The Mages' Winter of Death: The Healers of Glastamear: Volume Two by Charles Williamson Page B

supplement the meager provisions that we were able to gather before we left Hearthshire Town; actually it was before the knights drove us out of the unfortunate city. We have no way of fighting fireballs. Until more knight protectors can come from other cities or from the capital when the Snow Pass Road opens, we’ve no choice but to remain outside the gates. I lost fifty-two men in the battle that drove us out and even more than that to desertion since then. Men fear for their families and go home to look after them. I can’t even track them down for punishment in this lawless land.”
    “How many rogue knights remain in the temple compound?”
    “They got into fights with each other and with the priests. All of the priests and some of the knight protectors fled. At last count we believe that thirty-one or thirty-two are still in the temple. By day, they roam the city taking whatever they want; at night they gather behind their walls and post guards. It would be suicide for my men to attack those walls manned by over thirty knights. They’d kill every single one of us before we touched the stones of that six-paces-high fortress wall. The leader, the degenerate scum, calls himself the Lord of Hearthshire, but he’s merely a knight turned brigand.”
    “You said they are in the compound at night with only a few guards on the walls. They must take that steel-plate armor off to sleep. If we could get in at night, we could take them.”
    “I know you are a merchant and probably a good one, but you’d best leave the military situation to professionals. They’d burn all of us when they awakened. Maybe we could kill a few while they slept, but it would be carnage among my men when they use those fireballs.”
    “I believe that the Church has a way of taking the power of fire away from those who disobey the hierarchy. I have seen rogue knights lose their fire magic. If there is no high priest or even any ordinary priests left in the High Temple, it has been deconsecrated by the act of driving them away. If they have desecrated Perry’s temple, there will be no further fireballs from these knights.”
    Commander Farrier merely looked at him as if he’d lost his wits, and Michael continued, “Commander, it’s easy enough to find out if they can still cast fire. Send some archers in to loose arrows from longbows at the guards on the wall, and then, they must immediately run for cover. We’ll know soon enough if fireballs follow in response.”
    Commander Farrier replied, “Even if they no longer have fire, their armor is so superior, that it would be a terrible risk. Even if most are sleeping when we attack, they’ll put on their armor before we can breach those gates. I’d like to do more, but not by getting all of my men killed.”
    “If I could open those gates for you, would you at least attempt an attack?”
    “Yes but how would you open them. Are you a burglar rather than a merchant? The walls are six paces high”
    “In my youth, I loved to climb almost anything, walls, trees, even mountain cliffs. My father nearly despaired of me ever taking up the family profession. I’ll climb the postern wall and knock out the guards one by one. After that, I’ll just open the gates from the inside and your men can rush in and attack the unarmored knights where they sleep. Simple?”
    “If I had not read your letter from Governor Talton, I would assume you’d escaped from some hospital for mental problems or head injuries. Nevertheless, I will send some archers tonight. If they are not roasted, we’ll talk some more tomorrow. Good day Michael Son-of-William.”
    Michael and his friends made camp upstream from the King’s Own Guard. As they roasted a brace of rabbits over a pecan wood fire, Michael explained his discussion with Commander Farrier.
    Jim laughed and said, “It’s not difficult to scale a wall if you’ve got wings, nor difficult to sneak around while invisible.”
    Jacob added, “Nor difficult to put