To Be A Maestro (The Maestro Chronicles) Read Free Page A

the deserted marble streets, passing gemstone buildings, some made of diamonds, topaz, turquoise, amber, sapphire, and just about every precious stone in existence. He walked silently to the conference room within the ruby pyramid, the huge structure at the center of Aakadon, the grandest city in the world, and home of the Aakacarns. Eight places were set at the dark granite table. The Grand Maestro’s chair was at the head, naturally so. The other seven chairs; each carved with the emblem of the Maestro’s guild, were evenly spaced around the table. A golden bird of prey set against a silver oval identified the Eagle Guild, the keepers of order and seekers of truth. All of the emblems were gold on silver fused into the carved wood. A five-pronged plant represented the Aloe Guild, known primarily for healing. A circle with jagged lines radiating outward represented the Sun Guild, the conjurers of fire and lightning. The rock and hammer represented the Stone Guild, the architects and builders. The letter Z represented the Zephyr Guild, the manipulators of wind and air. A branch with lance shaped leaves hanging down represented the Willow Guild, known for making vegetation grow, and a golden drop indicated the Aqua Guild, the manipulators of water.
    Terroll was the second guild leader to arrive. The first was Janna Barroon of the Aloe Guild, a four-bolt Accomplished, who called for this meeting of the Maestros. She was born in the kingdom of Fon Kay and her wheat-colored hair and blue eyes were a common trait among the people of her homeland.
    Lena Beyers, a five-bolt Accomplished, Maestro of the Sun Guild, and Demfilian by birth, was a compact woman with long white hair. Her eyes were a light iridescent blue, and her complexion so pale the faintly blue tint of her veins could be seen beneath her skin. One hundred eighty-one years of life made her the oldest Maestro, although she possessed not a single wrinkle. Both Terroll and Janna nodded their heads as she took her seat.
    Runyen Cransur and Geran DuSorin arrived at the same time, as they often did. Cransur, a five-bolt Accomplished, one hundred twenty-four years of age, sat in the chair of the Willow Guild, and was born in the kingdom of Zune, giving him light brown skin and black silky hair. His brown eyes were ovoid in shape with a slight upward slant and his beard and mustache were neatly trimmed. He greeted Lena Beyers and then Terroll and Janna.
    Geran DuSorin, also a five-bolt Accomplished, stout with a swarthy complexion, and a bald pate shining in the sphere light, took his seat after greeting everyone with the customary nod of the head. The Maestro of the Aqua Guild, born in the kingdom of Aczencopa, had light brown eyes and did not look a day over forty, even though his actual age was one hundred twenty-seven.
    Talmon Reese, Maestro of the Eagle Guild, deeply tanned, dark of hair and eye, came in moments later. His coloring came from being born on the southern coast of Taracopa, where as those born north of Lake Kestral, the southern most of the three great lakes of that kingdom, were of lighter skin. He glanced around the room, taking in every detail as though storing the information away for future analysis, which is the way he normally enters a room. Talmon seemed full of vigor, physically fit, and ready for action even at the age of one hundred seventy-one. The seat of the Eagle Guild was at the end of the table and the five-bolt Accomplished made his way to it after greeting each person in the room.
    Maestro David Svennar, four-bolt Accomplished of the Stone Guild, the next person to enter, greeted everyone, and took his seat. At one hundred two years old, the brown-haired green-eyed former citizen of Pentrosa was closer in age to Terroll, ninety-one, than the rest.
    Efferin Tames, born on the island kingdom of Serinia located off the west coast of the continent, an ancestry giving him light brown skin, dark eyes and high cheek bones, walked briskly into the