Grand Master's office. Bleist refrained from sighing, feeling the watchman's gaze on him.
‘Prepare a fast carriage,’ the earl said to his butler. ‘I am going to the Palace immediately.’ The servant needed no further instruction, bowed and quickly disappeared behind the door. ‘Thank you for the message. No reply is necessary, you are free to go.’ He dismissed the watchman, and the boy saluted again and left in the company of a soldier. ‘I don't want to know what's going on,’ Darius muttered before going to get dressed.
Darius watched the panorama of Atlantis, immersed in the silence of the night, through the window. The city was dark, and only the main roads were lit by lanterns burning all night long, marking golden trails in the sleepy metropolis. Of course, Dorvus and Soeren were exceptions, keeping money and entertainment awake. There, the day lasted 24 hours and no one worried about the time.
Bleist, however, had to worry. Calls in the middle of the night were rare; in fact, this was the first time for him. Usually, even urgent meetings required advance notice, which was understandable given the vast amount of information and documents that usually had to be prepared. Now, things were happening much faster.
The carriage entered the square in front of the Palace and stopped in front of the eastern entrance. Darius did not hesitate and got out. He took a moment to look around. For such a late, or rather early, hour, there was quite a lot of activity in the courtyard, which was most disturbing as it was concentrated on the western side. Soldiers and guards from various formations were entering the building all the time. There were also a surprising number of lights burning in the windows.
‘Something's going on,’ he muttered under his breath and quickly headed for the Grand Master's office.
The corridors in the civilian part of the Palace were deserted, which was a bit strange and unfamiliar compared to the daily crowds. It was probably the first time Darius had seen them like this. As time passed, the spaciousness
