I chose a seat on a back bench where I could see everything.
Before long the monks began to arrive. They filed in in their usual silent and orderly way and sat apparently wherever they liked. No one spoke.
I recognized Starry among them, but in his robe he was practically indistinguishable from the rest.
The service was brief: a song, a poem or prayer recited by Friar Montague in the musical ancient Dolphinian language, a short period of silent meditation--then all joined in the the old familiar closing hymn which was almost a lullaby. Then, slowly and silently, we moved out of the chapel, the monks to their cells and Starry and I to our guest quarters walking together silently until we arrived at the door to my room when Starry spoke: "Did you learn anything, Constable?"
"Only that this monastery is a very big place and that the moonlight is very bright in the garden. What did Master Walter talk about at the Chapter meeting?"
"Oh, about the Blue Star Crystal still being missing.
"He talked about the importance of the Blue Star to the healing work of this monastery and how it holds the stored mana vibrations of generations of adepts--energy which can be directed and focused by those who have learned how to use it through years of patient study, practice and experience.
"He did not talk for very long and I didn't understand it all--but that's the gist of it."
...
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