The Rise of the Fallen (The Angelic Wars Book 2) by J.J. Thompson Page B

many small tables that held statues
and works of art. The high ceiling was inlaid with patterns that
caught the eye and made him dizzy. A long winding marble staircase
ascended up from the left and circled halfway around the room in
stately fashion.
    There were two women at
the desk, one seated behind it writing idly in a notebook while the
other stood next to it, speaking animatedly to several Asian
tourists. Both wore the standard dark suits.
    The woman sitting down, an
older lady with a pinched face, wearing wire-rimmed glasses, had her
dark hair pulled back severely in a tight bun. She gave the tourists
a bored, disinterested glance and then noticed the judge's group
standing just inside the room. Her eyes widened and she literally
jumped to her feet. Her companion, a young woman with short blond
hair and large brown eyes, looked at her curiously, turned to see
what she was staring at and gaped at the group. Then she smiled
mechanically at the cheerful Asians and seemed to excuse herself.
Both women hurried to greet the judge.
    “ Lord Hawkes,”
the older woman said breathlessly. “We had no idea. I mean we
didn't know you were...” Her voice trailed off and the younger
woman cut in.
    “ Welcome back to
Valiant, m'lord,” she said with a genuinely pleased expression.
Her companion nodded mutely and smiled in embarrassed silence.
    “ Thank you Melony.
And you, Alice. It's good to see you both.”
    Judge Hawkes watched the
group of tourists being led away by a young man who had the word
'Guide' attached to his lapel. “Business is brisk, I see.”
    “ Oh yes, indeed it
is, m'lord,” Alice, the older woman said, regaining her
composure. “Revenue is up.” She waved at the castle
around them. “Valiant is almost paying for itself now.”
    “ Ah, excellent.”
The judge sounded pleased. “It's a wonderful old edifice, but
my, it's hard on my wallet. Oh well.” He indicated Chris and
the others. “We're on our way to see Mr. Mahony. Is he in his
office?”
    “ He is, m'lord,”
Melony replied. “Should I ring him, tell him you're on your way
up?”
    “ No need. He knows
that we're here. I wonder if I could impose on you ladies to find
rooms for my staff?” He indicated the staffers who were
standing back and waiting quietly. “As you can see, there are
five of them. I believe Valiant has more than enough empty suites to
accommodate them all?”
    “ Certainly, m'lord.
We'll make arrangements immediately. And what about the rest of your
party?”
    “ No need. I will
arrange things with Mr. Mahony for the rest of us. Thank you so much
for your help. Please continue with your duties.” He smiled at
them both. “I know the way.”
    The judge turned to the
staff members. “We'll talk soon. In the meantime, our uneventful trip from
the Nest should not become a topic of conversation. Clear?” All
of them nodded. George had a small smile on his face. “Excellent.
Get some rest.”
    He turned back and looked
at Chris, Natalie and Chef. “Come along now and let's greet our
host.”
    And with a nod at the two
helpful women, the judge continued on his way, the reduced group
falling in behind him again.
    They climbed up the vast
staircase, the gold-shot marble steps gleaming and reflecting their
surroundings. Several members of the resident staff passed them,
greeting Judge Hawkes respectfully, but all looking surprised to see
him. Chris was having a hard time getting used to the man being
called m'lord, but the judge accepted the title graciously, nodding
to each one and having a word or two for most of them.
    What Chris was most
impressed with was the judge's remarkable memory for names. Not one
person who greeted him was unknown to him and he called every one by
their first names. As they finally reached the top of the staircase
and set off down a broad hallway with a red rug covering the floor,
Chris asked Natalie about the judge's amazing talent.
    “ The way he
remembers names?” Natalie whispered at