“Then, assuming no one else claims the right, I will walk up to you, we talk privately, embrace, and you leave. You and I can work out the details of the fortune later.”

  Simon said. “Actually, you will both depart to the treasury alone, talk, and then he will return and leave.”

  Master Downwin sighed. “Yes, yes. I seem to have overlooked that part.”

  Biff said, “I don’t like you walking into that room alone with him. Anything can happen.”

  Simon said, “And has, often, over the generations.”

  “Not helping.” Master Downwin said through clenched teeth.

  Simon smiled. “But Bella will be aware of everything. I sincerely doubt that Master Downwin would threaten you. In fact, he would likely protect you with his life. He has already shown great restraint and a mild interest in your well-being.” Simon noted.

  “Still,” Biff grumbled.

  “Will this keep order in your realm?” I asked Master Downwin, speaking for the first time since Simon silenced me.

  “It is the law.” He said. “Everyone up top saw you get carried and placed on the Chair, and I did nothing to stop it. My inaction, even under the extreme circumstances, could be seen as an abdication. My life could be forfeit or at least challenged. Undercity’s judicial system is not as refined as Topside. My right could be challenged today, a week from now, a year from now, and there would be grounds for it. We need to act as the arbiter suggested.”

  The Gray Master sighed deeply and, turning to Simon, said, “I accept arbitration.”

  Everyone looked at me. I shrugged and said, “I accept arbitration.”

  Adriana walked over with team one and said, “What’s everyone standing around for? We need to get back, and isn’t there a necromantian somewhere that is getting refilled?”

  Steven said, “We need to find it and destroy it before Drogan comes back.”

  “How much time do we have?” I asked urgently.

  “Days for sure, but we don’t know exactly,” Steven admitted. “Those dark arts are forbidden, and our knowledge of them is limited.”

  I called Team Two over. “Okay, we need to head back, but there’s something you all need to know.”

  Adriana laughed the whole way back to the Chair Room.

  When we entered the chambers, there was no sign of the undead, but we had two guests, the Majordomo and War Wizard Draconis.

  Isaac walked over to us, “Glad you could join us.”

  “The Patron always makes an entrance,” Adriana said with a smirk.

  “You have no idea,” I said, directing my comments to the grandmasters. “Masters, please wait with my team and don’t do or say anything. I’ll explain everything later.”

  I continued to walk into the room, receiving thanks and smiles from the many thieves I met. But the loud talking and excitement died down to hushed whispers and then silence as I walked up the ramp toward the Chair.

  Nobody else was on the platform.

  I stood, looking out over the room, and then sat down.

  Immediately, a lot of voices that had cheered me moments ago yelled and challenged me.

  I summoned my staff and, with a gentle request to both it and Bella, I struck it against the stone platform.

  The loud crack made many jump. I actually looked at the stone floor for a second to see if I had broken it, but it was just a sound effect.

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  “I have defeated the necromancer. Undercity is freed of his vile presence. But thousands of undead still roam our halls.”

  The arguments and challenges ceased immediately as the remaining threat settled on them once more.

  “By our laws as last seated, unchallenged and unopposed, I declare my role as Gray Master.”

  Nobody said a word. All eyes were glued on me.

  “And, furthermore, in accordance with our laws, I claim the right of retirement and ask for any candidates among the senior ranks.”

  Master Downwin stood forward and loudly stated, “I claim the right of candidacy, Gray Master!” He stared daggers around the room, seeking anyone to challenge him. A few seemed to give it some thought, but none spoke out loud.

  “Then, seeing that you are unopposed, come, stand by the Chair,” I said loudly.

  Now all eyes were on Master Downwin as he walked up the long ramp and stood before me.

  “What do I do now?” I whispered.

  “Stand and we embrace.” He whispered in return.

  I did, and we did.

  “Now what?” I asked.

  “You lead me to the treasury.” He said.

  “I don’t know where it is,” I remarked.

  “That could be a problem.” He said in a quiet reply.

  “Only if you want the Chair back.” I retorted.

  “Good point. We shall go together, side-by-side.”

  And he led me back down the ramp. We smiled and nodded to many who came up to us, but nobody strayed any closer than ten feet.

  Bella said urgently, A man dressed in a gray cloak, brown pants, and with a scar across his face intends to assassinate the Gray Master.

  Me or Downwin? I asked.

  I’m not really sure. She replied. Sorry. My readings are very challenging with all those emotions and unfamiliar minds. But he is very focused. Her voice sounded even more strained than before.

  Tell Downwin, and if he can point him out, I can immobilize him. I suggested.

  A moment later, she replied, He asks that he be allowed to deal with it and asks if you can avoid whatever he throws at us.

  I can if that is what he wants. I replied.

  He insists.

  Then we will play this his way. I agreed.

  We passed the edge of the main group, and the people started to thin out. We turned our backs, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a dagger come hurtling at us.

  Before I could respond, the Gray Master performed an amazing acrobatic move and kicked the dagger out of the air, and deflected it to the side.

  I turned to see the man’s face cloud in anger, but before he could run, Master Downwin reached out with his hand and clenched his fist. An earth elemental was summoned and grasped the scarred man. The attack was so sudden and lethal that the man barely had time to cry out before he was crushed under a ton of granite.

  The earth elemental bowed to Master Downwin and then departed back into the stone from whence he came. The whole thing took seconds, and Biff had not gotten halfway to us before he held up, Bella having told him the danger had passed.

  As we walked on as if nothing had happened, he whispered, “Thank you for allowing me to do that. It should quiet and future talks of rebellion. I expected to have to do something like this in the coming days, but this provided as public of a display of my power and ability to rule as anything. And having saved you, since you were the clearly intended target, I gain some prestige as well.”

  “You sound very full of yourself,” I replied.

  “Half of myself after the next few minutes.” He said.

  “Actually, I believe Simon said at least half of it.” I had a smile and a twinkle in my eyes.

  He sighed. “We are here.”

  We stood at the bottom of the raised platform we had fought atop for over an hour. In fact, we both stood exactly opposite the south passage we had fought so hard to protect.

  “What, this is the secret entrance to the treasury?” I asked.

  “It’s not exactly a secret. Just very, very well protected.” He replied and walked up to stand before one of the many bas-relief decorations carved into the stone surface.

  “Do you recognize me as Gray Master?” He asked one of the faces before us.

  It glowed briefly and turned into a man’s face, not of stone but of flesh.

  “No. You are no longer Gray Master.” It replied, and his eyes began to close and return to stone.

  Master Downwin motioned for me to try.

  “Do you recognize me as Gray Master?” I asked as I stood before it where Master Downwin had stood moments earlier.

  The face that had not quite gone back to stone, returned to flesh and said, “Yes, you are recognized as Gray Master. Do you wish entrance into the treasury?”

  I glanced at Master Downwin, and he said, “I believe the answer you are seeking is ‘yes’.”

  “Yes,” I replied.

  “Very well, are you entering alone?” It asked.

  I looked over at the Master Downwin, whose smug look at his witticism faltered slightly before he said, “I believe the answer you are seeking is, ‘no’.”

  I smiled in return and then said, “No, I will be bringing this man along with me.”

  “Very well. Recognizing the Gray Master and Richard Ruble, candidate for Gray Master.”

  He winced.

  “Your true name, I take it?” I asked.

  “Yes.

  “Rick Rubble?” I said.

  “Ruble.” He corrected, making a long “u” sound.

  “Good to know,” I said.

  Before us, the stone transformed from a flat stone into a stone door. The stone door then transformed into a wooden door with a brass handle.

  “You may enter with your companion, Gray Master.” The face stated. “The door shall seal behind you.”

  We walked into a winding hallway that led up for twenty feet and then back down again in a spiral that reminded me of the dwarven gem mines.

  “I don’t know what kind of vast treasury you might be expecting, Gwydion. But the past decade or so has been challenging. Trade and professional acquisitions just have not been up to usual standards.” He said, and then went on to explain that bribery of officials, lower demand, better security, magical protections, and even recent droughts all had an impact on guild performance across all agricultural and smuggling activities.

  When we turned the final corner, he had me half believing I’d find a damp, cobwebbed, and rat-infested room with a few chests in it.

  But what I found was a cavern filled with every conceivable precious metal, along with hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of valuable objects of art and treasure. It simply overwhelmed me.

  “My old master, whom I took over from quite a few years ago, had me thinking the same thoughts you had in your head, only to hit me with this. Welcome to the Gray Treasury. Not bad, huh?”

  Not bad? That was a gross understatement. A colossal understatement.

  “Half of this is, is mine?” I stuttered.

  “Well, no. Not really.” He said.