The Falconer's Stairs: Glimmer Vale Chronicles #5 by Michael Kingswood

Author:Michael Kingswood [Kingswood, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: SSN Storytelling

25

Doors Within Doors

Julian looked around the room, at the ring of doors surrounding the dais where Feirhard had sat. Slept. Whatever. For five hundred years.

A terrible thought came to him as he considered that. “How long have we been in here, do you think?”

Tolburt looked at him askance. “An hour, maybe two, I suppose.” The question in his tone was plain.

Julian gestured at the now empty chair. "He said time runs differently here. He certainly couldn't have really been five hundred years old."

Tolburt's eyebrows rose, and he swallowed hard as realization came over him. "We'd better hurry."

Julian nodded agreement. "Or we might come back and find everyone we know long dead."

That thought sent a shiver up his spine. Sure, it would be interesting to see the development of the world in a couple hundred years. But he wasn't ready to lose his family, his friends. Not for a stupid quest like this.

Resolutely, and quickly, he turned his back on the dais and examined the doors. All were identical except for the one they had come through from the stairs; that one stood twice as tall as the others, and twice as wide.

"Do you have a preference?" He couldn't see anything that would make him select one door over another, but maybe Tolburt had an idea.

Tolburt just shrugged. "Not the one across from the way we came in." He nodded toward that particular door, directly across the circular room from the giant door. "That's too obvious."

Julian was inclined to agree. "Ok then."

He turned left and marched to the room's wall, and the door there. It was a quarter of the way around the circle from their entrance.

"This ought to be as good as any," he said, and then he took hold of the door's simple iron knob.

Beyond was a narrow hallway, just barely wider than the door itself and certainly without room for more than one man to walk through at a time. Despite the lack of lamps on the walls, the hallway was well-lit. It ran straight for about fifteen or twenty feet, then ended at another door, seemingly identical to the one Julian had just opened.

After exchanging a quick glance with Tolburt, who gestured for him to lead the way, Julian shrugged and stepped into the hallway.

Nothing happened.

So he moved quickly toward the next door. He heard Tolburt shut the door behind him and then rush to catch up, and stopped himself before he dressed the other man down. Yes, it was probably prudent to not leave a certain indication of where they had gone; that would slow any pursuit. But seriously, who would be following them here, of all places?

On the other hand, he could foresee any number of reasons to leave the door open.

Ah well, done was done, and he really didn't feel like arguing with Tolburt again. So, instead, Julian just pressed his ear to the new door and listened for a few seconds.

Nothing.

Straightening, he told Tolburt as much, then, when the younger man voiced no objections, he took ahold of the doorknob and twisted.

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