13. Malorg #3
That thought bolstered some of his flagging spirits as he reached the assigned conference chamber, exiting the shadows beside closed double doors engraved with shifting gray trees that shimmered and swayed in an unseen breeze.
A pair of Infernal guards flanking the door side-eyed him but made no move to stop him from entering.
Either they recognized him or—more likely—were only there for show.
The Dusk Council wouldn’t want to be perceived as weak, not when they were already the ones seeking aid.
You can do this. For your sake…and for Sarilian’s.
Taking a deep, calming breath, Malorg shoved down his nerves and strode inside.
The chamber within was high-ceilinged, the dome above enchanted to simulate a cloudy sky.
A large table shaped like an elongated hexagon dominated the space.
The Celestial delegation sat at the far end so that, from the door, the table’s tip resembled their sigil’s upward facing triangle.
The other two Infernal delegates, Sajix and Wiriv, sat at the bottom tip, leaving the center spot for him.
Malorg gave Sajix and Wiriv cursory nods as he took his seat, relieved Pelorak and the other Aspects hadn’t attended.
Pelorak had promised they wouldn’t, but his word only counted so far.
Bad enough the Aspect of Ambition had insisted on Sajix and Wiriv’s presences.
No doubt they were only there to spy on Malorg and ensure he left nothing out of his reports.
Malorg had already made it clear that they were not to utter a single word without his express permission.
Once he was seated, he placed his hands on the table to steady himself and faced the Celestial delegation, smiling politely. “Apologies for my lateness, esteemed guests. I meant no disrespect. You have my word it will not happen again.”
The Celestial delegation was larger than his own, nearly a dozen of them crammed along their side of the table.
In addition to their three actual delegates, they appeared to have brought a sizeable honor guard.
Each Celestial bore a bright sphere above their heads, offering them a personal source of light against the Dusklands’ pervasive darkness.
Their collective faces ranged from mild discomfort to outright disdain as they peered about the chamber.
“Accidents happen to us all,” an older Celestial said, his voice gruff.
Malorg squinted, trying to see him better past the unfamiliar haze of illumination.
Was that their emissary? But no—the speaker sat to the right rather than in the center.
One of the emissary’s advisors, then. “I only hope that you are as committed to these talks as we are. Any changes to voidspawn incursions represent a grave threat to our sacred duty—one that cannot be taken lightly.”
Malorg clenched his jaw at the mention of duty, struggling to maintain his smile as he inclined his head. “Of course. I assure you, the Dusk Council has no greater priority. We are determined to do whatever it takes to reach an amicable agreement.”
There—let the aides report that little nugget back to Pelorak.
The older Celestial replied, “Good. Glad to hear we aren’t wasting our time. I’ll admit, many of us are skeptical. I myself was there the last time you tried to revise the Covenant. Let us hope this attempt turns out differently.”
Beneath the table, Malorg dug his fingers into his thigh. “It will. Whatever it takes.”
The Celestial studied him for a moment, then grunted and nodded, seeming pleased.
“Yes, I think you’ll do nicely. I’m glad to see our own emissary didn’t make a mistake when he requested you.
” The Celestial’s aura brightened. “I am Darius, Dawn Aspect of Justice, here on behalf of the Dawn Council to observe and offer guidance.” He gestured to the other advisor several seats down.
“And this is Faeris, one of our finest commanders.” The stern-looking woman gave Malorg the barest of nods, her narrowed eyes not quite a glare.
Once again, Malorg had to strain to keep his expression schooled.
So, the request for him to serve as emissary hadn’t come directly from the Dawn Council as he’d assumed.
Curious. Perhaps the Dawn Emissary had also attended the last Accords.
He racked his brain, but any names or faces from that time had been lost to the centuries.
He couldn’t even recall for certain whether he and Darius had ever met.
He turned his attention to the center seat, straining to see past the light shrouding the Dawn Emissary.
The illumination was brightest there, making it difficult to discern anything but the vague outline of a figure.
As he squinted, however, the floating lights dimmed, bringing the emissary into better focus.
Shock rippled through Malorg, his pulse accelerating.
Impossible!
But impossible or not, he couldn’t deny what his eyes showed him. Sarilian leaned forward, his expression fixed in a pleasant smile tinged with just a hint of sadness as he folded his hands on the table separating them. “Honored Emissary. My name is Sarilian. Pleased to meet you.”