The man stepped aside.
Maren led them deeper into the chamber, and Ronan counted everything. Possible exits, armed members, possible mages, anyone who looked like they bore positions of authority. There were a few rank 1 mages scattered among the crowd, but no one looked too overwhelming.
That made the cult seem less dangerous on the surface.
But if the ritual was real, and they were somehow using it to communicate with demons from the northern continent, the people in this room might not be the true threat.
Aura remained quiet, though the way her fingers twitched told him she'd noticed something too.
They reached the main gathering area.
A dark stone basin sat near the front of the chamber, its inside stained deep red from repeated use.
Several small knives rested beside it on folded cloth, their edges clean, but no longer sharp, probably from overuse. Behind the basin, strips of fabric hung from the wall – dozens of them, each marked with names, phrases, or symbols.
