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The shout came from the hall. “What the hell is it now?” Phil snapped as he shot from his chair and meandered through us to the door.
He stepped out and someone in the corridor crashed into him. The pair fell to the floor in a tangled mess of limbs while the soldier we had met before hurried up. The guard was blinking furiously and trying to hold on to his halberd while at the same time rubbing his eyes. Hearth slipped on the ring and the three of us hurried to the doorway. I squeezed between the men and watched the other men struggle on the floor.
“Get off me!” Phil snapped as he pushed his attacker off.
The other man rolled onto his back on the floor and my mouth fell open. Professor Impara glared up at us. “You damned fools! All of you!”
“My good professor!” Ben called out as he stooped and helped Impara to his feet. “I had no idea you were trying to exercise more.”
Impara glared at him. “You damned fool!”
“You may wish to try expanding your vocabulary, as well.”
“Who’s the fool for running down the hall?” Phil snapped as Hearth assisted his flustered manager to stand.
The guard grasped his halberd in both hands and pointed the tip at the professor. “You’ll come with me, villain, and don’t think of throwing that light bomb again!”
Impara set his cool gaze on the soldier. “It was not a ‘light bomb,’ sir, but an illumination spice.”
The soldier rubbed one of his eyes with his fisted hand. “Whatever it is, you’re still coming with me.”
“He’s with us,” Ben announced.
The guard shook his head. “I’m not having any of that again! No more means no more, and he’s got to go!”
“You’re quite right,” the Phantom spoke up as he moved to the front of our group and closest to the soldier. “I have a rehearsal to finish, and my guests shouldn’t be kept waiting. Come with me.”
He marched past the guard with a smile and a bow of his head. Phil rolled his eyes, but set his hands on the smalls of Ben and Impara’s backs. “You heard him, gentlemen. Get going. You, too, Miss Millie.”
We were all gently herded past the flustered guard and down the hall to the pair of doors I had noticed on my first visit. The Phantom led us through them and I saw that another hall stretched for some fifty feet to another pair of doors. More doors stood on the right, and one of them was opened so I could see the supplies of spare instruments and chairs.
We passed all of them and reached the far pair of doors. Phantom opened them and revealed a large stage and amphitheater constructed in the ancient Greek style. The seats were of stone in the front and had backing, and the higher levels were wood and without backs. A patch of dirt separated the stage from the front seats.
Instruments were set up on the stage, ranging from guitars to a drum kit that had many drums that were familiar to me. A half dozen people in dark robes stood around, but turned to us as we entered.
The half-circular stands were empty, but the Phantom turned around and gestured to the front row. “If you would take your seats, the show will begin shortly.”
And what a show it was to be.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-SEVEN
Phil,Ben, the professor, and I took our seats with me on Ben’s left and the other two on his right. The professor glared at us. “We do not have time for this foolishness.”
Ben smiled at him. “We have a few minutes to spare, old friend.”
Impara cast a dark look at Ben. “So you say. . .”
“Quiet,” Phil hissed.
The musicians had taken their places with their instruments. Phantom stepped up to the center front of the stage and bowed at the waist to us. His voice projected perfectly over the amphitheater. “My friends, I thank you for coming to listen to me, and may my songs lighten your weary minds.”
The music started and Phantom began his song. His voice was soft and melodious, and the gentle notes wrapped around me like a warm blanket on a cold winter’s day. I caught myself smiling as the lyrics spoke of summers and true love. It was all so soothing, so mesmerizing. A rather dark intruded on the beauty of it all.
I leaned toward Ben and lowered my voice to a whisper. “Is that the ring doing his singing?”
“Of course not.”
The reply came not from my dragon companion, but from the professor.
