The room was just another room in the conference centre. In the other rooms, business people were showing flow charts and diagrams to their clients, but there were no flow charts in this room. In this room, nine people sat around a long table and they were all looking at the bald man standing at the window.

Mr Bliss looked out over Dublin. “What you’re talking about here is illegal,” he said.

“We have no choice,” a man with golden eyes responded. “We can see where Guild is taking us, and we have no wish to follow him down that road. The Sanctuary needs a new leader.”

“There are those who are more qualified than I.”

A woman in grey shook her head. “But they want the job too much.”

“Replacing Guild would provoke an international scramble for power.”

“Not if his replacement had international respect. Bliss, if we overthrow Guild and you become the Grand Mage, it will strengthen our standing. The Councils around the world know you. Many of them fear you.”

“I have no desire to lead.”

The man with the golden eyes spoke again. “Maybe it’s not your choice. Someone has to make a stand. Someone has to oppose these new laws Guild is intent on introducing. I am sorry, my friend, but you are the only one who can do this without starting a war.”

Bliss was silent. “If we do this, we do it my way.”

“Of course.”

“And we wait until this current crisis is over.”

“Agreed.”

Bliss turned to them and nodded. “Very well.”