Kaden was completely awake and now viciously focused. “I want the spellbook. I’m willing and capable of buying it.”

Diggus brushed himself off. “Why are you not under my thrall? Oh, [Hard to Kill]. You may as well sit at the adult table, then. See, a treasure like this? I don’t just sell. Not even to the daughter of the best lay I ever had. So I’ve invited the brokers—and their representatives—to explain why I should sell to them. You can make your case, too.”

Sara was practically bristling with rage. “My mother—”

“Doesn’t have a Business Manager profession, and would still recognize this is just good business.” Diggus undid his toga, changing it for a robe that didn’t even tie in the back, and proceeded up a set of stairs to a second floor where sky-skiffs were docking without fireworks, meteors or theatrics.

Kaden knew beautiful. He’d seen Trella, after all.

Syntera Fleshseeker was stunning, almost as beautiful as Trella. She moved with a grace that made her curves ripple as she flowed down off the Skyskiff. A second mouth opened in the smooth tan expanse of her stomach, and then her breasts grew eyes where there were nipples before they sank back into the chest. She leaned over, her arms thickening as she stood up on leg-arms which flowed into flesh of a new woman, one with pale white skin and glistening blond hair.

The shifting stopped as she took on new curves and adjusted a dress that formed from the same material. And she glowed, a heavenly white radius that made her almost blinding.

“You glow,” Kaden said as the Broker looked to him and Sara.

“I have many qualities. But that’s the first time someone’s said that.” Her voice was rich and dark and suggested so much. More. He knew this more, he just didn’t know where.

As recognition clicked in, Kaden almost vomitted. And stepped in front of Sara. “You. You’re a Demon.”

What was white? Probably nothing good for Kaden.

A hollow formed in Syntera’s stomach, revealing a core that had no cracks. It was solid purple. White was definitely bad for Kaden. Bad for Sara. Bad for everyone.

“Feared by Demons! Oh, young man. I’m not afraid of you, and you should be a little afraid of me, but not for the reasons you think. She winked one eye and then another, “Demon Lord Asmodeus knows your name. How delightful.”

Kaden dropped Nasky in front of him. “I’m not here to play games. As she found out.”

“Save me!” Nasky shouted. “I will serve you for eternities to come!”

Syntera put both hands on Nasky’s face and leaned in to kiss her. “How does it feel to become the prey, little hunter? How does it feel to have your Hatred used against you? Your pain is so pleasurable.”

Kaden held no love for Nasky, but this was cruelty. He yanked her back into Inventory.

Syntera sat across from Diggus. To her right sat a man who could only be Bluderyn. His body was covered in scars, his clothing was covered in blades, and Kaden was fairly sure a lot of the scars came from his own blades, because moving, even sitting with that many knives couldn’t be safe, let alone comfortable.

“Hi. Kaden Birch,” He said.

“You killed two of my men,” Bluderyn said.

“I damn near killed your third guy, too. His [Thorn Cage] was just a little too strong for me. But next time will be different.”

Bluderyn appeared mollified. “I can respect that. Killing is the only true power. Permanent Murder is the only true killing.”

To Kaden’s left, Oberix slipped into a seat. Kaden nodded to her. “Broker Oberix.”

“I know where the spellbook is,” Oberix said with unadulterated joy. “And I’m working to help you acquire it, just as I promised.”

Diggus cleared his throat. “Enough introductions. You know why you’re here. I’m planning on another grand tournament. That spellbook would make a hell of a reward, unless one of you is willing to make me a better offer.”

Oberix stood and applauded, as did the other Brokers at the table. “We love tournaments. What’s this one called?”

“How is this helping us get the spellbook?” Kaden asked her.

Bluderyn coughed. “There’s so many ways. You could assemble a crack team of thieves to steal the book during the tournament.*

“Don’t listen to him,” Syntera said. “You’ll be outmatched and outleveled, but if you have the true heart and desire, you could train hard, enter the tournament and win the book yourself.”

Sara stood and focused on Diggus. “Or we could just buy it. Mom told me you were a member of the Mecari, which means you know the best deal is the one that gets you the most gold. You could buy something truly unique. Something that would bring hopeful people worldwide to compete in your tournament.”

“Go on,” Diggus said.

As if Sara needed permission. “How many people know what spells are in a Vichorean spellbook? Plus, it’s not like it was even the best one, it’s one out of thousands from one of their libraries. You need a prize that people who have never heard of the market would come for, not a treatise on [Remove Foul Smell.] You can read Vichorean, right? You did check to make sure it wasn’t [Remove Foul Smell,] right?”

Kaden understood the direction of her argument. “People from all around the world coming to Omnor. Searching for anything that will give them an edge in the competition for an actual prize. Coming to you. All of you. Maybe not you, so much, Diggus, since the Emporium got gutted by the Necromancers. Gold makes the world go around. I could pay. I could do it now.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Diggus looked unamused. “Then we’ll do it by bid. Each of you, write out what you’re willing to pay. Pass it to me. The highest bid wins.”

“That’s not fair!” Sara said.

“It’s entirely fair. You want to hear everyone else’s bid so you can win by a single gold?”

“Yes?” she said.

“Then there’s a new rule. If you don’t beat everyone else by at least twenty thousand gold, you don’t win at all.” Diggus seemed quite pleased with this new rule.

Kaden put a hand on Sara’s shoulder to keep her from making it forty thousand. *It will be ok. Just don’t write until I tell you.*

He triggered [Relive the Moment’s] Active Mode.

Mana began to tick downward as the Brokers marked slips of wood, then turned them over and passed them. Oberix scribbled—then discarded a chip and dashed a better entry on the one they turned in.

[Relive the Moment] activated in a heartbeat. Syntera was offering fifty thousand. Bluderyn, eighty thousand gold. Oberix hadn’t written a number, she’d written a message. And you thought this skill wasn’t useful.

Her real offer was ten copper.

Kaden scribbled a number on his piece and passed it over.

If Diggus cared who bought the book, it didn’t show. He read the chits, then tossed them into the fire. “Sold to Kaden Birch for a hundred thousand and one gold.”

Kaden mentally assigned the debt to [Authority of Vichor]. For the briefest moment, he felt someone look through his eyes.

This debt is accepted.

You have spent wisely.

[Authority of Vichor] is ended.

Kade took the book and banished it to Inventory. Then spun and faced Oberix. “You! You promised you’d help. You had to know where that book was.”

“Calm yourself,” they answered. “Diggus, may I have a moment?”

“He belongs to you,” Diggus said. “I have a grand tournament to plan and promote and the traitor who helped the necromancers to find.”

Kaden went with Oberix back to the Sky Skiff, where he produced the scrolls. “My part of the bargain.”

Oberix nodded. “What do you expect me to do with them?”

“You said—”

“They were for a client? Yes.” Oberix tipped their head. “I was hired to help the Necromancers. I told them ‘I know who can get your men into the Emporium, but the cost will be steep.’ Funny thing, [Prophecy]. It doesn’t always tell me the how. Now, getting them into the warehouse, that I foresaw. But not your little shopping trip.”

“You spent a hundred and fifty thousand gold—”

Oberix waved their hands. “Not my gold. And if you’d looked at something sensible or sane or taken anything other than Chrono-mana, not so expensive.”

“Enough.” Sara said. “We’re done. We fulfilled our bargain with you. We’re done.”

“No.” Kaden knew this moment was coming. “How much do you want for the [Fate Breaker]?”

Oberix studied him like a starving man studied an oil painting of a ham and cheese sandwich. “You don’t get to use it on your lover. Even if you buy it, you will never use it to break free. But if you hand it back to me, you’ll never buy it. How does that make you feel?”

Kaden’s stomach twisted into knots. He’d made many bad judgements about people, but the calm that possessed Oberix said they were confident in their claims. But if those claims were right, he’d never use it.

He looked to Sara, who shook her head. *I don’t know what to tell you.*

“Oh, and one more thing? Your lovely Professor? He doesn’t succeed. His attempts to break the binding never succeed.” Oberix held out their hand. “Still want to give it back?”

“What is your game?” Kaden asked, nearly shaking with anger. “What do you get out of this? I can’t use it, even if I buy it, but Professor Treadle’s research doesn’t work either? Why offer me something I can’t use?”

Oberix’s face rarely showed emotion. When it did, it was less genuine and more like they were carefully following a script of motions to mimic real feelings. But now, the pleasure was real. “This. I get this. Diggus told you the truth. I feed off of desires and you, little boy, are a steak topped with cake and marinated in ‘what if?’, with just a dash of bitter reality on top. It’s that fear that really makes the meal whole.”

Kaden handed her the [Fate Breaker].

It felt like slamming a door on dreams.

“Wait.” Oberix’s confusion was real. “You’re supposed to offer me scrolls. Hundreds of scrolls. Even tier up scrolls. And some weapons from your parents. The bow Syntera had made for your father. Rain of Blood? Bloody Rain?”

“Don’t have the scrolls. I don’t even know where they are, but my best guess is that they were inside a reanimated skeleton that got shoved into a sacrifical rift to Mortis’s realm. And I’m done. Done with this market. Done with this city.” Kaden looked to Sara. “Let’s go home.”

Oberix looked like a child whose hands were slapped. “Be that way. But I would use those scrolls. I mean, totally your call, but I’d use them now, if I were you.”

“Why?” Sara asked.

“Because in a moment, you’ll be screaming and running and burning and wishing you’d done it already.” Oberix shrugged.

Kaden didn’t hesitate, absorbing both. As much as he hated the Broker and their games, Oberix hadn’t lied. “Why would we be running?”

“Because in about eight seconds, Diggus gets a message about the scroll archive at the Emporium. And in about twelve seconds, his [Inquisitor] explains who was in there, and—that’s the right response! Run!” Oberix cheered and waved as Kaden took off with Sara at his side.

Kaden leaped into the nearest sky skiff and rushed to the back.

“Do you know how to steer this?” Sara shouted as she tried to untie the skiff and began to gnaw at cords.

“No, and it’s too slow.” Kaden tore through the storage compartment. “Hold on to me. Don’t let go.”

“Why would I—” Sara grabbed onto Kaden as he picked her up.

The Villa exploded with brilliant golden light, and the image of a god soared upward, roaring with rage.

Kaden jumped, doing his best to aim them toward the Emporium so far below. In one hand, he clutched an emergency bubble, in the other, Remembrance.

*Trigger the bubble!* Sara practically screamed as they fell.

Not yet. That would leave them floating gently downward. That would give time to respond. Faster and faster he fell, rocketing like a meteor toward earth. The edge of the lava dome neared.

Kaden used Remembrance to bump the dome so they didn’t hit the side.

The earth swung close so quickly.

*Use it! Please* Sara was near frantic. Maybe she had a legitimate fear of falling to her death inside an underground volcano. Kaden triggered the bubble and absorbed four hundred points of damage as it yanked them to a halt. A glance up showed dozens upon dozens of meteors falling toward him. Either guards or weapons, neither good.

Before the panicked people below could react, he let go, dropping the last thirty feet, then ran for the exit.

And emerged in Omnor.

Kaden ran thirty feet, ducked into an alley and wrapped them in [Stealth Aura]. Without waiting, he climbed straight up and began traversing from rooftop to rooftop, always nearer and nearer the Necrosium.

*Don’t look now, but there’s dozens of Diggus’s men,* Sara sent.

Of course there were.

Kaden focused on one move and then the next, rooftop to rooftop, keeping [Stealth Aura] engaged, heading back toward the Emporium. The last time he’d seen Duggarn, the Necromancer killed them both. Eight blocks from the Underground Market entrance, Kaden was finally able to drop them to street level.

A few minutes later, he knocked on the door of the red pagoda, and Ms. Anderson answered. “I didn’t expect to see you alive. Come in. The emporium is in shambles, but there are still loyalists. And word is, you upset one of the brokers.”

“Try most of them,” Sara said. “We need out of Omnor.”

Kaden shook his head. “First, I need to return the spellbook. We may not be back for a while, but I’ll pay you to hold our lodging until I tell you we’re leaving.”

“You’ve been the best guests. The kind who pay and don’t show up.” She nodded to the staircase. “Be my guests.”

Kaden headed upstairs and prepared himself. “You’re going with me to Vichor. Time passes differently there, I’m not taking a chance on us being there for months with you trapped there. Ashi’s mother will have to permit you if she wants the book.”

She reached for his hand.

Kaden triggered the token.

Entity [Sara Scylla] is not approved for entry.

Entity [Sara Scylla] will be permanently disconnected.