“Then you believe me?” asks Dave. His lower lip trembles as he awaits James’ answer.
“Yes Dave,” he says, “I believe you.”
“Well I don’t,” Jiron says as he moves toward Dave.
“Jiron!” cries James but he pays no attention.
Before anyone can react, Jiron strikes out with a first and connects with Dave’s jaw, sending him flying backward. He stumbles into Fifer who pushes him forward only to be greeted by another roundhouse which lifts him off the ground a foot.
Oof!
His breath is knocked out of him as his back slams to the ground.
“Jiron stop it!” cries James and rushes to protect his friend but Jorry and Uther grab his arms, preventing him from interfering.
Walking toward Dave lying on the ground, Jiron says, “This has needed doing for far too long.” Dave tries to scramble backward out of his reach but Jiron reaches him and kicks him hard in the side.
Crying out, Dave rolls over and continues rolling to avoid the next kick which barely misses him.
“You’ll kill him!” James yells but Jiron doesn’t even flinch.
Dave suddenly rolls right to the side of the outcropping and runs out of space as he rolls against the rock. “You’re out of room,” Jiron says as he nears.
“No!” cries out James as Jiron pulls back his foot to kick him in the head. Suddenly, a wave of force ripples through the air toward Jiron and throws him through the air where he strikes the outcropping. Falling to the ground, he gets to his feet quickly and turns a face full of rage toward James.
“Let me go!” he yells to Jorry and Uther who promptly let go. He rushes over to his friend lying on the ground, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth where he bit his lip when Jiron struck him.
“Dave!” he cries out and Dave looks up at him just before passing out. Making sure he’s okay first, he then turns to the others. Jiron is getting up off the ground and James says, “No one will hurt him. Do you understand?”
Jiron glares at him.
“You are my friend,” he says to him. Then to the others he adds, “You all are but this witch hunt will end here,” he says. “Dave will not be mistreated in any way. If you have proof, lay it before me otherwise I don’t want to hear it.”
He stares at each in turn and one by one they give him a nod. When he at last comes to Jiron he waits but no nod is forthcoming. “Jiron, you are to leave him alone,” he insists.
Jiron simply stares back at him in defiance. He never thought to be on the receiving end of James’ magic and he’s not sure how to take it. After another moment, he nods his head almost imperceptibly.
“You okay?” he asks Jiron.
Giving him another slight nod he turns away and walks out of the lighted area into the night. Qyrll and Fifer go with him.
He watches him stalk away, saddened by the fact he used his power on him. Jiron has always been a trusted companion and with any luck this won’t come between them. Returning his attention to his friend Dave, he kneels down next to him.
Laying a hand upon his chest, he gives him a little shake and says softly, “Dave.” When he receives no reaction, he shakes him more vigorously, “Dave, wake up!”
Eyes flying open, they look around quickly but then finally focus on James’ face there before him.
“How are ya doing?” he asks, concern for his friend in his voice.
“Where’s Jiron?” he asks in reply.
Nodding off to the side, he says, “Over there somewhere. He won’t bother you again.”
Sitting up, Dave looks around at the others staring at him, distrust and a little bit of anger is all he sees. “I’m sorry for everything James,” he finally says.
“It’s alright Dave,” assures James. “I understand.” Getting up, he holds out a hand.
Taking it, he makes it to his feet. His jaw is sore from where Jiron connected with it but otherwise still serviceable.
James glances around and that’s when he notices the outcropping where Jiron hit is cracked. He didn’t think Jiron hit all that hard but a one inch crack runs down the side. Intrigued for some reason, he moves toward it and realizes the crack is much too straight and even to be the result of the impact.
Uther comes up behind him and says, “Maybe we should resume the search in the morning when there’s more light and everyone has had a chance to calm down.”
Not paying him any attention, James reaches out to the crack and inserts his fingers within it. Pulling slightly, the crack widens and then the piece of outcropping suddenly comes loose and falls to the ground with a crash.
“Would you look at that,” Jorry says from where he and Uther are standing behind James. Everyone moves closer to look, even Jiron comes out of the dark to see what’s going on.
On the face of the outcropping where the other piece detached is engraved the Star of Morcyth. “James,” Miko breathes in anticipation, “use your medallion.”
Taking it out, he removes it from around his neck and sets it in the diagram. When nothing happens, he tries to turn it and a good portion of the rock surrounding the Star rotates a quarter turn before stopping.
From further up the outcropping, a grinding noise can be heard as a section of the rock face rises. Jiron rushes over and peers inside. He glances to where James and the others are watching, “Stairs and they go down.”
“That’s it!” exclaims James. Removing the Star from the diagram in the outcropping, he places it around his neck again and hurries over to where Jiron stands next to the opening. The glowing orbs illuminating the clearing suddenly wink out and a single one springs to life on the palm of his hand. “Let’s go,” he says as he moves through the opening and begins to take the stairs down.
Jiron and Dave both move to be the next to follow, but after a warning glare from Jiron, Dave backs down and is the third through. Even the miner goes with them, intrigued by all the unusual happenings. Of course most likely he didn’t want to remain out there all by himself.
Finally, Jorry and Uther bring up the rear and the clearing is once more dark and quiet.
Chapter Thirty One
The first thing James notices after entering the opening is a slight breeze coming from within. It brings the smell of earth and mustiness with it. Twenty steps bring him to a small narrow way carved out of the rock. Barely wide enough to allow one man to walk without scraping his shoulders, it extends further into the mountain.
“Be careful,” Jiron says to him.
“Hadn’t planned on not being careful,” he replies.
He follows the narrow passageway and eventually comes to a natural cavern that’s barely large enough for them all to fit. One section of the wall on their right has been smoothed and seven recesses have been carved into the surface.
Six of the recesses sit in two rows, one atop the other. The first and third in each row are of uniform size and each center recess is a third of the size of the others. It goes: large, small, large. The seventh recess is a foot away from the others along the wall and contains many small iron cubes.
Miko moves to the cubes and picks one up. Rust has begun to eat away at it but the cube hasn’t deteriorated very much. Holding it up for James to see he says, “Wonder what these are for?”
“I don’t know,” James replies. Glancing around he realizes the only way for them to leave is the way they came. The breeze he’s been feeling is coming through a small narrow fissure in the wall on the opposite side from where the recesses lie.
“Another secret door?” Jiron asks. He remembers all the other times when it looked like there was no way to proceed and each time James had managed to discover a secret door.
“I would think so,” he says. “Everybody stand back and give me room.” He begins examining the walls with his fingers, checking every nook and cranny. When he gets to the fissure where the breeze is blowing through he brings his orb close to try to look through to the other side but is unable to see anything. Spending extra time there, he fails to find anything and then moves on.