asks, the sight of what’s transpiring on the bed is starting to unnerve him. Battle hardened though he is, magic is an altogether different matter and has always unsettled him.
“Wait,” replies Jiron as he grabs a cloth and begins dabbing the sweat from James’ brow.
Suddenly, another loud ‘crack’ is heard as the last crystal shatters completely. “That’s not good,” mutters Jiron.
Jared picks up James’ sack and begins to open it thinking to get him another crystal.
“Don’t!” yells Jiron as he snatches the sack from his hands. “We don’t know which ones he can use. Take out the wrong ones and you could kill us both.”
Gulping, Jared stares at the sack as if it contained live vipers.
A moan escapes from James and both turn their gaze to him. Sweat is now streaming down his face, breath coming in ragged gasps. It doesn’t look as if he’ll be able to hold on for much longer.
A cry, a massive spasming of his muscles and then he flops back down only to lie still. Whatever was going on has obviously stopped.
“Is he dead?” Jared asks in a shaky voice.
Moving closer, Jiron lays his ear to James’ chest. After a brief moment, he hears the lub-dub of his heartbeat. Glancing to Jared, he says, “He’s alive.”
Sighing, Jared comes forward. “Thank goodness,” he breathes with relief.
“Go downstairs and have them bring food and ale up to us,” Jiron tells him. “When he wakes up, he’ll be ravenous.”
“Okay,” he replies and then exits the room, closing the door behind him.
Jiron rests on the bed next to his friend, still worried about the outcome. Did they find him or not? Have to wait until James comes to before he finds out. Getting up, he moves to the window to keep an eye out.
High atop the Tower of the Magi, Kerith-Ayxt stops his impatient pacing as Aezyl, Mage