The Persecuted

Chapter 14

“We might have a problem!” his yell was loud enough to be heard by all, but not loud enough to echo all the way down the mountain. Jonas pulled the wagon to a halt as did Carnes with Nora's wagon. Tess walked up to their wagon and peered down at the town when Adan pointed out what he'd seen. Kal climbed out from the back of the wagon with a spyglass to get a better view.

“Well?” Tess asked, sounding nervous.

Kal put down the spyglass. “Inquisitors.”

So many of them left little doubt what they were after. How the Church had gotten so many together and after them on such short notice was alarming as well as baffling.

“How did they get so many together so quickly?” asked Tess. “There aren't any big cities that close and the small towns aren't supposed to have so many of them.”

“We ran into that patrol by pure chance,” said Kal. “Maybe we got unlucky again and that column was riding through the area.”

“We don't even know if they're after us,” said Jonas. Adan saw his hand was shaking. His eyes had that wild look in them that took over when the animal in you told you to run. If there was going to be fighting then Jonas would not be of much use.

“Why else would such a large group come to a place like this?” asked Tess.

Kal brought the spyglass up again and peered down at the village with a frown. It didn't take enhanced vision to see the soldiers ride on towards the path snaking up the mountain side.

“They're coming,” said Kal and put down the spyglass.

“We aren't going to outrun them with our wagons,” said Bigs. He and Carnes had walked up to them a bit later. Lars was looming behind them.

“We aren't going to fight off fifty men either,” said Kal and shook his head.

“How about blocking the path with something?” asked Adan and looked back up the mountain. There weren't any loose rocks that jumped out immediately. No easy way to block the path then.

The rest followed his gaze and came to the same conclusion. It was a good idea, but there simply wasn't anything to accomplish it with. The road was well built and maintained and that kept any dangerous looking rocks away.

“Not much we can do then but move on ahead,” said Tess. “Maybe we'll find a narrow piece of path that will allow us to make a stand without getting over run.”

“Slim chance of that,” said Kal. “You know how this road was built.”

“Nothing else we can do. Let's get moving.” Tess gave Kal a stern look before turning and heading for her horse. Bigs, Carnes and Lars followed her.

Kal shook his head. “This time it might be our time.”

Adan watched the bald man climb back inside the wagon as he and Jonas walked back to drive the thing. He had a feeling it might be the last time he saw him do that. The situation was dire and made him think it might have been better to just remain the lone wolf he had been so long. At least then he wouldn't have ran into the Inquisitors.

You might have ran into the duke's men instead.

The outcome would have been the same. Death.

“We're dead,” said Jonas as he sat down on the drivers perch. Adan thought it best to grab the reigns himself. His friend seemed to be out for the count as far as doing anything useful was concerned. He whipped the horses into motion.

“We'll make it. Somehow,” said Adan, hoping to reassure not only his friend, but himself. The words rang hollow.

“How? We're trapped,” said Jonas. The panic in his voice was starting to grow to alarming levels.