Trail of the Gods_ The Morcyth Saga Book Four - Brian S. Pratt [19]
After closing the door, they retrace their steps back down the hallway. When they come abreast of a door on their right, several people can be heard talking on the other side. James stops and looks to Jiron who only shrugs.
Jiron knocks on the door and the talking abruptly ceases. The door opens and a man peers out who asks, “Yes?”
“We’d like to see the mayor,” James tells him.
“Do you have an appointment?” the man asks.
“Well, actually no.” he admits. “But this is rather important.”
“Then you’ll have to come back another time,” the man says. “He’s in a meeting with the town council.”
As the man begins to close the door, James says, “Just tell him James was here to see him.”
Before the door closes, it opens back up quickly and the mayor stands there. “You come on in, James,” he tells him. To the other guy, he says, “James here never needs an appointment to see me.”
“Yes, sir,” the man replies.
Within the room, he sees seven other men, Corbin being one, sitting around a large table. He gives James a nod as he enters. The mayor takes his seat at the head of the table and the man who answered the door pulls two more chairs over for James and Jiron.
“Gentlemen,” the mayor announces, “for those of you who have yet to meet him, this is James.” A murmur begins which the mayor quickly silences.
“Now, you know Corbin here,” the mayor says. “Next to him is Polin, and then Berill, Monn, Durik, Aarron, Igren. This is the City Council of Trendle.”
“Good day to you all,” says James. He receives an answering salutation from the council members.
“We were just talking about you,” Corbin says.
“Yes,” John, the mayor jumps in. “It seems your notoriety had attracted many people to the area.”
“I’m sorry about that,” apologizes James. “I hadn’t planned on that.”
“No, don’t be sorry young man,” Polin says. A man of middle years, dark hair and dressed well, Polin gives off an air of friendliness. “In fact, we were just talking about how we could increase it.”
Getting a dark look, James asks, “What for?”
“All these people are going to need a place to rest and food to eat,” Monn replies with a grin. Monn being a fat man with slightly stained clothes, James figures him as some kind of innkeeper or possibly someone in the service business.
“There’s a profit to be made here,” adds Aarron, an older man who is all but grey.
“But at my expense!” James exclaims. His outburst takes the council aback.
“You’re not having to pay for anything,” Berill interjects. A younger man with a slight attitude, he looks at James like he shouldn’t have to state the obvious.
Corbin jumps in and says, “I think what James means is that he’ll be paying with his privacy. Isn’t that right James?”
“Yes, Corbin,” he replies. “Exactly. Already I’ve had people out at my place who are disturbing me. I’ve even set up guards to keep them off my lands.”
“Do you think you should do that?” Durik asks. Another middle aged man, he fits in with what Corbin had said a long time ago about John’s drinking buddies. “If word gets around that you turn people away, they may not come.”
“Good!” he exclaims. “I don’t want them to come, and I certainly don’t want to become a tourist attraction just so you all can fatten your purses.”
“Now James,” the mayor says as he gets to his feet. “There’s no need to get upset.”
Jiron laughs and everyone’s attention is drawn to him. Even James glances to him wondering why he’s laughing.
“What’s so funny?” asks Igren, a small man with a keen eye that seems to take in everything.
Standing up, Jiron says, “He’s not upset, gentlemen. I’d say he’s merely annoyed. He’s the last person you’d ever want to see ‘upset’.” He glances around the table, his mood slowly turning serious as he makes eye contact with each councilman before continuing. “While you’re here deciding upon the best way to exploit this situation, things are going on that you’re not even aware