teeming in the streets below, going about their business on this sunny day.
While there was nothing he could recognise as a car, there were vehicles down there, trundling along the wide, paved avenues on tracks - like the trams he’d seen on a trip to Blackpool a few years ago.
Between the buildings he could see green rolling hills behind the city, which gave way to the sea a couple of miles beyond.
The whole place looked sickeningly clean and tidy.
Max got the distinct impression that the city was new and hadn’t had time to get grimy and stained yet due to centuries of accommodating messy human beings.
He would’ve liked to study his surroundings a bit more, but Merelie was in a rush, so there wasn’t much time for sight-seeing.
They went through a set of heavy green marble doors and entered a large hall, which had a grand looking wooden staircase at one end and several comfy looking chairs and tables dotted about for anyone who fancied a sit down.
On the walls were several large paintings, depicting strong and handsome looking people, staring off into the middle distance. They were dressed in a variety of styles, continuing the elegant, simple look of Merelie’s clothing.
Some paintings looked quite new - especially the one of a tall, thin bald man with piercing blue eyes. Others looked older, with a distinct patina of age.
The one constant in all the portraits was that every person had their left hand resting on a leather bound book sat on a tall plinth beside them. It looked a little like The Cornerstone, but much larger and more ornate.
‘You lot really like books, don’t you?’ Max said, as Merelie hurried him across the hall.
She glanced up to the paintings. ‘It’s more than just liking books, Max. Our world wouldn’t exist without them. I’ll explain more, but I don’t want us to be caught here… come on.’
She pulled him up the flight of polished wooden stairs and underneath a large, lavish tapestry that depicted the world, hanging right above the landing where the staircase split to the left and right.
Merelie yanked him left and headed along a gallery running above the hall.
They stopped at a pale blue set of double doors and Merelie pushed one open, leading Max into what looked like her private rooms.
The chamber was large and circular, with two other rooms accessible from a couple of doorways. The plain interior design of the Chapter House continued here, though there were more flourishes of colour and personality, with several hangings and pictures adorning the walls.
I’m in a pretty girl’s bedroom... and all it took was travelling to another world.
Merelie closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Thank the Writer for that. Nobody saw us. We’re lucky my parents are at negotiations with the other Chapters in the Great Hall, otherwise there’d be far more people about.’
‘Are your parents important then?’
‘My father is Chapter Lord here. He rules this land.’
‘Of course he does,’ Max sighed. That was it then, he had no chance with her. She was even more out of his league than he thought. ‘Why aren’t you there with them?’
Merelie laughed bitterly. ‘I’m not exactly my father’s favourite person at the moment. My presence wouldn’t go down well. I have opinions that aren’t shared by others.’
Max remembered what Imelda had said. ‘You sent that note because you think something bad is going to happen here… that they’re coming? Something awful?’
‘That’s right.’
‘Nobody believes you?’
‘No, they don’t.’ Merelie said, slamming a bolt at the top of the door into place. She moved away and sat at a long low table in the centre of the room, which was covered with paper, pencils and books.
Max joined her and put The Cornerstone down between them.
This seemed like a good time to kick start the conversation he was desperate to have.
‘What’s going on, Merelie? Why did you ask for my help?’
‘It wasn’t really
While there was nothing he could recognise as a car, there were vehicles down there, trundling along the wide, paved avenues on tracks - like the trams he’d seen on a trip to Blackpool a few years ago.
Between the buildings he could see green rolling hills behind the city, which gave way to the sea a couple of miles beyond.
The whole place looked sickeningly clean and tidy.
Max got the distinct impression that the city was new and hadn’t had time to get grimy and stained yet due to centuries of accommodating messy human beings.
He would’ve liked to study his surroundings a bit more, but Merelie was in a rush, so there wasn’t much time for sight-seeing.
They went through a set of heavy green marble doors and entered a large hall, which had a grand looking wooden staircase at one end and several comfy looking chairs and tables dotted about for anyone who fancied a sit down.
On the walls were several large paintings, depicting strong and handsome looking people, staring off into the middle distance. They were dressed in a variety of styles, continuing the elegant, simple look of Merelie’s clothing.
Some paintings looked quite new - especially the one of a tall, thin bald man with piercing blue eyes. Others looked older, with a distinct patina of age.
The one constant in all the portraits was that every person had their left hand resting on a leather bound book sat on a tall plinth beside them. It looked a little like The Cornerstone, but much larger and more ornate.
‘You lot really like books, don’t you?’ Max said, as Merelie hurried him across the hall.
She glanced up to the paintings. ‘It’s more than just liking books, Max. Our world wouldn’t exist without them. I’ll explain more, but I don’t want us to be caught here… come on.’
She pulled him up the flight of polished wooden stairs and underneath a large, lavish tapestry that depicted the world, hanging right above the landing where the staircase split to the left and right.
Merelie yanked him left and headed along a gallery running above the hall.
They stopped at a pale blue set of double doors and Merelie pushed one open, leading Max into what looked like her private rooms.
The chamber was large and circular, with two other rooms accessible from a couple of doorways. The plain interior design of the Chapter House continued here, though there were more flourishes of colour and personality, with several hangings and pictures adorning the walls.
I’m in a pretty girl’s bedroom... and all it took was travelling to another world.
Merelie closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Thank the Writer for that. Nobody saw us. We’re lucky my parents are at negotiations with the other Chapters in the Great Hall, otherwise there’d be far more people about.’
‘Are your parents important then?’
‘My father is Chapter Lord here. He rules this land.’
‘Of course he does,’ Max sighed. That was it then, he had no chance with her. She was even more out of his league than he thought. ‘Why aren’t you there with them?’
Merelie laughed bitterly. ‘I’m not exactly my father’s favourite person at the moment. My presence wouldn’t go down well. I have opinions that aren’t shared by others.’
Max remembered what Imelda had said. ‘You sent that note because you think something bad is going to happen here… that they’re coming? Something awful?’
‘That’s right.’
‘Nobody believes you?’
‘No, they don’t.’ Merelie said, slamming a bolt at the top of the door into place. She moved away and sat at a long low table in the centre of the room, which was covered with paper, pencils and books.
Max joined her and put The Cornerstone down between them.
This seemed like a good time to kick start the conversation he was desperate to have.
‘What’s going on, Merelie? Why did you ask for my help?’
‘It wasn’t really
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