Shades of the Past_ Book Six of the Morcyth Saga - Brian S. Pratt [5]
He sees Tersa over with Aleya and Errin where they’ve finished packing away their belongings and are in the process of saddling their horses. She has a slug belt around her waist, the slots are full of iron slugs and a sling hangs from a clip. At first he was concerned about her decision to join the ranks of Delia’s slingers. This was no pleasure excursion they were embarking upon. Though now he’s come to except the fact that this is her decision.
Everyone had been told, just prior to their leaving that they were moving to tackle the Empire. James made it clear to them that some, if not all, may not make it back home alive. It filled him with pride when every last one chose to come. For some it was payback for what the Empire had done to their homeland. The others saw it as a grand adventure sure to become a bard’s saga. Not so James. He knows war to be pain, sorrow, and death. Nothing glorious or wonderful about it, just something which has to be dealt with.
“Would you leave me alone?” Potbelly’s voice reaches him from across the camp. He and Illan glance over to see where Scar is standing next to him. What is said by Scar to Potbelly couldn’t be made out but Potbelly’s face turns into a grimace as Scar turns and walks away.
“I missed their incessant bickering,” he says with a grin to Illan.
“Wasn’t Jorry and Uther enough for you?” he asks back.
“Almost,” he replies.
“Think what we brought with us will do the trick?” Illan asks after a moment’s silence.
“I hope so,” replies James. “We’ll see when we get there.”
Of everyone who’s accompanying him, Illan knows the most of what is ahead for their group. He’s the unofficial general, and except for James, his word is law. After him, James has divided the remainder into two groups. One group is comprised of those utilizing missile weapons under Delia and the other consists of the fighters under Jiron. Miko just sort of hangs out with James.
Miko has begun to mellow out over the summer. Perhaps having the Star in his possession is affecting him, James isn’t sure. It was decided that the Star would not be hidden away, rather it rests within a pouch hanging at Miko’s hip. Since they’re going to war, the healing Miko will be able to do could become invaluable.
When he first came to possess the Star, he healed Fifer of a serious injury which was about to take his life. Since then he’s used it twice. Once was for a woman in Trendle who ran afoul of a pack of wolves near the fringe of the forest. There had been rumors of what Miko had done floating around town and since the local priest was away on temple business, they sought him.
Just as happened with Fifer, he prayed to Morcyth, a nimbus surrounded his head, and a glow materialized and healed her.
The second was on James himself. After an experiment went bad, he was covered in burns and wasn’t breathing. Miko brought the Star and healed him. He was leery about doing it, the warnings James had said about only those of this world could touch it and live. But as it was this or he dies, he tried it and it worked. His burns healed and he survived.
“We’re ready,” Jiron says as he rides forward. Delia and her group are climbing into the saddle as well.
James glances over to Caleb and Jace and receives a nod from them saying the pack horses are ready. “Let’s go,” he says. Leading the way, he returns to the road from where they made camp and begins the descent through Dragon’s Pass down into Madoc.
The sun is low on the horizon when James begins walking through the streets of Illion, the people he passes are in a state of agitation. Worry over what the Empire will do and whether they will move in this direction has them all