Bunty was pleased to wake up in his own bed the following morning. The accommodation only had single beds, and the pair were too tired to put two together. It wasn’t that Gwyneth put him off, but sharing a bed with her was starting to get confusing. He liked her warmth and how she felt next to him, but it also had him stuck in limbo regarding what to do about Victoria. Bunty needed space to get his head straight so he could get over the past before he started thinking about the future.

“Good, you’re finally up!” Gwyneth exclaimed, dropping a fresh set of clothes on his cot. They resembled the clothing the FTF’s employees wore. She wore an outfit similar to Heidi’s, and Bunty couldn’t help but admire how it cupped her breasts and squeezed them together. “We need to get moving.”

“What’s the rush?” Bunty asked, struggling to keep his eyes from drifting down to her chest. Gwyneth was a beautiful woman. The more time he spent with her, the harder it became to deny it. Bunty wondered whether his tastes had changed. She and Victoria were nothing alike. Gwyneth lacked his former interest’s air of nobility and poise, but her sharp mind and relaxed body language made her just as desirable. Bunty shook his head, pushing the usual morning thoughts out of his head. “After the day we had yesterday, I’d like to relax a while longer.”

“I want to test the lamp’s compatibility with the new Core.” Gwyneth paused. Her eyes drifted down to the sheet-tent around his abdomen. She smirked before continuing. “The hub should be reasonably safe since the FTF is the majority force, and our outfits will keep us safe.”

“What about Oss? Have you checked on him?”

Gwyneth nodded. “Oss isn’t in fighting form yet, but he’s doing much better. There’s a ton of bruising around his shoulders and rib cage, but he claims the bones are better than ever.”

“That’s a hell of a power he’s got,” Bunty commented. “Do you think he’s telling the truth?”

“He’d need a hell of an imagination to come up with the tale on the spot,” she replied. “I think he’s telling the truth. Considering how he took the tortoise apart, it makes more sense than a traditional spirit. I’d like to keep him around and learn more about his powers and the Children of Gaia.” Gwyneth plopped down on her cot opposite Bunty. “I’d also like you to tell me about this Explorer character.”

“He’s someone Neer met in the sixth interval, and my spirit is named after him.”

Gwyneth watched Bunty for a moment thoughtfully. “When you absorbed your first Core, you asked me whether I’d seen someone while communing with the upgrade station. Was it because of Explorer?”

“Correct. At first, I didn’t understand the concept of named spirits. Then he showed up after I made my decision regarding which path to take with the spirit. Finding Explorer and asking him about Neer is one of my long-term goals. I doubt we’ll get to floor-thirty any time soon, but there is no harm in trying, right?”

“Not at all—”

Bunty’s growling stomach interrupted her. “Give me a couple of minutes to wash up and get dressed. Then we can get moving.”

Heidi was waiting for them outside the hut. She greeted the pair with wooden mugs of hit herbal tea. Bunty accepted it despite the pungent smell and was surprised by the gamey taste. It snapped him awake, and his body felt ready to face the day’s challenges. Due to how tired they were, the pair had sped through a light meal of porridge before going to bed. When Bunty found a feast of local fruit and cured meats waiting for him, he dove in hungrily. Meanwhile, Gwyneth and Heidi sat together, discussing the settlement and the hub on the next floor.

The FTF settlement existed to harvest herbs and flowers, which only grew in their mangrove forest stretch. They all had valuable medicinal effects—including the tea—and sold for a premium in the mainland. The Boleyns were their primary competitors. Ever since the house allied with the DeLawneys, the FTF were struggling to get their goods out. As a result, the settlement was hunting the local reptiles and selling their skins. It wasn’t enough to achieve their initial profits, but it kept the FTF from shutting down the operation. None of them wanted to roll the dice and find out whether the board would make them redundant or assign them to another settlement.

Meanwhile, the ninth floor’s hub was thriving. The FTF had expanded their operations into the hospitality sector. The revenue coming in from the inns and taverns wasn’t just valuable revenue but was winning them the favour of regular Climbers. As a result, the noble houses couldn’t afford to wrestle control from the FTF without causing unrest. Bunty thought the tactic brilliant. The noble houses couldn’t just hold onto their power just using riches but relied on the people’s opinion too. It would force parties like the DeLawneys to follow the neutral zone’s rules.

There were still several DeLawney parties combing the interval for Gwyneth. The latest report from the ninth floor claimed a few bearers of the twin-shield crest were frequenting the pubs. As a result, Heidi hoped that Bunty and Gwyneth would avoid detection by wearing the FTF’s colours. Oss’s presence would throw them off too. The FTF’s intelligence claimed the DeLawneys were looking for a duo. They knew about the black-ink coat and the lantern but not much else.

Oss joined them halfway through breakfast, still looking worse for wear.

“How are you doing, mate?” Bunty asked, rushing to support the man when he stumbled.

“Better than yesterday,” Oss replied. “My bones are back to normal, but muscles still need more time.”

“How long do you need before we can continue climbing?” Bunty helped him to a nearby chair and put together a plate of fruit for him.

“Another day or two, perhaps.” Oss scanned the plate in front of him but didn’t pick at the offerings. “My bone armour is beyond repair. I’ll need to mould the tortoise’s skull into a replacement. My new weapons need refining too. Will that be a problem?”

“That’s perfect, actually,” Bunty commented, looking between him and Gwyneth. “I’d like to take a short break and leave the tower.”

“That’s not a good idea, Bunty!” Gwyneth protested. “The DeLawneys know to look out for you, and there is Edgar too—”

“I can change the lab coat’s colour and texture.” Bunty’s interruption came out more desperate than he would’ve liked. “Besides, if I stay in populated areas, they won’t try anything. The primary hub is a neutral zone, and no one’s foolish enough to make a move in Climber’s Market or the Noble Circle.”

“Still. It’s pretty foolish, Bunty. Why would you take such a risk?”

“I have to check on Baba, Gwyn. I don’t know whether he got my letter. For all I know, Edgar might have his teeth in him already. Kartik might’ve traded the Core too. If we’re lucky, we might enter the next interval armed with another upgrade.”

Gwyn glared at him, Bunty. “Fine. Perhaps its time I report to the city council as well. They’ll want to hear that the DeLawneys are hunting us so they can silence me.”

“I can come with you—”

“No,” Gwyneth said, cutting him off. “We’ll move separately. I’d like to upgrade my spirit before heading out.”

“I’ve got a couple of guards who’ve been begging for leave.” Heidi chimed in. “They’ve got family on the ninth floor. What if I have them escort Gwyneth until you lot rendezvous?”

“Are you sure?” Bunty asked her. “She’s not an employee, and it’s a huge imposition.”

“Lydia asked me to accommodate you in whatever way we can. You’re climbing at a ridiculous rate, and the board is watching your progress.” Heidi smiled at Gwyneth. “Your companion and I have been talking. Her knowledge can be a great asset to the FTF’s growth, and I’ll be recommending a probationary consultant position for her.”

“That’s pretty generous,” Bunty commented, looking between the two women. If the FTF continued to grow in power, having their backing would make Gwyneth’s life a lot easier. “Fine. I’ll go first, use the binding station, and leave the tower straight away. Perhaps wait half an hour before following me?”

“That’s settled then,” Oss said, finally picking up a fleshy mango. “We’ll meet at the binding stone in thirty-six hours.”

The pair agreed and ate a hearty breakfast before preparing to leave. While helping Oss get their goods together, Bunty couldn’t help but admire the settlement and its residents. The FTF appeared to have built it around ruins similar to where they found the tortoise. After running out of room on the rocky island’s walled sections, they had expanded into the giant mangrove trees above. He couldn’t tell how they kept local fauna away and doubted the musket-wielding guards were enough. After breakfast, Heidi and the locals had gotten busy with their daily tasks, so he didn’t disturb them.

A young woman approached Bunty while he was checking the tortoise skin’s quality. She claimed to deal with the settlement’s reptile hide sales. She expressed interest in taking it off the party’s hands, selling it for them and adding the profit to Bunty’s account through the FTF. When Bunty asked for an estimate on the hide’s sale value, she hesitated, looking between Bunty and Heidi. Then her shoulders slumped and quoted fifty pounds per-square-foot. The amount was nothing to scoff at, and Bunty agreed to the deal. Gwyneth held onto the material she had taken off the tail for her coat.

It was mid-morning when Bunty parted with his companions. Gwyneth rejected his offer of having her armour made for him. She intended to use her father’s former contacts and savings to have something formfitting made. He pleaded for her to be careful before approaching the settlement’s gates. Before passing through it, Bunty paused by the gate. While enamoured by the Spiderlegs, he had forgotten about the additional gift that had come with Eirkh’s Core.

Bunty got his notebook out and drew a quick line-sketch of the gate in front of him. Then he went around the frame, meticulously copying down every rune carved into the stone. He didn’t know what their functions were but hoped that they would help him return to the floor until he entered the fourth interval. He didn’t hate Heidi’s settlement and wanted to experiment with the ability when he got the opportunity. Then he hugged Gwyneth goodbye and left.

The bustle of a busy settlement welcomed Bunty, followed by a blast of cold air. The stone buildings immediately around the hub carried the FTF’s logo and snow-covered their roofs. Even though the moon was directly overhead, the streets were busy with woolly bovines pulling carts. Bunty spotted several people riding tall, horned deer and strange shaggy beasts too.

“Keep moving, mate,” an armed FTF guard called to him, guiding a pair of oxen to where he stood. Just as Bunty got out of the way, the front end of a wagon peaked out of the gate. The guard got the pack animals in the harness, and they pulled the vehicle through. It housed two passengers and a tall stack of crates.

The gate stood as an independent stone arch full of white light. Bunty had never witnessed such a layout before. The guards were regulating traffic, so one side—the one Bunty had just exited, only had people coming out of it. While people heading to the primary hub used the other.

Stalls lined the square surrounding the gate. Their individual lamps illuminated their wares of steaming pots and charcoal-lit grills. It might’ve been midnight on the ninth floor, but the eight had just woken up and were starting their business day. In the distance, he spotted Climbers wearing DeLawney and Montagu crests too. So, he didn’t stand around. Bunty rushed to the binding stone, attuned it with his spirit, and then returned to the gate. The pedestrian line was much shorter, and he found himself in the primary hub within ten minutes.

The gate room was crowded as usual. Since the FTF’s jacket didn’t have a hook, Bunty partially summoned his coat using white ink and used it to cover his head. Then it was a matter of weaving through the crowd before he exited the tower.

When the smells of New Calcutta and the Bay of Bengal entered Bunty’s nose, he couldn’t help but smile. Even though Bunty was considering becoming a permanent resident of Gaia’s Ark, Bunty had grown up in the city. It’s where he had gotten to know Neer and Alexander. As a result, he loved it. Dawn had just passed, and he took a moment to admire the city as it woke up beyond the Climber’s Market. Despite the time of day, barges and ferries crowded the canals, connecting the two major markets to the docks.

Bunty wasn’t sure how to proceed. Initially, he had planned on making a beeline for the Boleyn house. Now, he wasn’t so sure. There was no telling whether Edgar and company were in. For all he knew, Baba could’ve left their service already. At least he hoped he had. The alternative would break his heart. Either way, after his last encounter with the house, he didn’t blindly want to face them again.

After some thought, Bunty chose to visit Kartik first. He dealt with Baba on a semi-regular basis, after all. Whenever the Boleyns needed a new Core, Baba or one of his workers would visit Kartik first. Since the merchant dealt with several other houses and organisations too, he was a veritable wellspring of information.

It had been a while Bunty had indulged in proper spiced tea, so he spent a little over an hour indulging in the treat. He walked around the already open shops holding the clay vessel, examining wares in the already open shops. He dared to venture into the high-end stores as well. Not long ago, the clerks would’ve looked down at him for the lack of noble connections or a highly upgraded spirit. Now, thanks to FTF’s logo on his shoulder, they scrambled to wait on him hand and foot. Bunty blamed commissioned-based pay systems for their behaviour.

Even though it was an arsehole move, Bunty had them top up his tea before giving them the cold shoulder. He only paused once when he came across a Core-upgraded axe made of materials only found in the fourth interval. It tickled him that he could afford it. He’d never known the luxury of being well-off, but despite his bank balance, he couldn’t justify the expense. Perhaps he’d consider such an expense someday after he had set up Baba for a decent life in the city.

When the nearby clock tower run eight times, Bunty made his way over to Kartik’s store. Much to his surprise, the shop wasn’t just open, but there was a small crowd of Climbers around the storefront bidding on a trio of showcased Cores.

The crowd’s density made it impossible to pick people out of the mess, but Bunty spotted almost every noble house’s crest among the mess. He climbed atop a pile of crates, crossed his legs and watched the chaos.

The first Core to go belonged to a Lynaur. Bunty had only read about the rare creature and had never encountered any art depicting them. As the bidding began, he leaned forward, watching the golden Core. Most accounts talked about odd, six-limbed lions. A human torso grew out of where their neck should’ve been. The beasts featured human arms that ended in claws and a giant lion head. They displayed a variety of magical abilities, wielded a variety of weapons, including bows and polearms. The few Climbers that had encountered them called the beasts, vicious hunters.

“The seller reports the Lynaur stalked them soundlessly across the twenty-fifth floor’s plains,” Kartik said during his sales pitch. “It shot frost blasts from its mouth and masterfully wielded a spear.”

Even though the crowd started shouting their bids all at once, Kartik masterfully picked through them. Bunty had never witnessed him during such sales and couldn’t help but admire his control over the interested parties. Bunty couldn’t help but hypothesis how the Core would interact with Gwyneth’s spirit—gaining freezing blasts in addition to her lightning attacks would giver her a formidable variety of spells.

In the end, it was an Arabsheikh’ss valet that outbid everyone. After handing Kartik a stack of black-metal tablets, she handed the golden sphere to her employer, who inspected it before placing it in a velvet-lined box. They left straight after. The following Core on offer came from a mantis on the twentieth floor. It boasted metallic chitin, flight, and quick regeneration. It too sold straight away. However, when Kartik announced the final Core, most of the crowd dispersed. It was by far the weakest of the three, and Bunty recognised the red sphere. It belonged to Red Charger.

Bunty had never been to auctions before, but he had heard sellers started with the worst wares and then worked their way up to the most valuable articles. Kartik knew the crowd in Climber’s Market better than anyone Bunty knew, though. So, he didn’t question the man’s ways.

When the remaining groups started bidding on the red sphere, he recognised one of the voices. After taking a couple of minutes to scan the crowd for the short woman, he found her. It was Yuki. No matter how much he looked, Bunty failed to find Hina or Koki. Mei stuck close to the cape-spirit-using Climber, but the others were nowhere to be seen. Bunty felt his jaw clench and his ears burn. There was a chance they had parted ways for the sake of shopping. Something inside Bunty said otherwise. He worried Yuki had successfully gotten rid of Koki and then turned on Hina when she tried to claim her payment. Bunty hoped he was wrong but couldn’t help fight the urge to mess with her.

“Twenty pounds,” Bunty yelled, joining the crowd. The last bid had been Yuki’s at eighteen.

“Who said that?” Kartik asked, looking over the crowd. Bunty raised a hand. “The gentleman from the Fair Trade Federation bids twenty pounds. Would anyone like to raise that?”

“Twenty one!” A man to Bunty’s left yelled.

“My verified Core, and five pounds!” Yuki called.

“The Ito clan’s representative bids a Core valued at eighteen pounds and five on top. Would anyone like to top that?”

Everyone fell silent on hearing Kartik’s words. When Yuki’s eyes met Bunty’s, her eyes widened. Then a smug expression replaced her surprise, making his blood boil. Uzeth’s Core had proven invaluable, but Bunty still despised the woman for her former betrayal.

“Twenty-five pounds!”

Yuki’s face contorted into a vicious scowl on hearing his bid. “The Core and an additional ten!” The other team looked between the pair before stepping back from Kartik’s shop, leaving Bunty to stand next to Yuki and Mei. The latter woman struggled to meet his eye. “Are you willing to contest it, Bunty Sen?”

“I won’t tell me where Koki and Hina are?”

Yuki smirked. “We ran into trouble on the ninth floor,” she answered.

“Does that mean you left them to die instead of fighting when things got tough?” Bunty felt his jaw clenched as he asked the question.

The crowd behind them murmured, and Yuki looked back at them, keeping her face expressionless. “It was a mistake hiring you and Hina. We let her continue as our porter, and she let herself get run down by a deer of all things. The last I saw of Koki, he was impaled on its horns.” Yuki sighed, shaking his head. “She didn’t just fail to keep up but went down with all our loot. If we didn’t lose all our Cores, I wouldn’t be here wasting my time on—” She looked down at Red Charger’s Core. “Are you going to top my bid or continue wasting my time?”

When Bunty looked at Kartik, the man shook his head. “Fine,” Bunty said. “I’d rather not stand shoulder to shoulder with the honourless Ito clan anyway. The Core is yours. I don’t have the means to top your bid.”

“Very well! Twenty-eight pounds going once. Going twice? Sold to the beautiful Japanese ladies.” Yuki stomped over to Kartik, handed him a silver Core and ten large notes. After claiming her prize, she handed it to Mei and spared Bunty a final glance before pushing her way through the crowd. They stood around, looking Bunty up and down for a moment before dispersing.

“Your father would consider that rather unethical, Bunty,” Kartik said, holding the Core up to the light. “Betting on your own wares to hike up the price? What would you do if she backed down?”

“I’d take the Core back from you and sleep well,” Bunty answered. “That woman is vile.”

Kartik laughed. “I’ve dealt with her clan before. None of them was as vile as her.”

“She got my friend killed. I think.” Bunty sighed, shaking his head. “Have you heard from my father?”

Kartik looked Bunty up and down. He walked past Bunty and closed the store’s doors. “It’s good you showed up when you did. The Boleyns are furious, and he’s been laying low.”

“Do you know where he is?” Bunty asked.

Kartik nodded. “Before I send you on your way, how about we sort out your take from the sale.”