Thad glanced up. “We think Bobby tried to kill him,” he said. “There is nothing you can do here. Let us do our work. Please clear everyone from the room, except for us healers and these two holding lights.”
“Yes, of course,” answered Don. He gave the order and all the spectators withdrew. Don closed the door and ordered the guards to admit no one, unless the healers said otherwise. Then they all returned to the common room. Don looked into the circle of faces.
“Quickly, now,” commanded Don. “Someone tell me what happened.”
Eric spoke up. “It was my fault. Bobby awoke in the middle of the night and dressed. I pretended to be asleep, just as we planned.” He paused and took several deep breaths, He put his hands over his eyes and rubbed them, as if they hurt.
“Go on,” urged Don.
“When he left the room, I threw on my clothes and looked out the door. When he left the inn, I watched through the window. I was surprised to see him enter the lore-house but was glad of it, because it gave us time to organize our plan. I awaked the three troopers, so we could follow him when he left the building. I had no idea that he intended to harm Samuel.”
“Of course not! Go on.”
“We took our positions in an alley next to the inn, watching for him to come back out. When he did not return, I became suspicious. So I sent the troopers to watch the back of the lore-house to see if he had slipped out some other way. I did not know if there was another way out. I should have checked…”
Slim, Blade Troop commander, spoke up. “I was in the room across the hall from Samuel. Something like a commotion and a thud awakened me. I opened my door and saw Samuel’s door ajar. I heard a moan, so I grabbed a candle from the hall light-stand and went in. I found Samuel covered with blood, so I called for help. The healers were there in minutes. Fortunately, they were all staying in the lore-house, too.”
“Where was Bobby?” asked Don.
“He was nowhere to be found, but there was a rope, tied to the bedstead. It hung out the window.”
Eric broke in. “Sorry we did not wake you earlier. There was so much confusion—”
“Never mind that, now! Send someone to warn the gate guards. Let no one leave the city!”
“We did that already,” answered Slim. “He can’t have much of a head start.”
“Eric,” said Don, “You sent some troopers outside to check the rear. Did they see anything?”
“No, but they must have just missed him!”
“Very well. Arouse the lore-house. Search every room, every cupboard, every closet. He might be still hiding inside. The rope may have been a ruse.”
The dining room soon filled with sleepy-eyed lore-men. While the search was being carried out, Don noted the arrival of two night watchmen. He directed them to notify the guard captains. He tried to think who else might be able to help. Then Lore-master Duncan appeared, buckling a belt over his tunic.
Don told him the news in a few brief sentences. Duncan was perhaps even more astonished than the others. He seemed to have difficulty comprehending that his peaceful home had been the scene of bloodshed.
“Sir,” began Don, gently. “Who can help us organize a search and pursuit, if necessary? I have already sent word to the captain of the watch. But we only have about ten horse troopers with us here. We need help, quickly.”
“Let me think,” said Duncan. “The town levy! I will send a message to the commander, and they can begin a search within the walls.”
He paused, then called a young lad to him, gave him instructions, and sent him out the door at a run. “Is his horse still here?” he asked. “The one belonging to the man you suspect?”
Don cursed himself. He should have thought of that. Slim and Eric were standing within earshot. “Did you think to check the stable?” he asked the two.
“Yes, Lord Donald,” said Eric. “His horse and gear are gone. But, to tell the truth, I don’t know if he ever stabled the horse there.”
“Well, we need to find out. Eric, go find the stable-boy and ask him what he knows.” Eric wheeled and vanished. “Now we must try to find out if he left the city. Has anyone asked the gate guards?” Slim shrugged—not an encouraging response.
“A good question,” said Duncan. “But we need to assume that he did. We need to continue the search of the city, of course, but it might take days.”
Don realized that he was right. “Very well, then we also need a manhunt of the countryside.”
“Hmm…” mused Duncan. “That is a difficult problem. Finding a lone horseman, at night, without knowing exactly where he is going—it will not be easy.”
“This is getting out of hand,” said Don. “All I can think of are the Stonegate horse troops. But their barracks are several miles away.”
“True,” said Duncan, with a sigh. “I see no other way. But it seems almost hopeless. Nevertheless, we must try. A spy within our midst!”
Don thought for a moment. “We have to rouse one of the commanders. Simply riding to the barracks would do no good. I know Lord Cal and Gray John. Are either of them close by? I don’t really know where they live. Though Gray John probably has a place near the barracks.”
“Lord Cal has a farmstead north of town. You are right about Gray John. His home is perhaps a quarter-mile on the far side of the barracks.”
Whom should I send? Time was slipping away, and he realized that his options were limited. “Slim,” he said. “If no one has asked the gate guards about anyone leaving, see that it is done. I am putting you in charge here. Do not call off the search within the walls, unless you are sure that he has left the city.”
Slim nodded. “Yessir!” was his response.
“I am going to try to find someone who can take me to Gray John’s house,” he continued. “I am not on good terms with him, but he can hardly refuse to help. We have to get search parties on all the likely routes of escape.”
Eric returned and reported that all the horses that had been stabled at the inn were still there. Bobby must have left his horse somewhere else. Duncan excused himself for a moment.
“I wonder if Bobby might have been cleverer than we expected,” said Don. “He could have left his horse outside the walls and then slipped over the wall, somehow. He must have known that leaving through the gate in the middle of the night would raise all kinds of questions.”
Lore-master Duncan returned with a slender teenager. “Lewis, here, knows the way. I often use him as a messenger. He has a fast horse. He can show you the way to Gray John.”
It was quickly agreed that Don, Eric, and Lewis would leave at once. Giving orders to Eric to have Snap and the other horses saddled, Don went upstairs to find out about Samuel’s condition. He met Thad and Deborah washing their hands at a basin in an upstairs bathroom.
“Deborah!” exclaimed Don. “I didn’t know you were here!”
“Thad sent for me,” she answered. “I walked right by you, but you were so intent that you did not see me.”
“How is Samuel? Will he live?
Thad answered for the two of them. “The other healers are suturing the wound. We were able to tie off the blood vessels and stop most of the bleeding. The knife hit his hip bone, which must have absorbed much of the force of the blow. The gash across his abdomen was deep but did not penetrate his body cavity. He has lost a lot of blood and also has a large knot on the back of his head and is unconscious, which is worrying…”
“But will he live?”
“Donald,” answered Deborah, “He is trying to tell you that he does not know. Samuel has a good chance. That is all that we can say.” Thad nodded. Don and Deborah exchanged glances for a long minute. Then Don thanked them both, patted her shoulder, and hurried off
†
Don and his two companions had some difficulty leavin
g the city. The captain of the guard had instructed those on watch to close the gates and allow no one to enter or leave. After some delay, Don was finally able to speak personally with the guard captain. He seemed sure that no one had left since the gates were closed for the evening. Fortunately, he knew Lewis and had heard of Donald of Fisher, the Lore-man on the Red Horse. But the fact that Don seemed to be an ordinary mortal, and that his horse was a dark chestnut, not red at all, seemed to confuse him. He required the dispatch and return of a messenger to the lore-master to confirm their story before the gate was opened, nearly a half-hour later.
The night was dark with only a sliver of silver moon hanging low over the Western Wall. But they could faintly see the trail, and the horses’ night vision was better than theirs, so they finally found their way to a farmstead, circled with a log palisade. Once again, they had to get through a night watchmen, and, once again, Lewis was well known as the lore-master’s messenger. But it was well over an hour from the time they left until they met Gray John face to face, and Donald had begrudged every minute.
Don and his old mentor faced each other for a long moment. Gray John broke the silence first. “So, you have come back to face the music,” he said.
“I have come back,” returned Don. “Whether I face the music remains to be seen. But right now I need your help. Urgently.”
Don explained why they were there and the treachery of Bobby, one of Samuel’s bodyguards. While the chances of capturing him seemed to be more and more remote as time slipped away, he still formally requested that Stonegate mount a massive manhunt to try to catch him before he linked up with the band of Raiders known to be in the area.
Gray John took it all in without comment, asking only a few questions. Finally, as Don drew to a close, he responded. “Very well. I see no option but to help you. But organizing the Red Axe troop will take time, and one troop will probably not be enough. Black Eagle troop is still in camp. Two troops will probably be the best that we can do. Have you sent a message to Lord Cal?”
“No,” answered Don, “There has been no time for that, and I have no one else to send, besides. Most of our troopers are south of here, organizing help for Stonegate.”
Gray John seemed to soften slightly. “Aye. I know. That work was well done. I never expected those ungrateful wretches to lift a finger until the Prophet’s army encircled their walls.”
He turned to a couple of troopers who had joined them, fully armed and armored. He directed one to carry a message to Lord Cal and the other to give a movement order to the entire Red Axe troop. Then he invited Don’s party into his home while he armed himself.
Lewis was sent back to Stonegate to update Slim. Don, Eric and Gray John galloped toward the horse troop barracks.
Chapter 18
†
A Setback
A troubling vision is declared to me:
The treacherous one acts treacherously.
Isaiah 21: 2a HCSB
It took time to organize a manhunt to track down Bobby, but Don could not fault the effort made by the Stonegate horse troops or the town levy. Even so, after three days of house-to-house searches within the city and the best effort of the troops in the field, they had found no definite traces of Bobby. They had sent out dogs and their best trackers, and the dogs seemed to catch his scent on the main highway heading north from the city. But the hard-packed surface yielded no tracks, and the trail went cold after five miles or so.
The guards at Brian’s Gate and the other watchtowers were alerted with Bobby’s description and orders to arrest or kill him, but the towers were never designed to prevent a single individual from crossing the Western Wall. All their efforts had been fruitless. The wasted time was frustrating to Don, but he had no option but to throw himself into organizing the search.
Samuel’s condition was stable, but he had not regained full consciousness. He had roused himself enough to take a few sips of water, which was a good sign, then lapsed back into unconsciousness. The bleeding had stopped, and the healers had injected antibiotics, using techniques that dated back to Elder times. He showed no signs of infection, though his recovery would be slow, if he ever recovered. Deborah had nursed him around the clock. No one knew when or if she ever had a chance to rest.
Lord Cal had called a meeting at the citadel which was the seat of the mayor and marshall of Stonegate. They met on Friday morning, his fifth day in the city. Neither of the top leaders attended, although Lord Cal, who was commander of the horse troops, was there. Gray John, Lore-master Duncan, the captain of the guard, and the commander of the Stonegate levy were the others representing the city. Don brought Daniel, representing the healers, and Slim, who was now his second in command.
Don had not seen Lord Cal for nearly a year and could immediately see that he had matured. His face seemed no older, but his manner was more grave, and his shoulders slightly stooped, as if bearing a heavy load. He still had his long, flowing moustache, fair hair, blue eyes and a ruddy complexion with brick-red cheeks. Don had heard that he came from an old, wealthy Stonegate family which was well respected by the entire community. At a bit over six-feet tall, he was imposing, towering over most at the meeting. His strong, well-muscled legs and tapering hips testified to years in the saddle.
Lord Cal convened the session, which he said had two main objectives. First was to discuss the incident with Bobby and the fact that an enemy spy had escaped after attempted murder. Second, to update the strategic situation. After these remarks, Don was given the floor to discuss Bobby and to assess the damage that Bobby might be able to do.
Don began by explaining that Samuel had long suspected that there was a spy. They had believed that it must be someone who had access to the councils of Ariel and Bethuel but apparently not full knowledge since some closely held secrets had not been revealed. One example was the fact that Ariel did not have a large cannon—only a wooden dummy. But the enemy was apparently convinced that the “gun” was a real threat, and the spy must have never learned that secret.
Then he described Deborah seeing Bobby talking to men in Raider garb near the village of Castle Rock and Bobby’s strange behavior that caused the death of two Raider captives. He explained how he and Samuel had decided not to apprehend Bobby, but watch him in the hope that he might reveal his contacts. He concluded with the recent events, including Bobby’s attempted murder of Samuel and the well-planned escape.
“Clearly,” concluded Don, “We badly under-estimated Bobby. My impression of him was that he was unusually big and strong, but not clever. Events have proved otherwise, about his cleverness, I mean. Naturally, we made sure that he did not attend our most secret strategy conferences since Deborah’s report. But he knows a great deal simply from being with us for the past weeks. He can give the False Prophet a clear understanding of our strengths and weaknesses, I fear.”
“I made it my business to look into the matter of how he made his escape,” said Lore-master Duncan. “His assault on Samuel was bold, risky, and required perfect timing. I believe he knew very well that he was being watched, and that his time was running out. He must have left his horse outside the city walls and escaped over the wall within minutes of his cowardly attack. The rope out the window was no ruse. He struck, slid down the rope, and was gone, long before the troopers watching him could react. For all that, it was a near thing for him.”
“My bodyguard, Eric, sent troopers to check the back of the lore-house,” explained Don. “But they were not looking for a rope, and the darkness hid it, anyway. They must have missed him by only a minute or so.”
“Yes,” continued Duncan, “And he must have expected that he could kill Samuel and escape with no one even aware of it until morning when Samuel did not appear. It is fortunate that Eric and Slim, here, were light sleepers.”
All eyes turned to Slim, and there was a general chorus of “Well done!�
��
“I will have some questions for you, Donald,” said Lord Cal. “But let’s hear from John about what his search has discovered.”
Gray John gave an update on what the two troops had uncovered. Little new was added, except that they had found two deserted campsites which had been used by perhaps twenty people. There was no hard proof, but it appeared that they were used by Raiders. A small party had trailed them to the north for about ten miles before they had to break off because of darkness. Half of a horse troop would be continuing the pursuit. They expected, though, that the trail would lead west over one of several small passes. Trackers with dogs had picked up Bobby’s trail but had lost it again. The dogs would eventually puzzle it out, but by that time, Bobby would be long gone.
“Thank you, all,” said Lord Cal. “I think we all understand well enough what happened. Let us talk about what we can learn from all this. Gray John, the floor is yours.”
“Very well,” began Gray John. “I want to point out that Donald, here, fled Stonegate, knowing full well that he was supposed to face an inquiry charging dereliction of duty. None of us have forgotten the sorry incident where a Stonegate patrol allowed a large band of Raiders slip by them and slaughter Lord and Lady Westerly. The matter has never been properly investigated, but I, for one, have not forgotten.”
Don’s ears burned, but he had nothing to say.
Gray John continued, looking directly at Don. “Your commander, Samuel, urged that we set the matter aside, and we have agreed to do so. Now we learn that you knowingly brought an enemy spy into our city. No doubt he will be able to reveal much about our defenses to our enemy. And you told no one. You merely had some muzzy-headed scheme that you would wait for him to slip out one night and try to follow him. Talk about a fool’s plan, if you could even call it a plan! I say it was almost criminally stupid. You, Donald, seem to have made another tragic decision. I hope I have made myself clear. Do you understand?”
The False Prophet (Stonegate Book 2) Page 16