Part 4
“What was all that about?” Jack asked a couple minutes later, as they were further into the halls.
“Thieves are all too numerous at the Thoryn Vaults, Jacob.” Rebecca replied, their footsteps echoing. “She was a lookout, meant to trap an easy mark in order to pilfer their vault clean. Come to think of it, she might not have even been real. Hamlin, did those bones feel right when you broke them?”
“Stop!” Heather suddenly shouted, pulling his spare staff out of his clothing and slamming it on the ground.
“I feel it too. Jacob and Marvin stay back, Hamlin up front.” Rebecca said immediately, pulling out a longsword. “This is my first security device.”
The walls of the room they were in shook as a large monster crept out of the darkness, a gigantic slavering wolf. It looked ready to pounce on them, but it locked eyes with Rebecca.
“Easy there Gorbox.” Rebecca said, holding up the first key. “Who’s a good monsterous guard dog?”
The wolf sniffed at Rebecca, and gave a small bark, before dashing past them, down the corridor they came from. They very quickly heard the sound of bones snapping and some screams.
“What was that?” Marv asked.
“The clerk’s friends. They were following 5 minutes behind us, and would have just come upon her body.” Heather said with a smile. “But now it seems Gorbox has come upon them. Quite devilish, Duchess.”
“Come on, time’s wasting.” Rebecca said, unlocking the first true gate at the far end of the hall.
---
The rest of the gates were passed without incident, until they reached the vault door itself. In front of it was a rather ornate desk, and a quite old goblin sitting behind it, who peered up curiously at Rebecca.
“Lady Montague, I presume?” He asked.
“Yes. Here is the 7th key.” She replied.
“Yes, it appears everything is in order. Welcome back.” He answered, as both he and his desk shimmered and disappeared, leaving behind an unlocked door.
“Wasn’t that the 5th key?” Jack asked.
“Yes. The final trap. If you hand him the “fifth” key, you are killed instantly by poison gas.” Rebecca answered dismissively. “Come on, we got lots of work to do.”
---
Several hours later, after explaining the situation to the Guardsmen at the Vault Office, the party left the vault office one hefty bounty richer, and headed to the Baron’s manor.
“I don’t think even my bounty ever got that high.” Rebecca mused as she looked at the sack filled to the brim with Gilnan Pounds.
“Five thousand Gilnan Pounds. Boss if you weren’t already rich you would be now!” Marv said with a laugh. “Baron’s manor now?”
“Right you are, Marvin.” Rebecca replied. “Now that I look the part, I’ll be able to bully my way into a meeting. You’ll do well to watch and learn.”
Around the corner from the Baron’s manor, Rebecca motioned for them to stop.
“Something on your mind?” Hamlin asked.
“Let me take the lead. Don’t contradict anything I say, no matter how outlandish the claim. Most importantly, if I slap someone do not take it as an invitation to start a fight. Just go along with everything I do. Got it?” Rebecca said, looking at each one of them. Seeing nods all around, she closed her eyes and smiled for a moment.