Ringleader Nikke looked almost refreshed.

There was a slight flush to his cheeks, a glow in his eyes. The dark animal pelt hanging from his shoulders made his skin even paler.

In contrast, I was ragged. I smelt of blood and sweat; dirt and defeat. My dark skin looked lifeless, filled with scratches and minor cuts—my eyes hollow and pained.

Angus chuckled, tilting his head to the side while still holding me in his arms.

“Why are you glaring at me? Surely you don’t think I was involved.”

“You are involved in something. Otherwise, you would’ve never pulled out of the Championship today.”

The man smiled, the smile bright and joyful. “It was not an easy decision, you know. Yet I had to resolve things on my end.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“And what were you dealing with in your end? Contacting the authorities? Arranging my arrest?”

“Moving funds, planting the right connections, contacting people. Tedious work, all of it. You would’ve hated it.” Before either of us could say anything else, faint voices echoed from afar. Angus' smile grew, his words becoming mere whispers to get lost in the dark. “Let us go to a place a bit more private.”

My heart raced, afraid those voices would get too close, too fast.

“Can you put me down first?” I whispered back, glancing behind his shoulders.

“But I was quite enjoying this new intimacy between us.” Though his voice showed some sadness, almost as if he was hurt, his eyes had this curious spark. An amused shine.

I wriggled in his arms until my feet touched the ground. Three more seconds and I would have elbowed his face.

Angus lowered his gaze, staring at my injured leg. The smile never left his face.

“Can you walk?” When I nodded, he passed by me, walking in the opposite direction of the voices. “Follow me then, little Jackal. I don’t want to see you get shot through your heart again.”

It took me a few seconds to understand what he meant.

That stupid dream of his. I had forgotten all about it. It had been almost two months since he told me about it, after all. Yet as I followed Angus, suddenly I couldn’t think of anything else.

We walked with hasty steps, in complete silence, for almost five minutes. Not once did he glance back to check on me, and even by his walk I could tell Angus was in high spirits.

I wanted to shout and curse at him.

...yet so far, the only thing I was certain of was he had been the one who helped me escape when the authorities had me pinned down. Otherwise, there was no way for him to know how to find me in the sewers.

Angus stopped at sudden, turning to face the wall. Before I could ask, he pressed a specific rock. A small panel popped up, one that had an empty slot in a familiar shape. Angus brought his wrist up, placing his crystal ball on the slot for a few seconds.

The wall trembled and rumbled, a faint blue glow running through its small cracks and fissures before a path opened in front of us.

He turned to face me, the smile on his face almost childish as he gave a short bow while placing a hand on his chest.

“After you.”

----------------------------------------

The first thing Angus did when we arrived at his secret room was tend to my leg.

According to him, I didn’t need to worry about the authorities following my trail. He didn’t go into details, and I didn’t ask.

There were other things I wanted to know.

The authorities had already closed all my accounts and taken all my money. I needed another black crystal since the one in my possession had all Jackal’s logs and signature. Yet I had no means to buy one.

“The rumors started a bit more than a month ago,” Angus said while pouring hot tea, the herbal scent soothing and strong.

The room itself was small. It had somewhat of a cozy atmosphere, with some shelves filled with books and some cabinets filled with teapots and herbs. There were also two robust, padded chairs and a soft fur rug.

It was clear the room’s purpose was for “private escapades” where Angus could sit down and relax. Why he couldn’t do so in his own home was beyond me.

“They were circulating only in very specific inner circles—I told you plenty of times, you should go out more. Meet new people.”

I rolled my eyes.

“If these rumors were about me, it wouldn’t matter. Whoever did this wouldn’t want me to know.”

“But you can never truly know what could’ve happened, can you?” His golden gaze met mine, the man’s lips curling a bit when I said nothing in response. I couldn’t. “The rumors didn’t mention anyone in particular. ‘A new intern brought forward a big operation’, ‘the authorities are moving a lot of resources for a special occasion’, ‘the new intern will lead an important mission’. Things like that.”

“And why, by all gods, did you think these rumors were connected to me?”

If Angus got offended by the annoyance in my voice, he didn’t show. He gave me my tea before leaning against the opposite chair, his voice calm and untroubled.

“I told you. I had an odd dream.”

My mouth hung open, incredulity flooding in my eyes.

“You can’t be serious…”

Angus took his time, first smelling the tea before taking a few sips, closing his eyes for a few seconds in appreciation before he replied.

“There were a few details I didn’t mention, about my dream. After the Winged Goddess crowned me, I was moved to this banquet hall. Seating across me, there were figures dressed like white ravens—one of them holding a bow and arrow—and together we all feasted on the animal’s meat.”

A shiver went down my spine. Not only because I likely represented the animal in the picture, but because of the strange figures.

White ravens were known for symbolizing peace and stability. Security.

And they were also the authorities’ coat of arms.

“Why didn’t you tell me this before? If you thought the authorities were going after my neck, you should’ve—”

As I raised my voice, Angus opened his eyes and looked right into my own.

He silenced me with his gaze alone.

“Because, as you accurately put it, we are not friends.”

A chill ran through my entire body, making my skin colder as the hair from my neck rose.

“Why help me, then?”

“Simple. Because I like you, and I want us to be friends in the future.” A smile touched Angus’ lips with grace as he replied, taking a few more sips from his drink. “I figured whatever the authorities had planned, the big families had either approved or chosen to overlook. So if I wanted to interfere, it would not be without huge risks.”

The mocking smile cracked its way on my face, my voice dripping with irony.

“But we are not friends.”

Angus nodded cheerfully. “Precisely. There was no reason for me to put a target on my back as well. Yet I still wished to help you, somewhat.”

“Which lead us to this.”

“Which leads us to this, yes. Also, you should drink your tea while it’s still hot—it will help with the pain.”

I drank it in one go, burning my tongue in the process. By Angus' expression, he disapproved of my choice, yet I didn’t care.

I had just lost everything.

Reality was taking its time to sink in—for the dread and desperation to engrave themselves in my being and make me realize exactly where I stood.

Jackal was about to become a runaway criminal.

I couldn’t stay in the underground anymore, not even in the slums.

Because I had no more money.

I had no friends.

I had nothing.

All because of her.

“Vex.”

Angus' voice was not carrying his carefree and amused tone anymore. It was serious, almost cold. It brought me back to the comfort of that secret room, a place where time didn’t seem to exist.

“What about selling me one of your Blocks now?”

I frowned.

What kind of nonsense is this?

“What are you even—”

“You need resources to start anew, and I’m willing to buy your biggest Block—it’s as simple as it sounds. This will be the last time I ask, so please think carefully.”

I wondered if I looked as shocked as I was.

I could hardly believe what I was hearing.

Those Blocks were not mine—not when I had become a liability to the families and their organizations. Not only could I not host races anymore, I could not even become a ringleader. Nikke could directly contact the families and ask for a price.

Yet he still wanted to give me money.

And it didn’t make any sense.

“I don’t own those Blocks anymore—I can’t sell them to you.”

Angus chuckled, a few strands of his snow-white hair falling in his eyes.

“By tomorrow, this will be true. As of now, by contract, you are still the owner of five Blocks. If you transfer Block 64’s lease to me now, no family will be able to refute.”

I blinked a few times, still not being able to understand.

That man was not making any sense.

“But you can just wait until I lose ownership. You would pay way less contacting the family directly.” My voice showed not only my confusion but my suspicion. And Angus caught that.

“I told you already. Although Nikke and Jackal were rivals, Angus wants to be friends with Vex. This is my way of helping you, so let me do so.”

I placed the empty tea cup on top of the small round table between us, his words taking their own time to sink in.

Certainly, he couldn’t be doing that solely to “become friends”. Sooner or later, Angus would ask for a favor, or demand something in exchange. This was simply how the world worked.

Every relationship was a business transaction. A give and take. At that moment, Angus was willing to give something to me in the name of friendship. And at some point, he was going to take something in exchange.

The problem was not knowing what that something was going to be.

…and the fact I had no means to refuse.

I leaned back against the chair, letting out a sigh.

“Sure, fine. I’ll sell my Block to you, I will sell my orbs, my clothes, whatever you want.”

The smile Angus flashed me was so joyful and pure it almost blinded me.

“Wonderful! I knew you would say yes.”

You talk as if I had a choice…

Sweat ran down my back and face, the pain in my leg getting worse and worse as the minutes stretched. My adrenaline rush was coming to its bitter end, it seemed.

Suddenly there was a document in front of me, alongside ink and quill. As I quickly read its content, I was somewhat surprised by the total amount Nikke was paying Jackal for Block 64.

Compared to what it was actually worth, it was pity money. Yet for someone who was currently penniless, it was more than enough to start from scratch.

As I was about to sign, I paused for a second when I read the date, cracking a smile.

“This is yesterday’s date,” I stated plainly.

“How perceptive of you; yes it is.” Angus continued to drink his tea.

I shook my head, incredulous. This bastard, he had planned this thoughtfully.

When the ink touched the paper, a breeze brushed against my face—almost as if it was calling for my attention. And was it Angus’ Winged Goddess placing a small blessing on me, or a lucky fate shifting to meet my paths, I saw a newspaper half open on the table.

Showing a face I knew all too well.

I dropped the quill, grabbing the newspaper with shaken fingers. And as I read through its content, a new feeling started to curse through my veins. A thrill, a thirst—something that made my heart race against my chest and hope feed my thoughts once again.

Something that gave me a real purpose.

“…say, Angus. You wish to be my friend, right?” My voice was far away, the plan still forming in my mind.

Yet I couldn’t stop grinning.

I was truly happy.

Angus raised his eyebrow, glancing at the newspaper and then back to me. And almost as if we were already friends, he asked me as if he knew me.

He asked me with a smile that mirrored my own.

“How much more do you need?”

“Enough to buy me a race dragon. Enough to get me to Ergos.”

Because Ergos Academy was where Alantra Harris would be.

And for her to know what it felt like to lose everything she worked hard to achieve—

I had to become a dragon rider.