The Mists of Sorrow_ Book Seven of the Morcyth Saga - Brian S. Pratt [216]
“Be sure to take Reilin with you, just in case,” suggests James.
“I’ll take Shorty and Stig too,” he says. Then to Stig he adds, “You better leave your shield here until we return.”
Stig nods and removes his shield.
Knock! Knock!
Shorty opens the door and finds Aleya and Aku standing there in the hallway. Stepping back, he opens the door wider so they can enter.
“I got tired of sitting in the room,” she tells them as she and the boy enters. “What’s going on?”
They bring her up to date on what’s been happening, also on Jiron’s next excursion out to check on the temple guards. “See if you can scare me up some arrows too,” she says. “The two I have left won’t do much good if things go bad.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” he assures her.
Aku takes his seat on a chair in the corner and watches them as they talk. He remains fairly quiet for the most part, almost completely unobtrusive. But then again, that’s probably something slaves have to do. He’s taken to Aleya, and of all of them, seems to relax most around her. After what he’s been through and the way he’s been treated, it could be a while before he’ll be able to fully trust anyone.
“The boy doing alright?” asks Brother Willim.
“Yes,” she replies, “he’s adjusting well.”
Miko catches Jiron’s attention before he walks through the door and says, “Bring back some tarts if you can.”
“Look,” he says as his gaze moves across those gathered there, “I am not going on a shopping trip. If you want something, get it yourselves.”
“Alright, fine,” states Miko defensively. “But if you do run across a baker, I’m sure Aku would love some.”
“As well as the High Priest of Morcyth I would imagine,” Stig says with a grin.
Miko returns the grin. “I’m sure he wouldn’t turn any away.” At that the rest of them chuckle, if not outright laugh.
Jiron shakes his head and hurries through the door before something else delays him. Reilin, Shorty and Stig follow right behind.
While they’re gone to verify the accuracy of the temple complex diagram, the others adjourn to the common room for dinner and entertainment. Brother Willim and Miko opt to remain in the room and look after Aku, allowing Aleya the opportunity to have some fun.
When Jiron and the others return several hours later, they join the party in the common room. “Everything is exactly as the paper says,” he tells them. Scar gets up from his chair and takes another seat to allow Jiron to sit next to Aleya. “Thanks,” he tells Scar as he sits down.
“Not a problem,” Scar replies.
“If that one is correct, then it’s safe to say the other should be as well,” Reilin says quietly.
James nods his head, “All we have to do now is wait for tomorrow night.”
“Fortunately that will allow us to be at full strength when we begin,” Jiron says. Signaling the server, he indicates that he and the others who just arrived with him would like an ale. In short order she arrives with four mugs and sets them on the table.
After knocking back almost half of his in one long swig, Stig leans forward and says in a hushed tone, “While we were there they brought a long string of slaves into the temple.”
“I can imagine what use they’ll be put to tomorrow night,” says James. His imagination begins churning through different ways they might be used during the rites. Sacrifice, blood offering, or maybe just stealing their life for dark magics. The thought of the theft of their life for magic brings him back to the question his own morality. About how he had done the same when he used the sphere back in the Eye’s Court. Is he really any better than they are?
Yes, he is.
What he did was out of survival. They are doing it out of choice and that is the difference. The day he no longer looks for better alternatives will be the day he can count himself as being just as they are.
The rest of the evening passes well. A traveling minstrel sets up