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ONE OF THE GREEN-CLAD GUARDS escorted us to the Hall of Osca Velm, which was a Hall of welcome (most of the Halls were named after famous vampires) This was a srime and soot of decades It armed and lit by a couple of open fires, the air pleasantly thick with sh natural cracks and holes in the ceiling) There were several roughly carved tables and benches where arriving vas of the tables had been e animals) There were handwoven baskets full of shoes on the walls, which newcomers were free to pick from You could also find out as in attendance at the Council - a large black stone was set in one of the walls, and the name of every va wooden table, I saw a vampire climb a ladder and add our names to the list After Harkat’s, he put in brackets, "a Little Person"

There weren’t many vampires in the quiet, smoky Hall - ourselves, a few reen-unifor no shirt, came over to us with two round barrels One of the barrels was packed to the top with loaves of hard bread, the other was half full of gristly pieces of both raw and cooked meat

We took as much as anted to eat and set it down on the table (there were no plates), using our ringers and teeth to break off chunks The vas, filled with hu, but Gavner toldIt was difficult - I soaked my chin and chest ater the first ti out of a cup

The bread was stale, but the vaht bowls of hot broth (the boere carved out of the skulls of various beasts), and the bread was fine if you tore a piece off and dipped it in the thick, dark broth for a few seconds "This is great," I said, reed He was already on his fifth

"How co any broth?" I asked Mr Crepsley, as eating his bread plain

"Bat broth does not agree with me," he replied

My hand froze on its way tofell to the table "Bat broth? "I yelped

"Of course," Gavner said "What did you think it was made of?"

I stared down into the dark liquid of the bowl The light was bad in the cavern, but now that I focused, I spotted a thin, leathery wing sticking out of the broth "I think I’onna be sick!" I moaned

"Don’t be stupid" Gavner chortled "You loved it when you didn’t knohat it was Just get it down you and pretend it’s nice, fresh chicken soup - you’ll eat a lot worse than bat broth before your stay in Vampire Mountain’s over!"

I pushed the boay "Actually, I feel pretty full," I muttered "I’ll leave it for now" I looked at Harkat, asup the last of his broth with a thick slice of bread "You don’t ed "I have no taste buds Food is all the sa?" I asked

"Bat dog mud - no difference I have no sense of smell either That’s why no nose"

"That’s so I meant to ask about," Gavner said "If you’re not able to smell without a nose, how can you hear without ears?"

"I have ears," Harkat said "They’re under skin" He pointed to two spots on either side of his round, green eyes (He’d left his hood down)

Gavner leaned over the table to examine Harkat’s ears "I see theawk Harkat didn’t mind - he liked the attention His ears looked like dry dates, barely visible beneath the gray skin

"You can hear in spite of the skin stretched over theood as vaot ears but no nose?" I asked

"Mr Tiny didn’t give me nose Never asked why not Maybe because of air Would need another e to think that Harkat couldn’t smell the musky air of the Hall or taste the bat broth No wonder the Little People never co anies!

I was about to ask Harkatvampire dressed in red sat down opposite Mr Crepsley and so," he said "What took you so long?"

"Seba!" Mr Crepsley roared, and lunged across the table to clasp the older vampire’s shoulders I was surprised - I’d never seen hi when he let the va," the older vareed "I have often searched for you mentally, in the hope that you were near When I sensed you co, I hardly dared believe it"

The older vampire ran an eye over Harkat and ht of a youngerto introduce me to your friends, Larten?" he asked

"Of course," Mr Crepsley said "You know Gavner Purl"

"Gavner" The vampire nodded

"Seba," Gavner replied

"This is Harkat Mulds," Mr Crepsley said

"A Little Person," Seba noted "I have not seen one of those since Mr Tiny visited us when I was a boy Greetings, Harkat Mulds"

"Hello," Harkat replied

Seba blinked slowly "He talks?"

"Wait until you hear what he has to say," Mr Crepsley said so to me, he said, "And this is Darren Shan - s, Darren Shan" Seba sely "You, Larten - with an assistant?"

"I know" Mr Crepsley coughed "I always said I would never take one"

"And so young," Seba murmured "The Princes will not approve"

"Most probably not," Mr Crepsley agreed loom "Darren, Harkat - this is Seba Nile, the quartere fool you - he is as sly, cunning, and quick as any vaet the better of those who try and best him"

"As you know from experience" Seba chuckled "Do you remember when you set out to steal half a vat of e?"

"Please," Mr Crepsley said, looking pained "I was young and foolish There is no need to rehted by the vampire’s discomfort