The Star of Morcyth_ Book Five of the Morcyth Saga - Brian S. Pratt [132]
Leaving the dead and dying behind him, he races to the side of the inn and enters the courtyard. He finds James standing by the saddled horses holding off three men. A stone flies from his hand and takes one out as the other two charge.
With a cry, Jiron races to intercept. The men hear his cry and turn as he advances upon them. One moves to intercept him as the other continues toward James. The man heading to James suddenly cries out as he’s picked up and thrown across the courtyard where he smashes into the side of the stables.
The cry of his partner distracts the remaining man just enough for Jiron to get inside his defense and slice open his belly. Then he kicks out with his foot and smashes the man’s knee. As the man falls to the ground he yells to James, “Get on the horse!”
Closing the distance to the horses, James gets into the saddle just as Jiron catches the pommel of the saddle of his horse and quickly swings himself up. Without a word, they both kick their steeds into quick motion as they race for the way out of the courtyard.
As they near, Orlander and his bunch show up. “Don’t stop!” Jiron cries and they both hug their horses’ neck as they ride through the group.
Orlander and the others have to dive out of the way in order to avoid being trampled by the charging horses. When he gets to his feet, Orlander yells “I’ll kill you both if it’s the last thing I do!”
Leaving them behind, the two riders race through town following the western road leading to the mountains. “Let’s rejoin the others,” James tells him.
“I’m for that,” he replies. Behind them the glow which was once Orlander’s tavern lights the night.
Once they are again within the beginnings of the pass, they slow their speed. They don’t ride very far before Jiron asks, “Do you think the Empire’s men are still around?”
“Never know,” James replies. “Best if we kept an eye out.”
“Next time around should my horse become skittish I’ll be more careful,” he says, remembering the creatures they fought not too long ago.
Nodding, James says, “You got that right.”
As they ride the sky begins to lighten with the coming of the dawn.
Two hours after leaving the town behind, the thunder of approaching riders begins to be heard coming from the pass. Deciding discretion may be the wisest course at this time, they edge off the road and hide within a copse of trees.
Just as they gain the cover of the trees, the horsemen reach them and thunder past.
“Fifer!” James exclaims at the departing riders as he quickly returns to the road.
The rider in the rear turns around to glance back and cries out, “It’s James!” Miko stops his horse and turns back, the others following suit.
“What the hell happened?” Uther asks as they come close.
“A lot,” Jiron replies. “Sure am glad to see you guys.”
“Where did you get the horses?” James asks Fifer as he pulls up next to him.
Nodding back the way they came he says, “Back a ways. We were hurrying to follow you when a couple soldiers from the Empire suddenly appeared in the road ahead of us. Seems they were coming from a hard to see trail and must not have seen us. When they finally saw us, a cry went up and one of them fired a crossbow but fortunately failed to hit.”
“Yeah,” interjects Uther, “after that we charged and took them out. From the looks of them they had already seen some action, bandaged as they were.”
Nodding, Fifer looks to James and says, “Some were even sporting severe burns.”
“We saw the explosion,” Dave says, not wishing to be left out of the conversation. “What happened?”
“Let’s find a spot off the road where we’ll not be observed and I’ll tell you,” he says to them.
Turning off the road, they move through the trees until they find a suitable clearing where they can rest without those passing on the road finding them. Once settled in, James and Jiron take turns in describing all the events which transpired since they left the others.
At the