Warrior Priest of Dmon-Li - Brian Pratt [159]
“…don’t care, this must be done before the night’s over!” exclaims one voice.
“I understand that milord,” the second voice replies.
“You have the antidote?” the first one asks.
“Yes, right here,” answers the second.
“Can you give the one called James enough for him to answer questions, yet not enough to allow him to use his powers?” asks the first one.
“Yes, milord,” he replies.
The two men round the corner of the stairs as they begin to move down the hallway toward the double doors. One is dressed richly with the trappings of rank and has a commanding presence. The other is dressed finely as well, though is obviously the other’s subordinate. Looking to the one with the trappings of rank, he thinks, Must be the Councilman Rillian.
He waits until they pass into the hallway and begin moving down to the doors before coming back to the landing. He peers around the corner and watches as they move toward the double doors. The guard standing in front sees them coming, straightens up and opens one of the doors for them. He stands at attention while they pass into the room. Jiron suddenly realizes this is his chance. The guard is standing at attention and is facing away from him.
As the guard begins to close the door, Jiron sprints forward on the balls of his feet to avoid making any noise the guard might hear. He reaches him just as the door swings shut. Before the guard even realizes what’s happening, Jiron grabs his head and slides a knife across his throat, silencing him.
Jiron holds the guard as he gasps out his last breaths, preventing him from falling to the floor with a clatter and announcing his presence to those within the room. When the guard at last becomes still, he drags his lifeless body further down the hallway away from the door, and then quietly lays him down.
Moving back to the double doors, he puts his ear to them but the thickness of the doors muffles the voices from within.
Suddenly, one of the doors opens up and the Councilman’s underling begins to say, “Go down to the…” Then he realizes Jiron is there and tries to slam shut the door.
Throwing his shoulder against it, Jiron pushes the door into the room and follows right after. He grabs the underling and places a knife against his throat as he looks over to where Councilman Rillian is seated in a chair next to James.
The Councilman looks to Jiron in shock as he sits there. When he looks to draw a knife from his belt, Jiron says, “Don’t! I have no problems with killing you both if you try anything.”
Looking haughtily at Jiron, Councilman Rillian says, “Do you even know who I am?”
Nodding, he replies, “You’re the Councilman Rillian. A traitor to your people and a spy for the Empire.”
“Harsh words from someone intruding upon what he aught not to,” replies Councilman Rillian. He gestures to the window he’s sitting next to and says, “I can but call for help and a hundred men will be here in moments.”
“You could,” agrees Jiron. “But then you’d have to explain why you have friends of Lord Pytherian tied up and drugged here. I don’t think you could talk your way out of that.”
He narrows his eyes at Jiron and says, “It seems we are at an impasse. Surely we can work this out somehow?”
“All I want are my friends there,” he tells him, nodding over at the two comatose forms on the couch. “Then I’ll leave.”
“Just like that?” he asks. “I don’t think I can let any of you out of here alive.”
Then Jiron notices his eyes flick for only a brief moment to the hallway behind him. He suddenly kicks out with his foot and connects with a guard that had been sneaking up behind him. Glancing back quickly, he watches as the guard stumbles back a few paces and then draws his sword.
Jiron pushes the man he’s holding further into the room as he turns to shut the door before the guard has a chance to prevent him. With a bang, the door slams shut and Jiron turns the lock. The guard on the outside