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“Most of the night,” Brother Willim says. “The leaves of the Acriptia plant are most affective at such things.”

“We better get going,” Jiron says.

James turns to Reilin and says, “Shorty is coming with us as far as the temple complex. Should things go bad, he’ll return here and the rest of you get out of town before they come for you.”

“It won’t come to that,” he says.

“Let’s hope not,” agrees James. “But just in case…”

“I know, get out of town,” finishes Reilin.

Miko shoulders the pack containing the Book of Morcyth and Brother Willim takes his staff. When they’re ready, Jiron turns to Shorty and Stig. “Thank you for doing this for me.”

“You can pay us back by buying a round at the Squawking Goose,” Shorty tells him.

Jiron pats him on the shoulder, “I don’t know if I’ll have that much money.”

They laugh, a nervous, sad laugh.

“Come on,” he says and heads for the door. Just before he leaves he glances back one more time to his betrothed lying on the bed. “This really is for the best,” he says to himself. Then he leaves the room.

James follows right on his heels with Brother Willim and Miko coming next. After them follows Scar, Potbelly and Shorty. The rest remain within the room.

Down in the darkened street, James glances up to where the dark moon must be rising. The hackles on the back of his neck rise as a shiver runs through him. With Jiron in the lead, they make their way across town until the temple complex comes into sight. Earlier he located a deserted building where they could hide until the time came to make their play.

Once they’ve all entered the building and the door is closed, he moves to the window giving the best view of the entrance to the temple grounds that he plans for them to take. “How are we to know when the rite begins?” he asks.

“Those of us who can sense magic will know,” Brother Willim states.

“I hope so,” he says. “I don’t want to cut this too close.”

“We won’t,” James assures him. “As soon as it begins, we go.”

Jiron nods and continues looking toward the complex. He sees the guard pass whose path takes him by the entrance every ten minutes. According to the way the other guard’s routes lay, two minutes after this guard passes by the entrance is the best time in which to go.

Four times the guard passes by the entrance before James begins to feel an increase in the prickling sensation which comes when magic is being worked nearby. He glances to Brother Willim and sees him nods. “It’s time Jiron,” he tells his friend.

“Okay,” he says from the window. “The guard will pass by again in a couple minutes, then we can move out.” They crowd around the window and look toward the entrance in the outer wall of the temple complex. A few minutes later, the guard appears. “Let’s go,” Jiron says once the guard has passed by the entrance.

“Good luck,” Shorty says before they head out.

Jiron turns to him and pats him on the shoulder. “You too,” he replies. “See you back at The Ranch.” Moving out, he leads them quickly toward the entrance to the temple grounds. This area is deserted, not even animals are present this evening. Almost as if they know something is about to happen.

Upon reaching the opening in the wall, Jiron brings them to a halt while he moves forward and enters the opening. On the far side he sees the back of the guard that had recently passed in front of the opening on his way over to between two of the smaller auxiliary buildings. Once the guard has moved between them, he waves for the others to follow and runs across the grounds. There’s only about a five or six second window before another guard makes his appearance. If they haven’t reached the side of the building directly across from the entrance by the time he does, they’ll be spotted.

No sooner does Miko, who’s the last to reach the building, presses himself against its side than the expected guard makes his appearance further to their right. Emerging from between two of the smaller buildings, he turns and walks along the face of the one to