Under One Banner

Chapter 26

Sheridan heard someone coming. He stood and whirled around, drawing his sword in one fluid motion. James looked around with his eyes wide. 

“Just me,” Aryanna said as she came from around a tree. 

“Good, everything is ready,” Sheridan said. 

Aryanna glanced at James. Her eyes widened, he looked worse, his eyes were bloodshot and running, his face and neck sweaty. 

“Sheridan,” Aryanna said, she jerked her head to the side. He joined her away from James. 

“Is he capable of moving?” She asked. 

Sheridan glanced over at James. “Exercise could be good for him, help him sweat the drugs out.”

“I don’t think he is having much of a problem sweating it out,” Aryanna said. 

“We have to at least try, we can’t just stay camped here under Adonis’ nose, his men will find us sooner or later.”

“That is assuming he sent men after us,” Aryanna said. “After all, all we did was take one of his soldiers, he never revealed any of his plans to any of us,” 

“True, but I don’t want to risk it and get caught. He would kill you  and probably drug the rest of us. I don’t want to end up like how James is, with no memories of my family or friends,” Sheridan said. 

Aryanna nodded. “Alright, I just hope he is ready.”

“We have to give him no choice,” Sheridan said.

“I don’t like treating him like this is all his fault, and that he really is the enemy,” Aryanna said. 

“I don’t either, but right now, he is,” Sheridan replied. “Help me with him?” he asked. 

Aryanna nodded.  

Sheridan and Aryanna went behind the tree that James was chained too, Sheridan slipping the key out of his pocket. James sat up, his body tense. Sheridan leaned around the tree to look at James.

“May I recommend not trying to run? You aren’t in a good state right now, and we would easily catch you,” he said smiling slightly.

James didn’t respond, but he got a bit less tense. 

Sheridan unlocked one of James shackles and James immediately pulled his arm away, spinning around the tree, trying to yank the other shackle away from Sheridan. He couldn’t even make it to his feet before getting dizzy and falling to one knee, his head bent. His free hand supported his weight on the ground, while Sheridan held his other hand attached to the shackles still completely outstretched. James gasped and tried to stand, only to find Aryanna’s hands firmly on his shoulder, keeping him kneeling.

“Don’t be a fool,” Aryanna said. 

James looked up at her through bloodshot eyes. “You keep saying that to me,” he said. 

“I keep hoping you’ll listen,” she replied. 

She took his arm, though he tried to resist. Holding it firmly she looked at his wrist, inspecting it for signs of infection. It was slightly puffy. 

She looked over at Sheridan who was holding James’ other arm, firmly keeping him on his knees. 

“I should wrap his wrists before we put the shackles back on,” she said. Sheridan nodded. He drew James’ other arm behind him and put a knee on James’ back, pressing him forward. James grunted but didn’t try to resist. Aryanna dug through her pack trying to find her bundle of bandages and herbs. Finding it she took out only the strips of bandages.