The antechamber

Trace glanced at the hallway as Oakdown stepped into the antechamber that split two ways. One, into the room that was now a dead end, thanks to Martin's changes. The other path led far down, to the tree.

Which was hopefully a place Oakdown would not reach.

"Sir!" One of the soldiers saluted as he snapped to attention. "Our discovery is in there. We evacuated the room to serve your instructions that no one is to touch the stones."

"Did anyone break any of them?" Oakdown demanded quietly, but Trace's eyes slid to his wife, and widened with shock.

She was limping, and her breathing was labored. Blood smeared across half her face, and a black eye was blooming. Her eyes were down, and leaking angry tears.

Rage boiled from a well deep within Trace, and he nearly leapt from his place to stab Oakdown on the spot.