The Mists of Sorrow_ Book Seven of the Morcyth Saga - Brian S. Pratt [31]
There’s no time to waste, the clock is ticking. They now must find Tinok!
After spending two more nights on the road, the walls of Al-Ziron appear before them in the late afternoon. Their horses are all but spent and they desperately need the replacements Illan promised them when they left just over a week ago.
Squads of riders patrol the countryside and they come across two with Raiders who had accompanied them to Korazan earlier in the summer. They report that the area is clear and the delegation from the Empire has arrived. Talks are already underway to halt the fighting permanently.
A cessation to the fighting is now in place until the conclusion of the talks. Whether it will become a permanent situation will depend on the skill of the representatives of the two sides. The last patrol they encountered sent a rider to inform Black Hawk of their approach. So when they draw close to the walls of Al-Ziron, they are met by Illan, and the two remaining brothers of the Hand of Asran.
Brother Willim is surprised to see the priests still here.
“I thought they were taking your fallen brethren back home?” asks Stig.
“They were,” he replies. “The fact that they are here cannot bode well.”
As the two groups meet, Illan says, “I didn’t expect you for a couple more days.” Then he takes in the thinness of the horses. “Rest assured, I have fresh mounts ready for you.”
“Thank you,” says James.
Just as he’s about to continue, Illan holds up his hand. “We need to talk in private,” he says quietly. Glancing to Brother Willim he adds, “You too.”
“Very well,” Brother Willim says.
“Trouble?” asks Jiron nodding over to the tents of the Ambassador’s party.
“Not here,” he says with a shake of his head. Turning his horse around, he leads them through the gates of Al-Ziron. “Are Delia and the others safely within Cardri?” he asks.
“Yes,” replies James. “Then we had a side trip to the City of Light.”
“Interesting?” he asks.
“Oh yes, very,” says James.
“I’d say,” adds Scar from where he’s riding behind them.
Once inside the main courtyard, guards come and take their horses. “Follow me,” Illan says as he leads them into the keep.
As they begin removing their things, Illan says, “Leave them. They’ll be taken to your rooms.”
Everyone but Miko takes his advice. Miko removes the saddlebag containing the Book of Morcyth and carries it with him. He plans on never letting it out of his possession.
Within the fortress they move down the somewhat familiar halls. As they pass down one of the hallways, Ceadric makes his appearance from out of a doorway and holds it open for them. Nodding to Illan, he stands there as they pass through.
On the other side of the door they find themselves in a large room with many tables and chairs. Once they are all in, Ceadric closes the door and stations himself outside to prevent them from being disturbed.
Illan moves to the far side of the room and takes a seat at one of the tables. The others take seats in the other chairs close to him. Brother Willim and the other two priests of Morcyth sit together at the table adjacent to his.
“Now,” says Jiron, “why all the secrecy?”
“Is the Empire up to something?” asks Stig.
He sits back a moment, then says, “I’m not sure.” Pausing for only a moment, Illan continues. “The day you left, one of my Raiders was found dead in one of the hallways. There was no discernable cause of death. No wounds from weapons,” then he gestures to the two priests of Asran, “and they said it wasn’t poison.”
Brother Willim and his brothers begin whispering together as the others assimilate what he just said. “They were kind enough to postpone their journey to return their fallen comrades until the following day. Unfortunately, by then two more had died, again within the keep and no discernable cause of death.”