The Mists of Sorrow_ Book Seven of the Morcyth Saga - Brian S. Pratt [117]
When his finger reaches the point where he began, he stops. “Now to pull it up,” James says. Removing his knife, he uses it to pry up one of the sides. When he has it high enough to get a grip on it, he and Jiron lift the section of the roof up and set it down on the roof next to the hole.
Reclaiming his knives, Jiron immediately grips the edge of the hole and lowers himself down. He finds himself above a bed in one of the rooms. A quick scan reveals no one is currently within the room, nor does it look like anyone is currently occupying it. Letting go, he drops onto the bed and hollers up to James, “Come on!”
As James begins working his way through the hole, Jiron moves to the closed door and can hear the soldiers on the other side in the hallway moving about. Very quietly, he throws the bolt on the door and then returns to the bed just as James drops onto it.
“Once more,” he says to Jiron. Moving over to an open area, he again kneels down and just as he did up above, begins carving out a section of the floor. This time it takes him a lot less time and as they pull the section of the floor free, light comes through from below. James gives Jiron a worried glance.
“Nothing for it now,” he says as they finish pulling the section of the floor free.
Below this room is the kitchen. The smell of baking bread rises from below where the cook is preparing food for the following morning. Jiron sticks his head down and finds the kitchen empty.
Not believing their good fortune, he is quickly through the hole and drops down to the kitchen. Many people are out in the common room, and he moves to the door leading there. Opening it a crack, he peers through and finds the room packed with people. Seems the soldiers have gathered everyone from the inn, including the staff, and is holding them there.
Closing the door, he turns just as James drops to the floor. Moving to him, he indicates the common room and whispers, “They have everyone out there.”
“Now, how do we get out of this place?” James asks.
Aside from the door leading into the common room, there is the door leading to the rear courtyard or another hallway leading further back into the inn. A look through the window overlooking the courtyard reveals over a dozen soldiers out there.
With just the hallway left, Jiron pulls a knife and moves into it. It’s rather narrow and extends a ways back. The first doorway they come to reveals the inn’s larder. Barrels and boxes rest on the floor while shelves line the walls, full of food and other cooking supplies.
Continuing on down, they come to another door. It’s opened a crack and light comes from the other side. Jiron moves to peer in through the crack and discovers a soldier of the Empire rifling through what looks to be the innkeeper’s belongings. The soldier gives a satisfied exclamation as he pulls a small pouch from one of the innkeeper’s drawers. He jiggles the sack and Jiron can hear the sound of the coins within.
A floorboard under Jiron’s foot suddenly gives off with a creak and he steps back from the crack. Within the room, the sounds the soldier was making quiets. Cursing the creaking floorboard, Jiron slowly moves back to peer into the room.
Suddenly, the door is pulled open and the soldier looks in surprise at Jiron standing there. Without thought, Jiron lashes out with his fist and connects with the man’s throat. As the man staggers backward, Jiron pulls out his knives and advances.
The man tries to cry out and alert his comrades, but the blow to his throat has frozen his vocal chords. All he can make are quiet squeaks. Pulling his sword, he brings it up barely in time to block Jiron’ attack.
No time for niceties, Jiron presses the soldier hard, feinting and attacking, blocking and thrusting. On the third exchange, he gets his knife within the man’s guard and pierces him just under the breastbone. As the man staggers into him, Jiron strikes him on the chin with the palm of his hand and snaps