The Mists of Sorrow_ Book Seven of the Morcyth Saga - Brian S. Pratt [213]
The light reveals that the opening is going to be a tight squeeze for him. He then moves toward it and reaches a hand in and begins working his body through to the other side. Though it’s small, he manages to wriggle through and comes out beneath a table and finds himself on the floor of the chandler’s shop.
Turning back to the opening, he discovers the outside of the wooden panel has stone attached to it. When he swings the panel closed, it blends in perfectly with the stone of the wall. He then comes out from under the table and scans the shop for the way out. The door opening onto the street is to his right and he makes his way to it. Looking out, he sees the street passing in front of the shop still has people upon it. With it still being an hour until sundown, he’s sure to be spotted quickly if he were to leave that way.
He makes his way through the shop and finds the back door. Opening it slowly, he discovers an alley running behind the shop. He peers out cautiously only to find there’s no one in the vicinity. James then exits the building quickly and shuts the door behind him.
Once out in the alley, he turns down to the right and hurries to the end. Then, walking like he has a purpose, he enters the street and tries to figure out how to get back to the inn.
Chapter Thirty Six
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“He’s not in there.”
Jiron quickly turns around from where he’s been watching the guards outside the narrow alley that James and the young man disappeared into some time ago. He and the others had followed them to here, but after James and the slave had passed into the alley, these guards showed up and have been hanging around the entrance to the alley ever since.
When he turns around, you could imagine his surprise when he finds the slave who escorted James into the alley standing there. “What did you say?” he asks.
“Your friend isn’t in there anymore,” the young man replies. “He’s probably back at the inn by now.” He gives them a grin and then makes to move onto the street.
Jiron grabs him by the arm and stops him.
“Take your hand off me or I will scream,” the young man says.
Removing his arm, Jiron asks, “Is he okay?”
“Yes,” he replies. “You really should get back there to him.”
“Why?” asks Miko.
The young man doesn’t reply, instead he steps quickly and is soon out on the street among the people passing by.
“Let’s go,” Jiron says. “Something’s up and we need to get back there fast.” With a last glance to the guards before the alley, he moves out onto the street. Beside him walks Reilin and together they lead the others back to the inn.
Jiron is cursing in his mind the decision of James to go with the young man. He knew there was going to be trouble. Setting a brisk pace, they work their way through the early evening crowd on the street and eventually the inn appears ahead of them.
As they move to the front door, they see James in his loincloth moving toward them from down the street. “What happened?” asks James and Jiron of each other at the same time when they come together.
They both pause a moment then James asks, “Is everyone alright?”
Jiron nods then begins to ask him a question in turn when Brother Willim steps forward and says, “Maybe we should discuss this inside?”
Glancing around them, they can see they have begun to draw the attention of the other people passing on the street. After all, they are a large group standing in the middle of the road.
Nodding to the inn James says, “When I tried to go up to my room, they kicked me out. I don’t know what they were saying, but it definitely wasn’t nice.”
“Could’ve been they didn’t recognize you,” suggests