The elevator doors slid open and the quartet exited the small box with an audible sigh of relief. Before them lay the large committee chamber. A vaulted ceiling supported by pillars arced above the hundreds of seats and dais. Heavy brass lanterns hung from the walls providing a steady light and illuminated the murals that were painted over the rear and side walls. As Schuyler took in the view, she realized that the room was almost full. Oliver caught hold of her hand and squeezed lightly as Jack and Mimi walked up behind them.
"Wow." Sky whispered, her eyes flowing over the scene with awe.
"It's our history." Jack murmurred as he walked closer. Sky flinched at his words, but listened all the same. "That image depicts our fall." He nodded to the mural that took pride of place over the dais. "Over there is our tenure in Rome and Europe and that one is.." Mimi hissed at him to be quiet as each figure in the auditorium slowly turned their heads to stare at them.
I don't like this... it feels like a trial Mimi's voice sounded in Jack's as he walked forward, past the heads craning towards them and aiming for the front of the room.
"Abaddon, Azrael. Over here." Forsyth spotted their approach and left the dais. His progress watched by the entirety of the committee as he walked down from the large podium and came to greet them. The room filled with whispers as the three figures met.
"I'm so sorry for your loss." Jack noted quietly, clasping Forsyth's hand in a comradely fashion.
"Yes... well." Forsyth nodded his head, accepting the condolences as his gaze took in the three figures next to him. "I intend to punish those responsible. The traitors will not get away with it." He turned back to the dais and mounted the steps. He waved his hand at the four seats before him and the quartet sat, worry etched on their faces.
"We have suffered a great loss." He began, his words drifting over the crowd and stilling it into silence. "Many of our number are no more and even our Regis is dead." His gaze shot at Schuyler and she shivered. "As we have always done, we call a conclave to investigate these events." Forsyth looked at Mimi. "Azrael, please take the floor and tell us of the events of Corovoda." Mimi stood and walked across the floor, feeling the eyes of her fellow blue bloods follow her as she did so.
"I arrived at the banquet." Her voice rang out across the room, clear and sure as it reached the back. "We were being slaughtered. I went to find Nan Cutler, only to discover that she had fallen twice."
"You are certain that it was Nan Cutler and not a Croatan that had taken her shape?" Forsyth interrupted from his chair at the side of the room.
"Positive. She wanted me to join her." A ripple ran around the room at her words. "But I refused. I led the fight to her and destroyed her."
"Why should we believe you?" A voice echoed from the back of the room. "After what you attempted with the Van Alen girl?"
Mimi's frame grew even straighter and her voice echoed even further. "Because what I did with Araquiel was the result of my current life's immaturity and jealousy. I had not fully awoken to my memories but I am not a silver blood. I know you like to place yourselves above myself and Abaddon because none of you were designed to walk the dark ways." She pointed an elegant finger around the room, staring at her detractors with emerald eyes. "May I remind you that we all fell together." Her voice grew impassioned and Sky could almost feel the emotion behind her words. "We are on this Earth because we all rebelled against God and followed the Morning Star and we are all in this room now because we rejected Lucifer and wish to regain the Grace of the Almighty." Her voice rang louder and almost shook with the passion she was putting behind the words. "I will never put myself in his power again and I will never allow him to corrupt us further. Since the moment I handed my sword to Michael, I vowed to serve this dream and I will do so. I would burn in Black Fire before I give myself to the Prince of Lies!"
There was a stunned pause as her words echoed through the hall. Forsyth stared at her and Sky felt her mouth drop, she had never heard Mimi like this before and for the second time that night, she was reminded of just what Mimi was. For a long moment, the silence was awed and absolute before the first person clapped their hands. It took that one individual and a storm of applause flowed around the room.
"Alright!" Forsyth let the applause last for several moments before stepping forward to restore order. "Then you did not witness the death of Lawrence?"
"Unfortunately I was fighting for my life." Mimi replied, her voice returning to a more normal tone. "He was not with us at the time."
"Thank you Azrael." Mimi stepped down from the dais and walked towards her brother. Forsyth looked over at Jack and beckoned him forward. "Abaddon, will you please take the stand?"