Chapter 14: The Crown

Gus drew the plan on his glass wall with a green marker, and it had one box in it.

The box said LETTER TO THE BOARD.

"Every player signs," he said. "Inside the game, with their avatar."

"The board gets the number on the morning of the vote."

"Why would they care?" I asked.

"Because half of them bought their seats on the promise that Emberfall prints money, and the players are the money."

Lorne stood by the door with his arms folded.

He had not said much since Margaret's call.

He had put on the same navy suit and eaten four crackers.

Twice he had looked at the loan envelopes sticking out of my duffel bag.

"How does a signature work?" he asked.

"You walk up to the letter," Gus said. "You hold the sign button for ten seconds, so nobody signs by accident."

"Ten seconds."

"Roxie's rule is now a feature," said Gus. "I'm calling it a Hold."

"I love that," I said.

"I know you do."

"We need a hundred thousand Holds by the morning of the vote."

"We have five days," said Lorne.

"We have one guild," said Gus.

He drew a second box and wrote THE NINTH HOUR in it.

"Forty thousand members."

"The leader has wanted a Dragonlord crown since the game opened. He has nine hundred hours in the Ash Marsh alone."

I felt something cold go down my arms.

"No," I said.

"Roxie."

"No. Offer him the potion."

"He has two hundred potions."

"Offer him the chest. It has a good lock."

"He wants the crown," said Gus, very gently. "It's the only one in the game. You have it."

Lorne had stopped moving.

It was the best item in the game.

I had died in a fire to get it.

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