Brian Pratt - Trail of the Gods

“You’re sure about this Colerain, then?” he asks Miko as they hurry back to the house.

“Couldn’t be anyone else,” he replies. “Not if Corim there is involved. He and his buddies are known for this sort of thing.”

“At least we have an idea where he’s being taken,” he says. Coming in through the back door, he finds them out in the front room where Jiron is lying on the couch. “Well?” he asks as he enters from the kitchen.

“I think it may be wearing off,” Jorry tells him. “Though I can’t be sure.”

“Jiron,” Illan says as he kneels on the floor by him. “We think they may be taking him to Bearn.”

His eyes move back and forth slightly as his mouth tries to form the words.

“I know, I know,” he says to him. “We’re leaving now to get him back. I’m going to leave Yern here since he’s wounded and you two are going to have to look after things while we’re gone.” Giving him a meaningful look, he adds, “If you know what I mean?”

A brief nod from Jiron shows he understands. “When Roland gets back, let him know what’s going on and see if you can get Ceryn to hang out around here until we return.”

Getting up, he glances at the worried look on Tersa’s face and says, “He’ll be fine, just drugged. I think it’s the same drug they used on James. It’s something you use on a mage to inhibit his ability to use magic.”

“Okay,” she says. “What should I do?”

“Nothing you can do for the moment,” he tells her. “Just have to wait until the effects wear off.”

“I understand,” she says as she gazes down at her brother lying there. A slight tear rolls down her face.

He puts a hand on her shoulder and says in a reassuring voice, “He’ll be fine.”

From the front door, Uther says, “The horses are ready.”

Turning his attention to Uther, he replies, “Tell Yern to come in here then go and get enough supplies to last for several days.”

“I’ll help you,” offers Tersa as she moves to the kitchen.

Uther goes outside and soon Yern comes in.

“I want you to stay here with Jiron to look after the place,” he tells him. “After the attack the other night, now this, we can’t afford to leave this place undefended.”

“I understand,” he says.

Indicating Jiron, he adds, “When he finally gets up, try to keep him from following.”

“I’ll do my best,” he says.

Miko returns from where he’d gone to get his sword. Seeing him buckling it on, Illan says, “Go on out and wait with the others. Tell ‘em we’ll be leaving in five minutes.”

Nodding, he walks out the front door.

Turning back to Yern, he says, “One of you should stay out by the road to turn people away, the other needs to walk a perimeter around the property. Keep an eye out for any more intruders.”

“Will do,” Yern assures him.

Uther comes out of the kitchen with several pouches stuffed with food. “Go distribute them among the horses,” Illan tells him then he moves to James’ room where he opens the money chest and fills his pouch with many golds, silvers, and coppers.

He moves back out through the front room, pausing only a moment to give just a cursory goodbye before he walks out the front door. Everyone is already in the saddle, waiting for him. As he mounts, he sees Tersa and Yern coming out of the front door. “We’ll get him back,” he says then kicks his horse into a gallop as they race down the lane in pursuit.

“Miko,” he hollers back to him as they reach the road, “I want you next to me. Before we get to Bearn, I want to know everything there is to know about it.”

Miko closes the gap and rides abreast of Illan as he commences telling him about Bearn.

By the time they’ve caught up with Delia’s caravan, Illan has practically exhausted Miko’s knowledge of Bearn. He thought he’d known Bearn, but with the pointed questions that Illan had been asking him, he realized just how little he knew of the city he grew up in.

Stig’s bringing up the rear of the caravan and when he sees them coming up the road, waves. The greeting he was about to give dies on his lips when he sees the grimness of their faces. Dropping the greeting, he asks, “What’s wrong?”

“Follow me,” Illan says as he comes up to where Delia’s driving the lead wagon.

“Delia!” he calls out as his horse reaches her side.

Surprised at seeing him, she quickly brings her wagon to a halt as the others with her gather around. “What brings you out here?” she asks.

“Trouble,” he replies and then proceeds to explain what happened.

“Damn!” curses Scar. “They rode by us not a half hour ago. One had been slumped over the saddle, but we never even imagined that it could’ve been James.”

“Got a favor to ask you,” Illan says to her.

“What?” she asks.

“I want to take Shorty and Scar with us,” he says. “Jorry and Uther will ride into Bearn with your caravan.”

“But you’ll need us!” exclaims Uther.

“I understand how you feel,” he tells them. “But from talking with Miko, it seems the most likely spot for them to take him would be to Lord Colerain’s estate. And Miko says the best way would be in through the sewer entrance that he and James used earlier.”

“But…” Jorry starts to object.

“It’s a very narrow passage, in which James had almost become stuck when he went through it,” he says. “I don’t think either you or Uther will be able to squeeze through.”

“You won’t be able to either,” Uther states.

“I know, but Scar and Shorty should be able to,” he tells him. “That’s why I need them. You can come in with Delia, a day or so behind us. If we’re done fast, we’ll pick you up on our way back.”

“Shorty! Scar!” Delia calls out to them. “You’re going with them.” To Illan he says, “Don’t get them killed.”

“Do my best,” he says. “Miko here says there’s an inn there called the Flying Swan. If we haven’t met up on the road before you get to Bearn, meet us there.”

“The Flying Swan,” she says. “We’ll be there, could take us two days, though.”

“Understood,” he says. Looking back, he sees Uther and Jorry now with the caravan, their faces hanging low with sullen expressions. Shorty and Stig are now behind him, happy to be doing other things than riding along with a dull caravan.

“Let’s go,” he tells his men. Nudging the sides of his horse, he gets him moving quickly down the road to Bearn. A short distance later the road forks and they follow the one that continues along the Kelewan River toward Bearn.

They continue riding hard the rest of the day and when it gets close to sundown, they see a small town ahead on the road. It’s just one of the many clusters of buildings they’ve passed through, usually consisting of not much more than an inn or a store for the occasional traveler.

This one boasts of not only an inn, but a horse trader. A corral with a dozen horses sits near a large building with a sign of a large bird in flight. “We’ll stop here for a bite to eat and rest the horses,” Illan announces.

Miko understands the necessity of stopping, but he’s anxious to find James. “Don’t worry lad,” Illan tells him when he sees the worried look on his face. “I don’t plan to be here long.”

“I hope not,” Miko replies.

Inside they find a dining room and take a long table, large enough to accommodate them all. After they order and are waiting for their food, Miko is gazing out the window at the horses in the corral and suddenly cries out, “That’s Jiron’s horse!”

“What?” exclaims Illan. “Where?”

Pointing out the window, he says, “Out there in the corral.”