Shortly before noon the next day, Era rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, quickly waking up and getting dressed. Gabriel was already up and about, preparing a light breakfast for them both.
“Figured you wouldn’t want to have too much in your stomach,” he explained. “We wouldn’t want you puking on the former assistant headmaster in a fit of nerves or anything.”
“That’s probably a good idea,” Era said, nodding.
They ate quickly and cleaned up even quicker, and soon enough, Gabriel was holding the door open for Era. “Ready for this?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” he smiled.
Halfway out the door, Era suddenly turned on his heels and went back inside, earning a befuddled look from Gabriel. “What’s up?”
“I want to bring this,” Era said, holding the staff that had accompanied him from the beginning.
“Eh, why not?” Gabriel said. “It makes you look more ‘official’ or something.”
They walked the half-hour trek to town, and Crisilla and Jarred were right within the city gates, waiting patiently for them. After brief greetings, they continued on through the bustling city to the home of Selvus.
Selvus Attiricus’s home was less a home and more a mansion; its walls extended far and wide and the whole structure towered above them. It wasn’t the largest building in the city, but it came close.
“This is it,” Era whispered, more to himself than anyone else. Raising a shaking hand, he banged the iron doorknocker three times. The doors opened on their own simultaneously, revealing an inviting front hall lit by fresh candles.
“Quite a little set-up he’s got here, eh?” Gabriel remarked.
“We didn’t send word of our arrival, did we?” Jarred said suspiciously. “Why are the doors open?”
“Maybe he just gets a lot of people coming in and out of his house,” Crisilla suggested, “or he thinks he can handle whatever comes his way.”
“Nevertheless, we should be careful.” He gripped his fiancé’s shoulder tightly.
“You worry too much, sweetie.”
“You don’t worry enough.”
With Era in point, they ascended a mighty curved staircase to the upper level. At the end of a long hall was a thick mahogany door upon which the words “MEETING ROOM” had been engraved.
“Do you think he’s in there?” Era asked.
“Go knock and see,” Gabriel said, waving him ahead.
Era did so, waiting a moment without response. “Forgive our intrusion,” Era said loudly, “but I have some urgent business with you, sir Attiricus.” Again, there was no answer. “Are you in here, sir?”
He gently opened the heavy door, peeking around before entering fully. “Sir Attiricus?”
A well-to-do-looking man sat at a desk across from Era. Despite his calm body posture, his face was frozen in an expression of frenzied terror.
Era’s heart leapt at his face. “S-Sir…?”
The man slumped forward, causing his head to roll off of the top of his neck and onto the table below.
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