The Fight for Peace by Autumn M. Birt Read Free Book Online Page A

passageways. It’ll be a headache to lock down every access point between areas.”
    Jared grinned. “I’m so glad I brought you. Let’s go in and get out of this wind. Seriously, I don’t know how you walked through this crap for months.” Derrick chuckled as he followed Jared to the main door. “Take it like the unknown situation it is. We clear the place first, then investigate.”
    A building this big and with just the two of them, Derrick understood why Jared had them leaving pre-dawn. It would be a long day away. Frozen fingers notwithstanding, Derrick was happy. This was why he’d rejoined the Guard.
    Floor by floor they swept through the entire complex. Both wings to the ‘U’ shaped structure housed rough rooms, lacking in amenities or comforts. Byran would hate it. The connecting structure held a cathedral entry hall that rose two stories, leaving one level above with old offices. Between the three sides lay a courtyard resembling a cloister missing a side. In its place a crumbling wall broke the wind before it hurtled off the cliff face a few feet away.
    The only room of any size to meet in was the chapel set against the low wall near the cliff. It stood separate from the main building by two hundred feet between it and each wing. One side merged with the steep plummet of the mountainside, the other opened to the field that wrapped around the outside of the complex. Despite the meager architecture of most of the structure, the chapel’s nave soared with gothic arches toward the altar. It was a narrow building, made narrower by the row of columns supporting the arches that lined both sides. And it was tall, the pointed apex of the roof rising another story and a half above the dormitories, not counting a bell tower that dared to soar higher into the incessant wind.
    “So what do you think of it now?” Jared asked as they stood beneath the arched door that opened to the chapel.
    “I hate it.” Jared laughed at the frank assessment. “I think Byran will too. Seriously, is there not a hotel or something with slightly modern conveniences that could be used? If we can even heat this bloody mess so the delegates don’t freeze, we’ll need to bring in beds at least. They can’t sleep on hay mattresses over rope and wooden frames. That is just the beginning of the problems. This is horrible.”
    “Yeah, I don’t like it either. I’ll report back to turn the offer down. We’ll counter propose a nice hotel in the Alps. It is late. It is cold. Let’s head back.”
    The sun was setting below the thick cloud layer, illuminating snowflakes that fell on a gentler breeze. They took the change in weather as an opportunity to walk around outside, even though they were going to oppose the location. Drifts of snow mounded over old gravestones. From the windswept graveyard, the chapel’s thick bulk appeared less majestic and more gothic. It made a terrible setting for a peace conference. Derrick turned away from the red stained sunset painting the sky behind the complex.
    Jared shook snow out of his hair as they pulled off winter gear in the back of the dactyl. “How do you like being back with the Guard?” Jared asked after they’d settled into the cockpit and Derrick lifted off.
    Derrick flicked a glance at Jared. His expression was serious. “Good. I’m very happy to be back. I’m still shocked you made me a Lieutenant. I’m sure you broke a few rules with that.”
    Jared snorted. “Never was good at following rules. You remember when we met at Voltzcrag? The first thing I did was forget to report on time.”
    Derrick laughed. “I think the first thing you did was get shot out of the sky and still managed to land your plane. Glad you are teaching me to fly this thing.”
    “So no complaints?” Jared asked after a few minutes of silence.
    Derrick pushed down a fluttering in his gut. “Nothing that you can do anything about.”
    “Yeah, I don’t like the way she is treating you either,” Jared