“I guess it’s good we’ll have eyes in on the tribunal and will get a peek at what’s going on,” Ryker states.
“Yeah, we have one vote fordo not kill, at any rate,” Enoch agrees.
I give Torrez a nod and Sabin’s chest a pat before stepping away from our little huddle. I turn back toward the thrones, and Torrez steps forward.
“I volunteer to be the representative of my pack for the tribunal,” he announces.
Sabin steps forward and fist bumps him. Suryn snorts when Torrez uses the wordpack, and I shoot a glare her way.
“Excellent,” Sauriel announces and nods his head at Torrez.
The back doors open up, and I turn to find a female Sentinel that looks to be in her fifties. She has unusual ash toned hair and eyes that match her cinder locks. She steps into the room with a resolute air about her. Another woman, this one younger looking, walks in behind the first. Her long white blonde hair is down to her waist, and her eyes are a surprising black. Aside from Suryn’s hazel eyes, this woman’s eyes are as dark as I’ve seen on all the Sentinels we’ve come across. She eyes me and then my group, but try as I might, I can’t read any emotion in her features either for or against us.
A male strolls in that looks like a teenager. He’s tall and gangly and aims a sneer in my direction before passing me and joining the two other women who are now standing at the base of the stairs that lead up to the thrones. I suddenly feel way less comfortable with my life being in the hands of other people with this guy on the judging committee.
Lastly an elderly woman hobbles in with the use of a cane. Her eyes are a milky white, and every inch of her skin has a line or wrinkle to it. She’s grumbling irritably as she makes her way to the others, and I imagine getting selected for this is a lot like jury duty. You have to just drop everything whether you like it or not. I wonder for a moment what the daily lives of these Sentinels are like. What do they do with their time? Do they have families, jobs?
“Excellent!” Tawv claps, yanking me from my thoughts. “Tribunal, do you know who you would like to speak to first?”
“We will question Suryn and her Marked,” the gray haired female states, and Tawv nods.
I look at Sabin, confused. How does this chick know what’s going on? Did news of what happened yesterday get out to every Sentinel within the barrier already?
“That light, when it hit me, seemed to upload all the information about what’s going on and what was expected of me at the same time,” Sabin explains, and my eyebrows shoot up with surprise.
“They can flyandupload information using fluorescent flying snow globes?” I question, well aware of the whine in my tone.
“Seems like it,” Sabin confirms, a grin on his face.
“Well, that’s just great,” I exclaim petulantly.
Sabin pulls me in for a peck and then boops my nose.
“Guards, escort the tribunal, representatives, and those who have been selected for questioning to their designated room. Sentinel, you and the remainder of your Chosen are dismissed until you are either called for questioning or the tribunal has made a decision,” Tawv decrees, rising from his throne.
A guard rushes forward at Tawv’s command and leads Sabin and the others out. Torrez winks at me before he exits the throne room, and I smile at him even though I don’t feel good about watching him, Sabin, and all of my Shields leave. The large wood doors shut behind them, and the room grows bleak and quiet.
Tawv clears his throat, and I jump when the sound of it is closer than I expected him to be. I whirl around, and he gives me a thorough once over.
“Come with me, I have something for you,” he states, and with that, he calmly walks to the side exit of the throne room.
I turn and look at my remaining Chosen. I’m not sure what to think of that cryptic statement. The guys shrug, unsure what to make of it also.
“Fuck it,” I announce and move to follow the creepy eyed Quorum member. We officially have time for some reconnaissance while the tribunal meets, whether that’s for an hour or a week. Tawv is as good a place to start as any for information.
Bastien chuckles as he, Valen, Ryker, Knox, and Siah all fall into step with me.
Tawv reaches the side door and turns to me expectantly. “Well now, lost Sentinel, let’s see if we can’t get you found.”
16
We move steadily through the streets of the city. The deep purple robe Tawv put over his deep purple armored clothing sways ominously behind him as he walks. I don’t dare ask where we’re going. I’m too fucking worried that if I say anything, he’ll suddenly remember that I’m a hated stranger and that he isn’t supposed to be helping me. I suppose that’s assuming he is in fact helping me and not leading me into an ambush of some sort.
Another passerby puts the fist of one hand over the bicep of the other, and Tawv nods his head in greeting. I didn’t notice anyone doing this hand gesture to Ory or Suryn when they were bringing us into the city, so I’m assuming this is something reserved for the Quorum members, or maybe it’s a Tawv thing. I’m buzzing with questions, but I keep my mouth shut and attempt to keep track of what ring of the city we’re on and what direction we’re heading in.
I follow Tawv down another street that spits us out into some kind of a market. All kinds of things are displayed for sale on wooden carts. Turquoise fruit, or maybe it’s a vegetable of some sort, is stacked on one cart next to someone selling jewelry that’s infused with Light—or so the sign says. Clothing in tones of gray and black are on display on several carts, and I wonder why there aren’t options in other colors. Maybe the lack of color has a purpose? I’ve only seen Tawv and the Sovereign in colored clothing, but the bedding and furniture in our rooms were various shades of red, gold and blue. The gray and black seems like a conscious choice and not the result of not having the dyes to make other options possible.
Some stalls consist of people selling some magical ability or another. I’m surprised when I see several stalls that focus on fertility. I realize in that moment that I haven’t really seen any children. I suppose it’s possible parents are keeping their precious kids away from the big scary strangers, or maybe Sentinels have a hard time having kids. Judging by the lines at the fertility stalls, I suspect it’s the latter issue.
