Fulcrum of Light (Catalyst Book 2) C.J. Aaron (unputdownable books .TXT) 📖

must be our new guests? Welcome to the great hall of Vim,” his voice was quiet and airy, exposing the age behind it. “Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Greshal. I'm the chamberlain for the Council. May I have the pleasure of your names please?”

Ryl and Andr answered in turn. Greshal repeated each name with a smile, carefully scratching the names into the ledger in front of him before lifting his head once more.

“Now that we've seen to the formalities, in you go,” he gestured toward the guarded doors at the opposite end of the room with an absent wave of his hand.

“The Council awaits within.”

Chapter 28

Brasley and Kaep led the way across the entryway toward the guarded double doors. The thuds of their footfalls echoed throughout the stone chamber. Chamberlain Greshal had returned to scribbling notes in his ledger before the party had turned to leave. If not for the subtle movements of his hand and quiet scratching of pen on paper, Ryl would have thought he was asleep.

They were halfway across the room before the chamberlain raised his voice.

“They wait for you in the chamber room,” he mumbled. “You know the way, I suppose.”

Beasley grumbled an acknowledgement as they continued on toward the door.

The guards raised their spears to a vertical position as the party approached. Their faces remained impassive, greeting Brasley who still led the group with a silent nod. The guard on the right hammered the butt of his staff into the base of the door in a rapid succession before pausing as if awaiting a response.

If a response was received, Ryl hadn't heard it. The guard to the right pulled open his panel of the door. The great, iron hinges again issued no complaint as the door silently opened, granting their first view of the great hall beyond.

He felt the apprehensive eyes of the guards follow them as they passed. For how long would they remain suspicious?

Through the doorway, the room opened into a spacious auditorium; Ryl guessed that the area could comfortably seat over several thousand. Directly in front of them a stairway descended downward to the heart of the chamber below. Rows of tiered benches were carved into the earth, arranged in a large semi-circle forming the amphitheater. The focal point of the seats was in the center of the hall at the large wooden table that dominated the space. Along the rear of the table facing the general seating were five ornately carved, high-backed chairs, which currently stood empty.

Beyond the table, carved directly into the wall was a stature that Ryl needed no introduction to identify. He'd seen the statue of Taben the Defender hundreds of times; there was no mistaking the likeness.

The statue in the great hall depicted Taben standing defiantly with his arms folded across his chest. He wore the traditional cloak of the phrenic, and his muscular right arm was covered in tattoos; the detailed designs immaculate. At his side hung a long, straight blade. The most haunting features, however, were his eyes. Though focused straight ahead, they appeared to follow the party as they moved through the room.

Instead of descending the stairs, Brasley turned left, following the curve of the seats along the rear wall. Narrow, evenly spaced fluted pillars connected the floor to the ceiling around the upper level. A wooden railing ran in between the posts, broken in two other locations allowing access to the lesser staircases that led downward to the amphitheater seats.

Another set of wooden doors blocked their curving path just beyond the end of the benches. Brasley approached without pause, rapping out three rapid knocks, similar to those of the guard. This time, Ryl heard the muffled voice beckoning them inside. The mender opened the door, holding it ajar for the rest of the group to pass. Kaep moved inside without hesitation, Ryl and Andr followed close behind.

The room they entered was a far cry from the massive, formal great hall they’d passed through. Like the other rooms he'd seen, the chamber was carved into the rock itself, smoothed and polished to perfection. Nowhere could he see evidence of cracks or blemishes in the surface.

The interior of the room itself, however, was simple; lit by a large silver chandelier suspended from the center of the ceiling above. Below it was a large round wooden table, made from the smoothed cross section of a massive tree. The circumference was easily large enough to sit a dozen people. On the opposite side of the table from where they had entered a group of five were seated. A small fire in the hearth behind the table crackled away, flavoring the air with a hint of smoke.

The five gathered at the table before them rose in unison as they entered the room.

“Councilors,” Kaep nodded in greeting as she pulled out a chair along the side of the table, the wooden legs emitted an audible scrape as they moved across the floor.

The door behind them closed with a click as Mender Brasley padded up behind Ryl and Andr.

“Welcome, friends. Please have a seat,” the women standing in the middle on the five announced, gesturing with her hand to the seats alongside Kaep.

“Although you’ve been guests of our great city for some time, let me be the first to officially welcome you,” her voice was kind, yet firm, dripping with formal etiquette. “You are now in the last refuge of civilization in the wilds of the Outlands. Welcome to Vim.”

“Thank you,” Ryl responded confidently as he pulled out his chair to sit. The ornately carved chair was heavy, made of solid wood. The padding on the high back and the seat was soft and comforting as he eased his way into its grasp.

To either side of the speaker, the councilors seated themselves as well; leaving the women in the center standing alone.

“We'll keep our introductions brief as we have much to discuss. The Mender informed us you still have a great deal of