Chương 29: Chapter 21: Stone Above, Roots Below — Part II

The chamber falls noticeably quieter as we enter. The silence lasts only a few moments before chairs scrape against stone and conversations resume in lower voices, though I can still feel eyes following our approach. Some study me openly. Others pretend to review documents while accomplishing the same thing. Havlar leads us toward a series of seats positioned near the center of the room. The placement feels deliberate.

Everyone seated there can see one another without raising their voices, which likely explains why the discussions occurring throughout the chamber sound remarkably close to arguments despite their volume. As we reach the table, several council members look up from their papers. The silver-haired woman Havlar pointed out earlier closes a folder and studies me with the expression of someone evaluating a structural problem and not a person. I am uncertain whether that should concern me.

"Councilor Elira," Havlar says, gesturing toward her, introducing her once more, mostly for her benefit.

"Responsible for infrastructure, maintenance and most of the repairs currently draining the city's budget." Elira's attention shifts toward him.

"Only because certain districts insist on discovering ancient tunnel networks beneath themselves."

"An unfortunate habit," Havlar agrees. Her gaze returns to me.

"I spent three days reading reports about those tunnels," Elira says.

"Then you have my sympathies," I reply. The corner of her mouth twitches briefly.

"That suggests you've understood the reports," Elira says.

"Only the parts written by engineers," I admit. Elira closes the folder in front of her.

"Those were the easy sections," she replies. The exchange earns a few quiet laughs from nearby councilors and the tension eases slightly. Another man seated nearby leans back in his chair and folds his arms across a broad chest. His beard is streaked heavily with gray and several rings decorate his fingers.

"That apology should probably be directed toward me," he says.

"Him as well," Havlar says, gesturing toward the broad-shouldered councilor seated nearby.

"Councilor Brenner."

"The waterways councilor?" I ask.

"Among other things," Brenner snorts.

"The waterways, shipping, trade routes, warehouse districts and every merchant who has complained to me during the last week," Havlar clarifies.

"A tragically incomplete list," Brenner mutters. He taps a finger against the reports stacked beside him.

"Three barges were delayed."

"I am beginning to suspect that number has become important," I say. Brenner fixes me with a level stare, "It has." Several councilors laugh quietly. Brenner waits for them to finish.

"Those barges carried grain," he says.

"People become remarkably interested in shipping schedules when their bread starts arriving late." The answer arrives with such conviction that I cannot determine whether he is joking and judging from the forced laughter around the table, neither can anyone else. A bell rings again somewhere within the chamber. The remaining conversations begin fading as more council members take their seats. Only now do I realize how varied the room actually is. Merchants occupy several positions. Administrators sit beside them.

Representatives from the guilds fill another section of the chamber while members of the clergy occupy seats closer to the far wall. The arrangement resembles a negotiation that has become permanent. My attention settles briefly on the temple representatives and one of them notices. An older priest inclines his head politely. I recognize the gesture immediately. A river clergy, but whether he is the same priest which Garrick told me about, the one who visited the grove, I cannot tell from this distance.

At least one familiar ally remains in the room. The final council members settle into their seat's moments later. A woman seated near the head of the chamber gathers several documents into a neat stack before looking around the room. Unlike the others, she does not need to raise her voice. The room simply quiets when she prepares to speak, interesting. I lean slightly toward Havlar.

"Who is that?" This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

"The current chair of the council," he murmurs. That explains quite a lot. The woman waits until the last conversation ends before addressing the chamber.

"We have several matters requiring attention today." A collective sigh rises from around the room. Apparently that statement is capable of exhausting people before the meeting has even begun. The chair ignores them.

"However, before discussing budgets, infrastructure and waterway reports, there is one issue that has occupied a significant portion of this council's attention." Her gaze shifts across the chamber then settles directly on me and the room follows. I suddenly miss the relative simplicity of river monsters.

"Master Kaelen…" the chair started. I sighed internally. The formal session has finally begun.

"Before we proceed," she says, "I believe introductions are appropriate." The statement earns several nods around the chamber.

"My name is Council Chairwoman Selene Arbour. I oversee council proceedings and ensure discussions remain productive." A few councilors exchange amused looks. Apparently maintaining productive discussions is an ongoing challenge. Selene ignores them.

"Councilor Brenner and Councilor Elira have already been identified. The remaining councilors can introduce themselves when necessary. For now, our focus is understanding the events that occurred beneath the city." That sounds considerably more reasonable than I expected. The chair gathers several pages together before continuing.

"The reports submitted over the past week contain numerous references to ancient tunnels, corruption beneath the river, a sealed prison and the involvement of a druid." Her gaze settles briefly on me.

"Several of those reports appear difficult to believe." A few councilors murmur agreement.

"Fortunately," Selene continues, "the purpose of this meeting is determining whether they are exaggerated and also inaccurate." That observation improves my opinion of her immediately. The chair turns slightly toward Havlar.

"Lord Havlar, would you summarize the official findings?" Havlar rises from his seat with the expression of a man who has delivered the same report repeatedly over the last several days.

"The eastern district restoration project uncovered a previously unknown tunnel network beneath the river," he begins.

"Subsequent exploration identified evidence of long-term corruption affecting underground waterways. Multiple independent witnesses confirmed the presence of contamination spreading through portions of the lower system." As he speaks, several council members review documents already containing most of the same information. No one interrupts or argues.

Havlar continues outlining the timeline, moving from the discovery of the tunnels to the collapse of sections of the underground complex and finally the removal of the corruption source itself. When he finishes, Councilor Elira immediately lifts a hand.

"The tunnel reports concern me less than the prison." Her voice is calm and direct.

"Three separate engineering teams examined the lower structures after the incident. All three identified evidence supporting the existence of an intentionally constructed containment site." Several heads nod around the chamber.

"The oldest sections predate large portions of the city itself," she continues.

"Whoever built that structure intended it to remain hidden." A silence settles briefly over the room because that conclusion carries uncomfortable implications. Councilor Brenner clears his throat.

"Uncomfortable as that may be, the waterways concern me more." Of course they do.

"The lower river traffic reports indicate measurable improvement during the past week," Brenner says while sorting through several pages.

"Water quality has improved. Maintenance crews report reduced contamination along affected channels. Three independent merchants have submitted complaints regarding delayed transport." He pauses and then shrugs.

"The complaints are irrelevant," Brenner declares. Several councilors look up from their documents. Brenner notices the reaction and shakes his head.

"The barges were delayed for few days," he says.

"The corruption beneath the river appears to have been there for decades. I know which problem deserves my attention." A few quiet chuckles spread through the chamber. Brenner folds his arms across his chest.

"The important point is that the river improved." For the first time since entering the chamber, I notice genuine curiosity replacing some of the skepticism around the room. The reports are no longer theoretical. People are discussing measurable results. Selene allows the conversation to settle before turning toward the clergy representatives seated along the far side of the chamber.

"The temples conducted their own investigation." An older priest rises slowly. His eyes meet mine briefly before he addresses the council.

"We did." The room grows quieter.

"Representatives from multiple river temples independently examined the affected waterways following the incident," he says.

"Our findings matched those provided by the district." No hesitation or uncertainty. Just a simple statement of fact.

"The corruption existed," the priest continues.

"It spread through portions of the river system for many years. We detected its influence repeatedly. We also confirmed its disappearance." Several councilors exchange glances. The confirmation carries weight coming from the temples. Far more than it would from me.

"The waterways are healthier now than they have been in living memory," the priest says before returning to his seat. The silence afterward feels different from the one that greeted our arrival. Earlier, the room carried doubt. Now it carries consideration. The distinction matters. Councilor Elira studies several pages before speaking again.

"So, the tunnels existed." No one argues.

"The prison existed." Again, no disagreement.

"The corruption existed." A chorus of quiet confirmations follows. Elira taps one finger against the reports.

"Then we can stop debating whether something happened beneath the city." The room collectively appears relieved by that conclusion. Arguments become much easier once everyone agrees on reality. Selene allows herself a small nod.

"I believe that establishes the facts sufficiently." Several council members murmur in agreement. The chair gathers the final report into a neat stack before folding her hands atop the table. For a moment her attention settles on the documents. Then she looks toward me. Around the chamber, other councilors begin doing the same. The shift is subtle, yet impossible to miss. The discussion surrounding the tunnels is finished. The corruption has been addressed.

The reports have been accepted and now only one question remains. Selene's gaze holds mine across the chamber.

"Very well, Master Kaelen," she continues.

"The council understands what happened beneath the city." A quiet tension settles over the room.

"Now let us discuss the grove," she narrowed her eyes at me.