The Mists of Sorrow_ Book Seven of the Morcyth Saga - Brian S. Pratt [131]
“Got it,” he says. Then Jiron leaves the room.
Moving over to Brother Willim, James asks, “How are you holding up?”
“Actually doing quite well,” he replies.
“That’s good,” James says. “There’s something that’s been bothering me.”
“What?” the priest of Asran asks.
“Back there in the building, the drug in the air affected my ability to summon magic,” he says. “Yet you were able to. Why?”
“My magic comes from a different source than yours,” Brother Willim explains. “Where you must direct and channel the power, I have merely to ask.” He can see James is somewhat understanding what he’s saying. “Can’t really explain it better than that.”
“I think I understand,” states James. “Priest magic, and that which I use, manipulates the same source of power. Only, yours comes from your god whereas I take it from within me and the world around us.”
“Something like that,” nods Brother Willim. “But as priests, we are unable to do some of the things you can. We are limited to what our god allows.”
“Checks and balances,” James says. “No matter what, there’s always something that will limit even the most powerful of people.”
“Never heard it put quite that way before,” he says. “But you’re right.”
Jiron leads Stig and Shorty out the back and down to the inn’s courtyard. Pausing at the entrance, he makes sure the area is clear. Not seeing anyone, he waves for the other two to follow him and they make a dash for the stables.
Once inside, they find that the horses’ saddle and tack are stored on shelves in the room at the rear of the stable. They go and each get a saddle with associated gear and begin to saddle the horses. Stig and Shorty finish cinching the last belt tight on their horses at the same time and go together to retrieve another saddle for the next horse.
While they are in the back gathering the appropriate equipment, a man walks into the stable and stops once he sees Jiron saddling the horse. Jiron freezes when the man begins talking to him. When Jiron fails to reply, the man pulls his sword and backs out of the inn.
Hoping to catch him before he can raise the alarm, Jiron chases him out into the courtyard. Just outside the stable he sees the man he was chasing with another dozen men. Unable to stop in time, he dodges to the side and barely evades a blade aimed at his head.
He hits the ground and rolls twice before coming back to his feet. Now, six of the men are between him and the stables. The other six are fanned out in the courtyard moving to surround him. Two of the six by the stables are moving to engage him. He strikes out at one, causing the man to jump back to avoid being struck and parries the thrust of the other. Then out of the corner of his eye he sees over twenty soldiers enter the courtyard from the entrance on the far side.
Deciding there are too many with which to deal with effectively, he back steps quickly toward the alley entrance that he originally entered the courtyard by. A sword strikes out at him and he deflects it to the side just as the other man attacks him with an overhand hack. Twisting, he manages to avoid the blow.
Stig appears in the stable’s door with Shorty right behind him. Jiron sees them there set to enter the fray. “No!” he shouts at the top of his lungs. There’re too many for them to fight their way through.
His cry, which had been directed at Stig and Shorty, causes the men before him to hesitate. Making use of the momentary lull, he turns and runs into the alley.
Stig and Shorty, realizing that there’s nothing they can do, duck back inside the stable. The men and the soldiers race past the stable door and pursue Jiron into the alley.
“Come on man!” Stig hollers as he runs over to one of the horses. Mounting, he waits a second for Shorty to do the same. Then just as they are about to leave the stable…
Crumph! Crumph! Crumph!
…and they know that James has joined the fray.
James and the others leave