Free Trail of the Gods: The Morcyth Saga Book Four by Brian S. Pratt Page A

says, “Three men!”
    He nods and races around the house. “James!”
Jiron cries out as he rounds the house at a full gallop, his horse
quickly closing the gap. Seeing them carrying him away toward the
forest, he yells, “They’ve got James!”
    Without even slowing, he rides straight for
them and crashes his horse into them before jumping clear. Two of
the men fall to the ground, the one carrying James continues on
toward the forest. Not taking the time to dispose of the two his
horse had knocked to the ground, he races after the one carrying
James.
    The man glances over his shoulder and sees
the gap between them narrowing quickly. He abruptly comes to a halt
and drops James to the ground as he turns to engage Jiron. Seeing
his other two partners already on the way, he worries more about
defense, keeping him busy until help arrives.
    Jiron closes with him, both knives at the
ready. A quick glance at James shows him to still be alive, if
unconscious.
    He strikes out with his left knife which the
man blocks with ease and then comes back in with his right which
scores along the man’s side. Pressing the attack with vigor, he
lays into him with a barrage of blinding attacks honed through
hundreds of battles in the fight pits back in the City of
Light.
    The man quickly realizes he’s not going to
win this fight and starts backing up, putting as much distance
between himself and Jiron. Looking over Jiron’s shoulder, he
realizes his partners are just about there.
    Knowing what the man is doing, Jiron
continues pressing him, not allowing him the opportunity. Closing
again with him quickly, Jiron launches into a series of attacks and
then suddenly kicks out with his foot, shattering the man’s
kneecap.
    With a cry of pain, he falls to the ground
at Jiron’s feet.
    Looking back, he sees the men are almost
upon James and he rushes back toward them. All of a sudden, he
feels a sharp, poking sensation on his arm and he sees a small
needle dart embedded in his skin. Pulling it out, he throws it on
the ground as he continues moving to defend James.
    His mind begins to grow cloudy and the world
starts to spin. Before he realizes it, he’s on the ground, not
three feet from where James lies. Unable to move, he watches as the
men approach, one’s leading his horse.
    In a world that’s spinning and warping, he
watches as they quickly load James up on a horse. His horse! He hears one say, “Take care of Corim, we’ll not be able to take
him with us.”
    “You can’t kill me!” the wounded man cries
from the ground.
    “Sorry,” the first man says. “But we can’t
let you live to tell them where to find us.”
    “No!” the man cries as his partner runs his
sword through his chest. Quickly wiping his blade on the man’s
clothes, he comes to Jiron and asks, “What about him?”
    “He doesn’t matter,” the first man says from
the back of the horse. “Come on and mount up, we’ve not much
time.”
    “We’ll not get far with the three of us on
horseback,” the second man says as he swings up behind the
first.
    “Just need to get to our horses, then we’ll
be fine,” he says.
    As they start riding fast for the forest,
Jiron hears more footsteps as Illan and the others approach.
“Jorry, see about Jiron,” cries Illan. “Fifer, Yern! Go back and
get our horses ready, fast!”
    “Yes, sir!” replies Fifer as they race back
to the barn.
    “Uther, I want you to follow them as best
you can,” he says. “Return here should they get away.”
    Uther nods and then races after them.
    “Damn!” he exclaims as the men are already
out of sight in the forest.
    Coming over to where Jorry is examining
Jiron, he asks, “How is he?”
    “Conscious, I think he’s been drugged,”
Jorry replies. “His eyes aren’t focusing and he’s not responding to
anything I say. At least he’s still breathing.”
    “Take him back to the house,” Illan says.
“Tell Tersa that I want to know when he regains the ability