Jamison knew his way around town at least as well as Rory -- maybe even better. However, Rory prided himself on knowing every street, alley, outside stairs, and safe rooftop. He had suspected that he would be on the run with ... well, not with these two. He tried not to think about the others whom he had lost.
What did bother him in another way was that he continued to be slow. His legs and arms trembled, and the pain in his wrists told him that Poltrin was not nearly far enough away.
This was going to be a problem.
And those bells still rang. They were getting closer to one of the larger ones, so that would be the Mantin Temple. They had made a reasonable distance, and he thought they might be heading for the docks. Rory thought he ought to argue with Jamison, but he didn't have the strength.
It didn't matter anyway. Two blocks later, they started to see lines of troops on the streets, and they were herding everyone away from the river and pulling away cloaks to look at their faces. They may not recognize Rory, but they would undoubtedly know Jamison and his wife.
The three of them backed away into the nearest shadows. Jamison started looking for a way out of this mess.
"Up to the roof," Rory said and pointed upward at a creaky-looking ladder. He'd only tested it once in his many studies of the city and had much liked the feel of it then. "We go up and wait until the troops go past."
Jamison looked as though he wanted to disagree with the troops were coming far too close already, and they didn't have much time. If they waited, they ran the risk of being seen as they climbed the stairs. Rory feared he would have to do something drastic and dangerous for himself in far too many ways.
Jamison gave a quick nod and took hold of his wife's arm. Rory stumbled behind them while casting quick glances back to the soldiers. The sudden appearance of a group of locals had them busy for the moment, and that was the best distraction they were going to get. He nodded for the two to go on ahead of him. He waited while they climbed, prepared to do something drastic if they needed to.
The sound of the bells helped them since it covered the creaking sound of the stairs. Rory could barely hear them himself. When he finally looked back, he saw Jamison pulling his wife up over the rooftop's edge. Rory hurried to join them. His legs didn't want to hold him as he climbed, and Jamison was about to come back and help him. He waved the man away and forced himself to remain steadier as he went the last two floors. Jamison caught him by the arm, and all that yanked him up over the edge. Rory fell there and panted while trying to hear any sounds above the bells.
But then the bells started to die away, one at a time. The silence of followed was so still that it seemed unnatural. Rory looked around, trying to get an idea of where they could go from here. He saw the fire they'd escaped from hours ago. From the looks of it, the flames must have spread to at least the Jamison building and probably more.
"I hope they get the fire under control soon," Jamison whispered, and even that seemed awfully loud. "That fool could probably burn down half the city just for his little revenge. And now he's King, or at least as good as King since he's not crowned yet. I wonder if he'll even bother with the formalities. I wish the King had died so unexpectedly –"
Jamison stopped and stared at Rory, who could see a look of understanding on his face. It was something that it played at the back of Rory's mind. He was glad to have the local realize before he said anything, though.
"Far too unexpected," Rory agreed. "And with his brother out of the country, Kellic has a chance to get everything settled in his own hands and probably even get his brother killed before he comes back to the city."
Keltrina made a sound of disbelief, and from the look on her face, he could tell she didn't doubt it. She remained laying on the roof, holding her pack close and no doubt thinking about all the things she lost in that fire. This wasn't fair to both of them. He should never have gone into the building with the two nor allowed Jamison to come with him back to the other building. This was his trouble.
No, that was a foolish thought. This was their land, their dead King, and their homicidal Prince.
"We should stay here for a while," he suggested. "But the soldiers move on in the crowd sent out before we try to get anywhere. I would suggest not going to the river. Unless you have some reason to think you can get through there?"
"As it happens, my father's neighbor sent a barge filled with grain that arrived yesterday. When I went to look this afternoon, they were just getting the last of it unloaded. I hoped we could get close to it and decide if it was safe. I knew the Captain. We used to go fishing together when we were young. I have a question for you."
Rory gave a weary nod. He knew where this was going to go.
"Are you a mage?"
"No, I am not."
Jamison's eyes narrowed. "I thought mages couldn't lie."
"They can't, but I'm not a mage. There are others who work with magic."
Jamison stared at him in shock. "You are a priest."
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