"Bring them in."
The doors were pushed open and Matt and the others entered followed by the guards who brought them in.
Matt was led forward until he stood alone before the semicircle of elders. Their seats rose slightly above the floor, carved from pale stone that seemed to glow faintly under the chamber's soft light. From where he stood, it felt less like a meeting and more like standing at the foot of a cliff, with several pairs of ancient eyes looking down at him.
Behind him, Lloyd and the others were quietly guided to a row of seats along the side of the chamber. The attendants moved with careful politeness, but the meaning was clear. They were spectators now.
Matt resisted the urge to glance back.
The hall gradually fell silent. The earlier murmurs faded until even the faint rustle of robes sounded loud. Every eye in the chamber shifted between Matt and the elders seated before him.
