After the others disappeared from view, I followed in their footsteps, retracing my steps back to the room with Kesh’s agent.

My wolf senses led me true, and after only a few missteps and wrong turns, I found the Kesh Emporium outlet. The day was growing late, but the shop remained open. Peering inside, I saw there were no other customers.

“Hello,” I greeted, approaching the red-cloaked figure sitting idle behind the desk in the room’s center.

“Good afternoon,” the figure replied automatically before looking up. She fell silent then as she took in my appearance. “I'm sorry, but this shop is reserved for—”

I flashed my emporium access card.

“—customers like you,” she continued, without skipping a beat. “How may I be of help today, sir?”

I smiled. “You're one of Kesh’s agents?”

The cloaked woman nodded.

“How should I address you?” I asked, pulling out an empty chair to seat myself.

“Agent is adequate,” she replied. She cocked her head to the side. “You’re Michael, aren’t you?”

In the act of sitting, I paused. “You’ve heard of me?”

The woman nodded. “Kesh sent word to expect you,” she added with unmistakable curiosity.

I sat down. “I take it that’s unusual?”

“Very,” the agent said drily. “Kesh rarely troubles herself to deal directly with clients these days.”

I rubbed my chin thoughtfully but didn’t respond to her subtle prompt to fill in the details. I wasn’t sure myself that I could explain Kesh’s interest.

When it became apparent I wasn’t going to reply, the agent asked, “What can I do for you?”

I withdrew the items I had marked for sale from my backpack. “For starters, I want to sell these.”

Then I unequipped my trapper’s wristband and potion bracelet. “And I need these recharged as well.”

The agent studied the objects I'd spread out on the table. “I can give you four hundred gold for the blowpipe, punch daggers, and bull’s ring. Will that do?”

I simply nodded in return, not inclined to either haggle or verify if the agent’s price was a fair one.

“As for these,” the agent said, picking up the wristband and bracelet, “recharging them is simple enough, but I’m afraid it can’t be done here. The items will have to be sent back to the emporium for that. I can have them ready for you to collect tomorrow morning,” she finished, looking at me questioningly.

“That should be fine,” I said, having already decided to spend the night in the citadel.

“It will cost you one hundred and fifty gold,” she warned.

I didn't even blink at the amount, growing used to spending large amounts of gold.

“Very well,” the agent said, taking my silence for assent. “Is there anything else you need?”

“Yes,” I replied. “I’m looking for these ability tomes,” I said and rattled off a list.

The agent was silent for a minute before replying. “The emporium has the five books you mentioned in stock. Their total cost is one hundred and twenty-five golds.”

I nodded, unsurprised at the tomes’ relative cheapness. “I'll take all of them.”

“Excellent,” the agent replied, sounding pleased. “Which tier two charm spell variant do you wish me to supply?”

I frowned. “What do you mean, ‘which?’ Is there more than one option?”

“Of course. There are two variants of the tier two charm spell in stock: mass charm and advanced charm. The first allows you to apply the ability to multiple targets, while the second significantly increases the spell’s duration on a single target.”

“Hmm…” I mused uncertainly.

“You can buy and learn both,” the agent said helpfully.

I was tempted. I really was, but while the monetary cost was negligible, the cost in attribute slots was exorbitant. “No,” I said regretfully. “I'll only take the mass charm tome.”

She nodded. “Then, if you can hand over your keystone, I will finalize the transaction.”

I did as she asked, and a moment later, the books I requested materialized on the table.

You have lost a blowpipe (exotic weapon), 2 x punch daggers (+3), and a bull’s ring (+2 Strength).

You have acquired 275 gold.

You have acquired a minor lighten load ability tome. Governing attribute: Constitution. Tier: advanced. Cost: 25 gold. Requirement: rank 5 armor skill.

You have acquired a simple mass charm ability tome. Governing attribute: Mind. Tier: advanced. Cost: 25 gold. Requirement: rank 5 telepathy.

You have acquired a two-step ability tome. Governing attribute: Mind. Tier: advanced. Cost: 25 gold. Requirement: rank 5 telekinesis.

You have acquired simple reaction buff ability tome. Governing attribute: Mind. Tier: advanced. Cost: 25 gold. Requirement: rank 5 chi.

You have acquired a superior ventro ability tome. Governing attribute: Perception. Tier: advanced. Cost: 25 gold. Requirement: rank 5 deception.

“Thank you,” I said. Storing the books in my bag of holding, I rose to my feet.

“It’s been a pleasure doing business with you, Michael,” the agent said and shook my hand.

“Likewise,” I replied. I began to swing away, then paused. “One more thing. Do you know how I can get a room in the citadel?”

~~~

It turned out it was Constable Richter himself who assigned guests to rooms in the citadel. After I returned to the keep’s entrance foyer and handed over the requisite four gold, I was led by a page to the room I'd been allocated.

Entering the simple stone chamber, I locked the door behind me. The room was on one of the upper levels, but the window was shuttered, letting no light in.

Turning a slow circle, I scanned the room. It’ll do, I decided. The room was about as secure a location as I was going to find to sleep in—outside the safe zone itself, of course.

Setting my pack down on the only table, I extracted the ability tomes I purchased and sat down to read them.

You have upgraded your lighten load ability to minor lighten load. This ability reduces the encumbrance from worn armor by 20%. It is an advanced ability and requires 4 more attribute slots than its basic variant. You have 9 of 14 Constitution ability slots remaining.

You have upgraded your charm ability to simple mass charm.

This spell temporarily overrides the consciousness of 5 targets, forcing them to serve the caster for 10 seconds.

You have upgraded your one-step ability to two-step. This ability allows you to take two steps in the air as if it were solid ground. You have 32 of 48 Mind ability slots remaining.

You have upgraded your reaction buff ability to simple reaction buff. This is a self-use ability that increases your Dexterity by +4 ranks for 20 minutes. You have 28 of 48 Mind ability slots remaining.

You have upgraded your ventro ability to superior ventro. This ability conceals the source of your voice, projecting it to anywhere within a 20-yard radius of yourself. You have 7 of 25 Perception ability slots remaining.

A little later, I leaned back in my chair, my head swimming with new knowledge. I was pleased by the result of my choices. Wary of the rising attribute cost of advanced abilities, I’d picked the ones to upgrade carefully, and already, I felt better about facing the plague quarter’s challenges.

But there was still one more ability I had to upgrade. Closing my eyes, I willed my intention to the Adjudicator.

Class points available: 3.

You may advance your Class to tier 3 at this time. Do you wish to proceed? If you choose to advance your Class, you may advance any existing Class trait or ability or select entirely new ones from a limited set of options.

Ignoring the warning message, I signaled my intent to proceed to the Adjudicator and selected slaysight for upgrading.

Commencing Class upgrade…

…

Upgrade complete. Class points remaining: 2.

Congratulations, Michael, your mindslayer Class has been advanced to tier 3!

You have upgraded your slaysight ability to improved slaysight. The second tier of slaysight ability adds another mental manipulation to a mindslayer’s arsenal: terrify. Additionally, the range and number of targets the spell can affect have also doubled.

With improved slaysight, you may cloak your presence or terrify any 2 targets within a 20-yard radius for 10 seconds. This is a Class ability and does not occupy any attribute slots.

“Ah,” I breathed in quiet satisfaction. The spell had increased in range, effects, and the number of targets affected. Handy, I thought, rising from the chair to lay down on the bed.

The time had come to decide my next move.

Folding my arms behind my head, I closed my eyes and considered the past two days.

Since coming to Nexus, little had gone as I'd envisioned. I had made no headway, either with finding Ceruvax or gaining my third Class. Still, I had progressed, if in other ways.

My knowledge of the Game, and Nexus, in particular, had improved vastly. I was far better equipped too. And even though the knowledge and gear had cost me the greater part of my accumulated wealth, I did not regret its loss.

The money had been well spent—mostly.

Unfortunately, I'd made mistakes too.

My trust in Loken had been misplaced, and I’d underestimated the difficulties I'd face in the sector. Worse yet, I’d let my enemies find out I was in the city. It was unclear whether those who’d sent the mantises were old enemies or new. But either way, it didn’t matter. I was still being hunted—and vigorously.

Yet, despite my many mistakes and missteps, it was high time I got back on track and focused on what was important. Namely: finding Ceruvax and obtaining my third Class. And while I’m about it, I best see that I make enough money to keep at it, too.

Of my two primary tasks, obtaining a Class seemed the easier. If I followed Ceruvax’s advice—and at this point, I was determined to do so—the best place to acquire my third Class was in a dungeon. According to the Wolf envoy, the harder the dungeon, the better.

Fetching the map I'd bought from the information broker, I unrolled it on the bed.

Letting my eyes rove over the map, I picked out the three public dungeons: the scorching dunes, the haunted catacombs, and the guardian tower. Jasiah and the others had advised against entering them, but I couldn't afford to be picky as their well-outfitted party.

If I ignored the public dungeons, my only choices were the Triumvirate dungeon beneath me, the brotherhood one at their chapterhouse, or the wild card—the mysterious dungeon in the saltmarsh.

But I was not about to underestimate the Nexus factions again.

I suspected that the dungeons belonging to knights and the brotherhood would be too well guarded for me to gain access. The saltmarsh dungeon, too, was a non-starter. If even Simone’s party was hesitant to enter the marsh, I was loath to try.

The public dungeons, it is then.

Which to attempt, though?

I frowned, puzzling over the question while I weighed the potential risks. But sadly, I didn’t know enough about the three dungeons to answer the question in a meaningful way.

Why not enter all three then?

My brows drew down further as I considered this possibility. What was stopping me from doing so?

Nothing.

Well, nothing except the mantises. But given the capabilities of the assassins’ hunter eyes, I’d an idea of how to go about staying off their radar. And if I could hide from the mantises, then… there was no reason to hurry.

No reason at all.

I could take my time, exploring the dungeons one careful step at a time. It was a startling thought and, given the frenetic pace of my days in the city thus far, one I had a difficult time accepting.

I’ll do it, I decided. I’ll visit all three public dungeons.

Even if none of them proved profitable, the experience would better prepare me for future dungeon dives. And admittedly, I was curious to see what the dungeons looked like. With my path decided, I laid back down on the bed and closed my eyes.

Tomorrow was a new day and one I was looking forward to.