Warrior Priest of Dmon-Li - Brian Pratt [155]
“When it was reported that another ‘James’ had showed up at the gates, it was fairly easy to track you down. I made sure you were the ones who contacted me first, I just made myself available. Then it was simple to lead James into the trap that captured him.”
“What did you do to him?” asks Miko.
“Oh, he’s alive, to be sure,” he assures him. “They were most explicit in that regard. We set out some food laced with a drug to inhibit his magical abilities and told him to help himself while he waited for Lord Pytherian.”
“Now what?” Jiron asks as he comes closer to him. “What are they planning to do to him?”
Shrugging, he says, “I was never involved with that. My job was simply to get him there and make sure he didn’t suspect anything.”
“Is there anything else you’re not telling us?” Miller asks.
“No, I swear it!” he exclaims. “Can I go now?”
“What?” Miller says with a laugh. “I don’t think so. We’ll just hold you here until we’re sure you haven’t just fed us a bunch of cow dung.”
Miller turns to his men and says, “You guys stake out the gates leading out of the castle. There’re three of them so two to a gate. If you see James or Fifer leave, or anyone else leaving in an odd manner, one of you comes back here to me and the other follows them. Understand?”
His men nod and as they leave one of them hits Shyn across the back of the head causing him to cry out.
Jiron looks to Miller and says, “You staying here?”
“Someone’s got to watch this piece of trash,” he replies. “You?”
“I’m going to get into the castle area and find James,” he explains. “Miko, you stay here too.” Seeing him start to argue, he holds up his hand and says, “I may need to go where you can’t follow. Stay here and I’ll find him, okay?”
“Okay,” he says.
Jiron goes over to Shyn and asks, “Where is the building he’s being held in?”
“There’s a courtyard in front of the gates to the castle itself,” he tells him. “It’s the building on the east side.”
“Which room?” he asks.
“It’s on the second floor,” he says. “Follow the corridor down from the top of the stairs and you’ll find a pair of double doors on the right. Last I knew, he was in there.”
“If he’s not, you’re dead,” Miller says to him. To Jiron he adds, “Good luck.”
“Thanks,” he says as he heads to the door. After opening the door, he glances to a worried Miko and says, “Don’t worry, I’ll get him out.”
“When you see him, tell him One Eye is in the city,” Miko tells him, “he’ll understand.”
Jiron nods his head as he leaves the room.
Chapter Twenty Six
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Leaving the inn behind, Jiron moves quickly and silently through the dark streets. The castle rises up before him to the south, its spires standing tall behind the wall enclosing the castle area. If Shyn is to be believed, James is being held in a building on the far side of the castle itself.
He makes his way around to the nearest gate which lies on the north side. The gate is large enough for two wagons to pass through side by side and still have enough room for foot traffic. The area is well illuminated and there are two guards on duty.
The buildings of the outer area end a hundred feet from the wall. It looks like that continues the entire way around, most likely to give the defenders a clear killing area should the enemy make it this far within the city.
Crouched in an alley a little way down from the gate, he tries to determine the best way to enter. Suddenly, a hand touches his shoulder from behind. He turns around fast, knife in his hand and just before he strikes, recognizes Jorry and Uther. “Man, you scared me!” he exclaims quietly.
He hears a chuckle come from Jorry as Uther says, “Sorry.”
Indicating the guards at the gate, he says, “Just the two of them?”
“Yeah,” replies Uther. He glances at Jiron and asks, “You gonna try to get in?”
“I hope to and see if I can’t find James and Fifer,” he tells them.
Jorry spits on the ground and then curses, “Damn that Shyn!”
“Yeah,” agrees Uther. “I can’t believe Miller’ll let him go.”
“He’s not loose yet,” Jorry says.
“True.