A moment of peace

Alric watched the words on the page blur before him as noises from the street outside floated in through his open window. He rubbed the gritty feeling out of his eyes and sighed, another night spent scouring through books and papers and still he had found nothing. Putting the book down, Alric checked his watch to see it was just past 8 in the morning. The Hierarch had called a council meeting and he would be expected in an hour. He didn't know the exact details, but something had happened last night at the Vessel's Seat...and it had been big enough to make all of them disappear. He lay back, closing his eyes. Alric couldn't remember the last time he had been free from the whispers in his ear. It wouldn't last, but for now he would savour this blissful moment of peace.