When the horses are ready, James and Jiron put the fires out to hide the evidence of their attack until morning. Mounting, they turn their horses again to the north as they move through the trees.

They don't travel long before the trees open up onto plains again. They turn and follow the tree line as it moves to the northwest. As the moon clears the horizon, mountains can be seen ahead of them to the northwest.

"Are those the mountains you were talking about earlier?" James asks Fifer.

"Yeah," he replies. "On the other side is where the Empire's army was when we last went by."

"How are you doing?" James asks Jiron.

"Tired, but alright," he replies.

"Let's go another couple hours," James announces, "and when the sky begins to lighten, find a spot to hide throughout the day and rest. Tomorrow night, we can make the attempt to pa.s.s through their lines."

"I'm for that," Jiron says tiredly from where he's riding next to him. The rigors of the last few days, not to mention lack of sleep, are definitely taking their toll on him.

They continue to follow the trees and soon the terrain turns into hills as they get closer to the mountains. When the sky begins to lighten, they search for somewhere to hide and rest until night.

Moving further into the trees, they come to a spot with a hill between them and the plains with the mountains behind them. Securing their horses, they set about making camp. Miko breaks out the food he'd acquired earlier and they have a meal of cold, stale rations along with the meat they still have from before.

The others allow Jiron to sleep the entire time as they take turns at watch. James again takes the first one with Miko following him in the dreaded mid watch.

During Fifer's watch, he hears a commotion from the plains to the east and climbs to the top of the hill. Dozens of riders are riding to the north, fast. Must've found the slain soldiers back at their camp. Must've found the slain soldiers back at their camp.

He continues watching them until they disappear in the distance. For the remainder of his watch, he remains sitting upon the hill overlooking the plains but sees no other riders pa.s.sing during the afternoon.

When the light begins to fade, he comes back to the camp and proceeds to wake everyone up. Another quick meal and then they saddle up and mount. By this time, the sun has gone down and they're able to leave the shelter of the trees without fear of being spotted.

Chapter Twenty Three.

Back to the edge of the tree line, they move out into the gra.s.slands in order to make better time. They continue to follow along the tree line as it moves north through the hills. The mountains grow large ahead of them and after an hour of riding, they reach their base. Skirting around the tall mountains, they stay in the foothills as they continue north.The hours pa.s.s as they follow the mountains on their left. Moving along the foothills is fairly easy, the waning moon giving them ample light to see.

An hour or two before the approach of dawn, they round a hill and come upon a camp of enemy soldiers. In their haste, they fail to take notice of the enemy camp before one of their sentries sees their approach and calls out to them. When they fail to answer, the soldier fires a crossbow bolt and begins shouting, alerting those within the camp to their presence.

The bolt flies past Jiron just as he brings his horse to a quick stop. Turning their horses around quickly, they flee to the south just as a horn begins to sound from the camp behind them. Far to the south, an answering call can be heard.

"d.a.m.n!" curses Jiron as he turns them eastward, riding fast away from the two forces. Horns blare behind them as they call to each other and in the moonlight, enemy riders can be seen racing out of the camp in pursuit. One of the riders sounds a horn when he catches sight of them fleeing across the gra.s.slands, letting the entire countryside aware of their whereabouts.

It isn't long before horns can be heard coming from ahead of them to the east as well. Having little choice, they turn to the north to avoid those ahead of them and ride hard as they try to outdistance their pursuers.

"James, can you do something?" Jiron hollers to him as he races close by.

"I can't see them," he replies. "I can't be sure of being effective until I know just how many are back there and exactly where they are."

"How far away is dawn?" Fifer asks.

"An hour," guesses Jiron. "Maybe more."

Another round from the horns behind them sound in the night. "We've got to silence those horns!" Fifer yells. "If we don't, the armies ahead of us will know we're coming and there goes our chance of sneaking through their lines."

"How many do you think are behind us?" asks James.

"There were about twenty at the camp we almost ran into," Jiron says. "Add to that the other two groups, maybe a hundred. More?"

"I can't take out that many!" James exclaims. "Not in the dark anyway, I can't be sure to even get them."

As they continue to fly across the plains, he begins to get an idea. Hating to do it to the poor horses, but he's got no choice. Concentrating hard, he begins creating a patchwork of holes behind them in the ground. Each is seven inches in diameter and a foot deep. Any horse putting its leg in it will have it broken, especially at the speed they're going.

He creates his...o...b..so the riders behind them will know in which direction to follow them. "What're you doing?" cries Jiron. "We're trying to lose them not attract them!"

"I want them to follow right behind us," he says, voice strained from the effort to talk, and create the holes behind them at the same time. It's taking far more out of him to create the patchwork of holes than he'd expected and it isn't long before he begins developing the beginnings of a whopper of a headache.

Suddenly, a horse can be heard crying out in pain behind them as it sets its hoof in one of the holes. Then, several more cry out as they, too, get their legs broken.

"What's happening?" asks Fifer as they slow a fraction.

"Sounds like their horses are in distress," Jiron says as he glances behind them. More and more horses begin crying out as they step into the holes.

After several minutes of creating the holes, James stops and they ride on at a reduced pace for a few minutes. The horns behind them have quieted and the sound of pursuit has fallen off as well. "I think that slowed them down a little," he says. From the sound of his voice, the others can tell that bit of magic had taken its toll.

"Sounds like it," Miko says.

They ride on for another half an hour before the sky to the east begins to lighten up. Glancing behind them as the light increases, James is relieved not to see any sign of their pursuers.

The mountains begin to fall off behind them as the range moves more to the west. To the north, a large body of foot soldiers appears far in the distance ahead of them, moving to the northeast. They stop abruptly and turn around, moving southwest to avoid them. Soon the army is out of sight behind them.

Far off to the west, they begin to see smoke rising from a large structure sitting along the base of the mountains. "That army must have just come from there," supposes Jiron.

"Think they left anyone there?" asks James.

"Why?" asks Fifer.

"If they didn't, it might be a good place to hide until night," he explains. "Why would they go back if everyone there is dead?"

"Good point," says Fifer.

"But they might also be using it for a forward staging area," Jiron says. Pointing in that direction, he says, "Look, you can see people moving around the structure."

Straining to see, James nods as he makes out several people moving there. He says, "You are right. Better not chance it."

Several miles to their north is another line of trees. Indicating them, Jiron says, "Maybe we could make it there before anyone sees us."

"Maybe," replies James as he sits there and thinks a moment.

"We gotta go somewhere," Miko says in exasperation. "We're kind of exposed sitting here."

"To the trees then," decides James and everyone nods agreement.

They turn their horses north and break into a gallop. To the east, they can see the tail end of the marching column of soldiers in the distance, but hold to their course.

It's a very tense time as they make for the trees, James expects to hear horns from all direction when they're discovered. But as luck would have it, they make it to the trees without being spotted. Or if they did, whoever saw them took them for their own. After all, they are behind the enemies' lines.

They move deep within the forest and continue with their northward trek. The sun continues to climb in the sky as they forge through the forest, not making near the speed they had on the plains, but are definitely less likely to be discovered.

Deeper into the forest, they come across a small river as it flows southward. Tired and exhausted, they stop at a clearing near it and take a rest break. Breaking out their food, they have a quick meal before continuing on.

"How much further do you think before we reach their lines?" James asks Fifer.

"We're already past where they were when we went south after Lord Pytherian," he replies. "No telling how far they've pushed north since then. Lythylla is only a day or so to the north, I would think that's where we'll find the bulk of their armies."

"That one we saw moving around the forest," Jiron says, "do you think they could have been on their way there?"

"Likely," says Fifer. "But who knows for sure?"

Once they're done eating and the horses have had a rest, they remount and begin moving north through the forest again. They decide not to follow the river northwest, instead they head due north, hoping to avoid anyone that might be using it.

The day progresses as they continue through the woods, sometime after noon they hear a rustling ahead of them. Suddenly, four men with longbows step out of the trees, arrows knocked and ready. Several others step out with them, one comes forward and says, "Stop and identify yourselves."

"You Madoc's men?" James asks.

Nodding, the man waits for their reply.

Fifer steps forward and says, "I'm Fifer, belong to Miller's band." Indicating the others, he says, "These here are friends."

The man eyes him suspiciously and says, "Don't know any Miller's band and you're not familiar. What business have you here?"

He glances to James and Jiron before replying. "We helped rescue Lord Pytherian from the Empire, got separated from him, and now are trying to get back to friendly territory."

The man signals the archers who lower their bows. "Heard he disappeared," the man says.

Nodding, Fifer continues, "He was taken in a raid, I believe there was treachery involved. We separated several nights ago. He went north while we diverted a force bent on capturing him to allow him time to get through to our side. Last we saw of him, he was heading in this direction."

"You'll have to come with us back to our camp," the man tells them. "Our captain is going to want to hear what you have to say."

Fifer glances to James and Jiron who both nod their heads. He turns back to the man and says, "Lead on."

The man turns to one of his men and whispers something to him. His man then turns and begins to run northward, disappearing into the trees.

"My names Erwin," he tells them. "Don't be alarmed, he just went ahead to let them know you're coming."

James steps up, and offers his hand. When Erwin takes it, he says, "I'm James, and this here is Jiron and Miko." Each nods their head to Erwin when they're introduced.

Erwin begins to lead them through the forest, his men flanking them as well as bringing up the rear. "The camp's not too far away, about a mile or so," he tells them. They walk the rest of the way in silence. Soon, they begin to see a camp opening up in the trees ahead of them. From the looks of it, several hundred men call this camp home.

As they approach, they see a man in woodsman attire standing at the edge of the camp waiting for them. He's flanked by several men, bodyguards by the looks of them.

"That's Captain Alerin, he's in charge of these woods," explains Erwin.

"Captain," he says when they come near to where he's waiting, "these men here are James, Fifer, Jiron and Miko. They claim to have helped Lord Pytherian escape from the Empire."

The captain's eyebrows rise slightly when he hears that. "Great news indeed, but where is Lord Pytherian?"

James steps forward and replies, "We were separated from him several days ago. We drew off a group of soldiers in order for him to escape. Last we knew, he was heading in this direction."

"He hasn't pa.s.sed through these woods, or I would've known it," states Captain Alerin gravely. "Hopefully, he went around them and found a safe route that way." He gestures for them to follow as he moves over to a large tent. Coming to it, one of his men moves and opens the tent flap for him.

After the captain has pa.s.sed within the tent, the man holds the flap open as the others file inside behind him. Within the tent are several tables with maps covering them, as well as several braziers burning throughout to give light.

The captain moves over to one table with a large map lying open upon it and gestures for them to join him. He indicates a section of the map and says, "This is the forest we're in right now. Where was the last place you saw him?"

James comes over and begins inspecting the map. He sees near the bottom of the map the area where the mines lie. "Here," he says as he points to a spot a little west of the mines. Then he brings his finger over to the town just west of the spot, "This is where they took him."

"And you rescued him from there?" he asks incredulously. "Just the four of you?"

"Actually," Fifer says, "I wasn't with them at the time of the rescue. I was waiting outside the east gate with Miller and the rest."

He glances at James, Jiron and Miko a moment then shakes his head. "That hardly seems likely."

"Likely or not," Fifer replies, "they did enter the city and they brought him out."

"Do you have a mirror?" asks James suddenly. "Or perhaps a bowl of water?"

"Why?" he asks.

"I'll be able to ascertain his whereabouts if you do?" replies James.

Fifer sees his confused look and explains, "He's a mage."

Eyes widening, Captain Alerin says, "Truly?" When Fifer nods affirmative, he says, "Never met one before."

"Do you have a mirror?" James asks again.

Captain Alerin reaches over to another table and lifts up some paper revealing a four inch square mirror. Picking it up, he hands it over to James, "Will this do?"

"It'll do just fine," he replies as he takes it.

Setting it on the table in front of him, he motions for the captain to stand next to him. Concentrating on Lord Pytherian, he lets the magic flow and the image begins to form. Suddenly coming into focus, they see Lord Pytherian in a room with others, talking.

"Ah," he says as he sees the image, a smile coming across his face.

"What?" asks James.

"He's made it to Olton," he says. When he sees their lack of understanding, he explains, "It's a town to the north of us and as far as I know it's still in Madoc territory. The ones with him are leaders of the town, as well as a few others I don't recognize."