The star of Morcyth ms-5 Read online

  James sits back in his chair and contemplates what he just heard.

  “They haven’t given up,” states Jiron.

  “No they haven’t,” he replies. Looking to Dave, he can see the questions behind his eyes but can he afford to give him the answers? “The Fire is an artifact of power here in this world. I have it on good authority that should the wrong people acquire it, this world could end. Or at least those who live here would wish it had.”

  “So you have it?” he asks.

  “Not any more,” he answers. “It’s hidden away for all time.”

  “Where?” he asks.

  James looks to his friend for a minute as he considers his reply. Finally, he says, “I can’t tell you.”

  “But I’m your friend!” he exclaims. “My life is in jeopardy because of it, I have a right to know!”

  Shaking his head, James says, “Dave, you are my best friend. We’ve been through a lot together but I can’t tell you. I can’t tell anyone.”

  Indicating the others, he asks, “Do they know?”

  Shaking his head, James says, “No, they don’t. No one does but me and it’s going to stay that way.”

  Somewhat mollified at knowing he isn’t the only one who doesn’t know, he calms down.

  James hated to lie to his friend, but he’s too vulnerable. This latest escapade shows him that not only himself, but those around him are likely to be sought. And how did they know he was here. Something’s afoot and he needs to figure out what.

  He gets to his feet, tired and exhausted. Looking at everyone in the room he says, “As much as we all need to rest, we better get out of here. If there are agents from the Empire here, there’s no telling what they may be planning next.”

  “I agree,” Illan says. To Fifer and Qyrll he says, “Go down to the stables and get the horses ready for travel.” As they move to leave the room, he adds, “Be alert.”

  “Count on it,” Fifer says. Then he and Qyrll pass into the hallway and move to the stairs.

  Turning back to James, he says, “Now that they’ve tipped their hand, we’ll be on guard.”

  “That’s something at least,” James replies. Getting up from the chair, he says to Miko, “Go down to the kitchen and fill several packs with food.”

  Miko looks at him askance as he says, “Isn’t that stealing?”

  “Stealing from whom?” Jiron asks. “The innkeeper and son are dead and we haven’t seen anyone else around the whole time we’ve been here. Likely as not, if we leave the food it’ll just spoil.”

  “Right, I hadn’t thought of that.” Miko grabs his bag and heads down to the kitchen.

  James glances to Jiron and says, “I hope there’re no tarts down there or that’s all he’ll get.”

  Breaking out into a grin, he says, “I better go help him.” Taking his pack, Jiron leaves the room and follows Miko down to the kitchen.

  James, Illan and Dave make their way down to the stables where they find all but two of the horses already saddled. Fifer and Qyrll are getting the saddles ready for the remaining two.

  Taking the reins of his horse, he leads him out into the inn’s courtyard as does Dave and Illan. They wait there a moment before Miko and Jiron exit the back door of the inn, each with two bulging sacks of food for their journey back. One small pouch hangs around Miko’s neck and Jiron nods toward it and mouths, ‘Tarts’.

  James gives him a grin and by the time they have the food secured to the horses, Fifer and Qyrll come out with the others. Once mounted, they follow the north road through town.

  Several townsfolk watch them as they ride by. Whether or not they realize they were the ones who took care of Serenna or not, they make no move toward them nor do they offer a greeting. It’s going to take some time before this town is back the way it was before all the unpleasantness.

  They finally reach the outskirts and break into a fast trot as they leave Willimet behind.

  Chapter Seventeen

  While he rides through the night, his mind continues going over the events during the battle with Serenna and her followers, mainly, the shadows which came from the globe. They were identical in look and feel as the ones he encountered that time Igor came to save his butt. He’s still not sure where he was. Whether it was another plane of existence, another world or maybe just a terrifying dream, he’s not sure. But after seeing the shadows appear from the globe, he’s convinced it wasn’t just a dream.

  Since coming to this world, he’s encountered several forces, malignant in nature. By far the worst experience was the one on that other world. From the various books he’s read back home, he has a couple theories as to why these things may be happening, none of which will be pleasant if they’re true.

  Two hours from Willimet, they come across another of the areas catering to travelers. This one has but an inn and one other building behind it which looks to be the innkeeper’s home. Both buildings are dark.

  Illan brings them to a halt before coming very close. He sits there for a moment.

  “What’s wrong?” James asks him.

  “Doesn’t feel right,” he says. “There’s usually always a light of some kind at an inn.” To Jiron he says, “Go check it out.”

  “Right,” he replies and then dismounts from his horse. While the others wait there in the road, he makes his way toward the inn.

  The front door is ajar. Removing a knife from his belt, he steps toward the door. Pausing a few feet from the door, he looks inside but all he can see are shadows cast by the faint light of the moon shining in through the windows. Placing his hand against the door, he slowly pushes it open. The hinges of the door squeal slightly, giving an eerie feel to the place.

  When the door is open far enough to allow him to enter, he releases the door and steps through. The stench from within hits him like a wall, death has been here. Moving inside, he tries to breathe through his mouth to minimize his reaction to the odor. On a nearby table he sees a candle silhouetted by the moonlight coming in through a window. Making his way over to it, he sets his knife on the table and removes his flint from his pouch. After two tries he manages to get the candle lit.

  The candle’s light reveals a macabre scene. Several people lie dead on the floor, another is slumped across a table. A quick survey shows none of the people are still alive. “Hello?” he hollers. “Is anyone here?” Listening for a moment, he fails to hear anything and then makes his way back to the door.

  Sticking his head out, he hollers to the others, “I think everyone here is dead!”

  The others come to the inn where they dismount and secure their horses to the front hitching post. “James,” Jiron says from the front door, “you better come in here.”

  Coming to the door with the others following, James sees the ghastly scene in the common room. “Looks like the work of Serenna’s followers,” he says. When the smell hits him, he takes out a cloth and puts it over his nose.

  Suddenly from upstairs, they hear a floor board creak as if someone is walking around. Without hesitation, Jiron moves to the stairs and cautiously ascends to the second floor with Fifer and Qyrll right behind.

  “Be careful,” offers James.

  Jiron ignores him and continues up. At the top of the stairs is a hallway running the length of the second floor with doors lining both sides. The noise had to of come from either the first or second room on the left. The first door is open, the second one is closed.

  Motioning for Fifer and Qyrll to follow, he edges toward the first door and glances through the doorway into the room. Standing in the middle of the room is a person, silhouetted by the light coming in through the window. The smell of death is in this room as well.

  “Are you okay?” Jiron asks the person in the room.

  Other than shifting its feet, the person makes no reply.

  “Are you hurt?” When no reply is forthcoming, he hollers to those downstairs, “Bring up the candle, we need some light.”

  Jiron stands there in the doorway
and keeps an eye on the individual in the room as James brings the candle up from below. The others follow as well. When the light at last illuminates the room, they see the person is another of Serenna’s followers. The man looks emaciated and has the same lost, dazed look the others had when her hold over them was broken.

  Illan comes behind James and when he sees the man, turns to the others and says, “Search all the rooms, there may be more.”

  One by one they search the rooms and find five others in the same state as the first man. “What should we do with them?” Fifer asks.

  They look to James who shrugs, “I don’t know what we can do. They may snap out of it, or they may not.”

  “Are we just going to leave them here?” Jiron asks.

  Nodding, James says, “I think that would be the prudent thing to do. At the next town up the road we’ll tell someone who can come back and take care of them.”

  “You’re not still planning on staying here are you?” Dave asks from where he stands at the top of the stairs.

  “Hardly,” he replies. “Let’s bury the dead and then get out of here.”

  Dave stops him at the top of the stairs and asks, “Why?”

  James looks him seriously in the eye and says, “I can’t believe you just asked me that.” Brushing past him, he goes downstairs to find a shovel.

  They find several out back by the house and commence digging one large communal grave. Once it’s large enough, begin to fill it with the dead from the inn. During the process, the mind dead wander around aimlessly, one actually falling down the stairs and ends up breaking her neck. So they pick her up and add her to the grave.

  When at last all the dead are buried, they have a moment of silence and then get mounted. They ride for an hour before pulling off the road and making camp near a small stream. Exhausted beyond measure, James finds a good spot to rest while the others volunteer to see to his horse. He no sooner gets his head on his pack than he falls asleep.

  Early the next morning when the sun begins to rise, he wakes to find Fifer on watch. The others are sound asleep and snoring up a storm. He gets up and comes to the fire and sits down next to him.

  They break out some of the food which was appropriated from the inn back in Willimet and have breakfast. It isn’t long before everyone is up and eating. Dave is the last one to rise.

  “Are we heading home now?” Miko asks him.

  Nodding, he says, “That’s the plan. Need to talk to Ceryn about something then may be going on another trip.”

  “So soon?” he asks.

  “Yes,” he replies. “Have to find out what Ironhold is and where. Ceryn’s been around so I’m hoping he may know something about it.”

  “We’re probably two or three days from The Ranch,” interjects Illan.

  “Can’t wait to get back,” Jiron says. “Tersa must be worried sick about me.”

  Just then from the north, they see a dozen or so riders coming their way. When they get close enough, they see that they’re part of the Cardri cavalry. James comes to his feet as they approach and the officer comes forward and says, “Heard there’s some strange happenings going on around here. Have you seen anything out of the ordinary?”

  Nodding, James says, “An hour or so to the south is an inn. We found the occupants slaughtered and several mindless people wandering around. Buried the dead and left the mindless to continue wandering.”

  “Slaughtered you say?” he asks.

  “That’s right,” he replies. “Same thing was happening down in Willimet. Those people down there need some help that’s for sure.”

  The officer waves over a subordinate and has a few quiet words with him which James cannot make out. When he’s done, he turns back to James and says, “Thanks for the information.”

  “You’re welcome,” he says.

  The officer then calls for his men to begin moving and they double time it down the road.

  “Looks like those people are going to get help after all,” remarks Fifer.

  “Maybe,” says James, “if they don’t just kill them.”

  “True,” adds Illan. “At least it’s not our problem anymore.”

  James nods his head as he returns to the campfire and finishes eating.

  On the road again, they continue their northerly course, anxious to get home. Setting a quick pace they manage to reach the city of Guellin by the night of the second day. The sheep ranches come into view long before they see the skyline of the town. Shepherds are out among them, minding their flocks. Some wave a hello while others pointedly ignore them.

  As the road enters town, a large three story building sits on their right with a sign of a sleeping sheep hanging by the front door.

  “Looks like a good spot,” says James. The grounds are relatively free of debris and the inn has an overall look of having been well maintained.

  “Shall I see if they have any rooms?” Jiron asks.

  Getting down from his horse, James stretches his sore muscles and says, “Sure. See if they have four. I’d like one on at least the second floor.”

  “You got it,” he says as he goes up and enters the door.

  “Just another day to Trendle,” Illan tells him as he comes to stand next to him.

  “Good. I’m tired of riding,” he admits.

  Miko gets down and has the last of his tarts in his hand. James can’t believe he’s still eating them. Last night they seemed a bit off but Miko wasn’t swayed by the chance of food poisoning. James tried to explain it to him but the concept was simply too far beyond his understanding. He couldn’t see how something which doesn’t smell or taste bad could be. So James just shrugged and hoped for the best.

  “James, look,” Says Miko as he points across the street.

  A woman walks along the far side of the street with a small girl behind her. His eyes widen and a smile comes to his face when he sees the little girl carrying what has to be one of Tersa’s teddy bears. He nudges Illan and nods in their direction.

  “Guess you really had something there,” he says.

  “I’m going to go find out where she got it,” James tells him as he steps into the street. Making a beeline for her, the mother soon becomes aware of his approach and stops. She puts herself in front of her daughter as he comes close.

  “Excuse me,” he says and then points to the teddy bear, “but could you tell me where you got that?”

  Visibly relaxing, she replies, “Argoth’s down the street has them.” She then points to the right.

  “Thank you,” he says and gives her a nod as he leaves.

  “Be right back,” he hollers over to the others as he makes his way to Argoth’s. He barely takes four steps before Fifer, Qyrll and Miko join him. When he looks questioning at them, Fifer says, “Illan doesn’t want you out alone.”

  He glances back to see Dave standing with Illan, a sullen expression on his face. “Very well then.” They continue down the street until they see a store with a large window. Four of Tersa’s teddy bears are displayed there. He grins to Fifer when he sees them.

  Walking in, he finds a portly man organizing small pouches into a neat pile. As they enter, he turns to greet them. “Good day to you gentlemen,” he says with a warm smile. “How may I help you today?”

  James gestures to the teddy bears in the window and says, “I saw a woman with a little girl who had one of those and wanted to find out about them.”

  “We just got them in a few days ago,” he says. “At first I didn’t really think they would do much, but so far I’ve sold half.”

  “People really like them?” he asks.

  Nodding, he replies, “The kids do. The trader lady who sold them to me suggested that I give one away and just see what happens. I thought that a rather foolish thing to do so before she left, she gave one to a little girl. After the girl left, she said, ‘If you sell all those in a week, you pay me for the one I just gave away.’ Of course I told her I would, but I didn’t think it would work. But sure enoug
h, I sold three more that day just from people whose kids saw the little girl with hers.”

  He looks to James and asks, “Are you interested in buying one?”

  Shaking his head, he says, “No. I was just curious. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” the shopkeeper says as they turn to leave.

  When they’re back outside the shop, Miko asks, “Why did you want to know about them?”

  “Just doing a little market research,” he says. He smiles at Miko’s blank look of not understanding. Who would have thought Mr. Edward’s class on economics would have come in handy here. Unable to stop himself, he breaks into a short laugh.

  The others look at him a bit oddly.

  Back at the inn, they find Jiron has already arranged for their rooms. Taking their horses around back to the stables, they get them settled in for the night before returning to their rooms.

  Later on when they convene in the common room for their evening meal, they take a large table off to one side. The room begins to fill as other travelers as well as locals come to have their meals. A bard sets up and begins playing by the time the server has brought them their food.

  “I doubt if they’ve given up yet,” Jiron suddenly says.

  “Who?” Fifer asks.

  “The people who were interrogating Dave,” he explains. “It still bothers me that one of them got away.”

  “True,” agrees Illan. “But if we stay together and keep alert, we should have no problem.”

  “Wish they would just stop,” says Miko.

  Dave gives a short laugh at that.

  Turning to him, Jiron asks, “You got something to say?”

  Giving Jiron a sardonic look, he replies, “They’re never going to stop! They will keep at him until they have what they want.” To James he says, “Would it be so bad to give it to them if it would mean living without the fear of being attacked at any moment.”

  Jiron gives him a look of barely disguised disgust.

  Shaking his head, James says, “Never. They could give me no guarantee that I would believe. Besides, giving it to them may prove more disastrous than the possibility of continued attacks.”