Shades of the Past: The Morcyth Saga Book Six Read Online Free Page B

had stayed with the horses. Devin comes
forward with James’ horse as they draw near.
    “Everything go okay?” she asks.
    “About as expected,” Jiron says.
    “They won’t bother us any more,” Miko says as
he makes a slashing motion across his throat indicating they’re all
dead.
    “Sorry it didn’t work out the way you
wanted,” Delia says.
    “So am I,” states James, “at least he won’t
bother me again and the town appears to be quite happy with the
outcome.”
    “Yeah, one girl came and hugged him,” Uther
says with a guffaw.
    “Better not let Meliana hear about that,”
says Miko.
    “I’m sure she would understand,” replies
James. Meliana has been on his mind of late. Maybe after this
business in Madoc is over he’ll be able to arrange a visit, either
he go there or she here.
    Mounting, he says, “Let’s head down the road
a couple hours before we stop. Don’t want any of his men to seek
vengeance for tonight’s affair.” Heading out, he takes the road
leading eastward toward the Sea of the Gods. He plans to take the
northern route around the Sea seeing as how the Empire controls the
southern shore. With any luck, they should reach Pyrtlin by day
after tomorrow. It’s a major town sitting on the northern shore and
they should be able to resupply there.
     
     
     
     

Chapter Two
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    The road to Pyrtlin is a fairly straight shot
from Illion, heading mostly due southeast. Traffic is heavy as most
are fleeing to the safety of the northern kingdom. From what
they’ve managed to learn, the Empire has made probing attacks on
Madoc’s defenses, both around Lythylla that is situated to the east
of the Sea, and the line to the west between the Silver Mountains
and the Sea.
    The mood of the people is one without hope
for a future for their country. The southern half has already been
swallowed by the Empire and by all accounts, they mean to take the
rest by the time the snows come in winter.
    “Think he made it?” Jiron asks James near the
end of the first day after leaving Illion.
    “Who?” he asks, not sure just who he’s
talking about.
    “Qyrll,” Jiron clarifies. Qyrll is a Parvati
they met earlier in Cardri where Jiron saved him from an ignoble
and dishonorable existence bound to one who used him as a fighter
for sport. Though his people are part of the Empire, he and Jiron
had become fast friends. Qyrll had decided to travel with them
until he could repay the Shynti in kind.
    During the battle for the Star in Ironhold,
he saved Jiron’s life and considered the debt paid. Just before
James and the others left for Madoc, he began heading back to his
homeland, deep within the Empire.
    “Don’t see why not,” James replies. “Cardri
isn’t at war with the Empire, and though relations are strained, he
isn’t considered an enemy. He should be able to just walk across
the border with little problems.”
    “I hope so,” he says. Jiron holds an odd
position with the Parvatis. He is a Shynti, which is a rare
designation they give to only the best and bravest of warriors. It
basically makes him one of them.
    “With what’s coming ahead, you know we are
going to have to do battle with Parvatis at some point,” James
reminds him. The last time they were at Lythylla, the Parvatis were
a sizeable force within the Empire’s army.
    “I know,” he replies. He hates to think they
may kill friends and relatives of those they met while in the
Parvati homeland, but such is the fortunes of war. Though the fact
that he was a Shynti worked to their advantage the last time they
were in Lythylla, he seriously doubts if it would have the same
effect as before.
    They ride on until close to dark before
setting up camp. With this many, it takes some doing to get
everyone in their proper position. Illan was most adamant that each
of the groups set their tents together in the same area. But as the
journey has progressed, so has the ease with which everyone finds
their