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Suddenly, whoever was seeking the Fire, stops. James cancels the conduits quickly and almost feels fried as a backlash of power burns through him. Crying out, he falls backward into Jiron’s arms and slumps into unconsciousness.

Chapter Thirteen

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“Now what?” asks Jorry as they gather around Jiron who’s cradling James’ head in his lap. A large circle of devastation radiates outward from James and the box, almost reaching the road.

“I don’t think we should stay here,” Jiron says. “Until he wakes up, we’ll not know if they found out where we are.”

“I agree,” Illan says. Indicating James, he says to Jiron, “Better get him on his horse, tie him if you must. The rest of you, get mounted.”

Uther lends a hand with helping to secure James on the horse. Illan takes the old blanket and again wraps the box before securing it behind James’ saddle. When everyone is mounted and ready to go, he turns to Jiron and asks, “Do you know exactly where he planned to go?”

“Trademeet,” he says. “Though we shouldn’t go through Trendle on the way back, we don’t want anyone knowing we’ve turned around.”

“Good point,” he says. “Let’s move.” They come back to the road where Illan turns them to the south as they follow it back around the forest.

Several hours past noon they return to the fork in the road with the branch leading due east. He turns them that way. “How’s he doing?” he asks Jiron.

“About the same,” he replies. “He’s not going to look like he’s improving until he actually regains consciousness.”

“Let me know,” he says.

“I will.”

Near nightfall, James begins moaning and thrashing around on his horse. Jiron moves next to him and somehow manages to calm him down. By that time, they have all stopped and gathered around him.

Illan looks to Jiron with a concerned look on his face.

“We need to find a place to rest for the night,” Jiron tells Illan. “I don’t know what that was, but he never did anything like that before.”

“Okay. Next place with an inn, we’re stopping.”

The next place happens to come along an hour later. Just a bunch of buildings along the side of the road, not much more than a place catering to travelers who weren’t able to reach the next town.

No sign hangs out in front of the inn and the place looks a little worse for wear. Several horses, along with a small caravan are tied around back. This place doesn’t even have a decent stable for the horses. If it wasn’t for James’ need for a good night’s rest, Illan would’ve passed this place by.

“Uther, go in and see if they’ve got at least three rooms for us.”

Nodding, he gets down from his horse and enters through the front door. Returning shortly, he says, “They’ve got the rooms, cheap too.”

“Jorry, take the horses around back and stay with them,” he says. “I don’t trust a place with no stable.”

Not looking happy about it, he says, “Alright.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll all take turns watching the horses,” he assures him.

As he leaves with the horses around back the rest go in through the front door. Uther and Jiron carry the unconscious James between them. Illan goes and confers with the innkeeper while the others stay near the front door. An exchange of silvers produces three keys for rooms upstairs. When they carry James through to the stairs leading up, the innkeeper gives them a curious look but otherwise says nothing.

Once in their rooms, they lay James out on one of the beds. Illan sets the box on the floor next to him before leaving to make sure the rest get squared away properly. He returns a short time later and says, “I’m arranging for all of us to eat in our rooms. I’ll have something sent up for you two.” When Jiron nods from where he sits next to James on the bed, he asks, “How is he?”

“Don’t know,” Jiron replies, worried. “He’s still breathing.”

“That’s something,” says Illan. “There’ll be someone posted outside your rooms all night. So if you need anything, or if there’s any change, let us know.”

Nodding, he says, “Sure.” After Illan has left, he looks to his friend and