Chapter 50

No matter how hard Diya tried, he couldn’t get his heart rate to slow down. He regretted not studying the party through his looking glass earlier. If he knew it was the Boleyns, he would’ve exited the cover without the black ink coat. Gwyneth claimed it had an intimidating air about it and would deter people in the settlement from bothering them. The Boleyns had just ruined the plan, and now they needed to figure out an alternative.

“Let me do most of the talking,” Diya whispered. “Edgar might try to get a rise out of us. It’s important that we stay cool and don’t react. Don’t summon your spirit either.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Gwyneth asked. “Perhaps we should retreat. There is no shame in it; if we head into the valley, perhaps they won’t find us in the woods.”

“It won’t work. The De Lawneys will get suspicious, and Edgar will spur them on to chase me. His sister will try to hold him back, but he has too much power right now. All he needs is an excuse to attack me.” When Lawrence waved at Diya, beaming, he returned the gesture. “I’m not sure whether the big guy has upgraded his wolf spirit or not, but it’s got a brilliant sense of smell. They’ll track us down in no time.”

“What will you tell them about me?” Gwyneth paused, grabbing Diya’s forearm. “If you’re a known entity, there will be questions about me too. The more you try to evade them, the more suspicious they’ll get. The De Lawney’s aren’t fools. They didn’t see you in your ink coat, but they know the person accompanying me wears one. If there is a settlement here with a binding station and gateway, the chances are that the news has gotten here too.”

“You’ll have to trust me,” Diya said. “These are people I’ve known all my life. Handling Edgar Boleyn might be a delicate game, but I’ve been playing it for several years.”

Diya didn’t want to admit it, but facing Victoria worried him more than dealing with Edgar. She’d been on his mind for years, and the kiss had further complicated the dynamic. He knew they’d never be together. Diya had made up his mind. Even if the stars lined up, repairing the issues between him and the Boleyns, he’d never pursue a romantic relationship with her. It just wasn’t worth it. He needed to stay as far away from the nobility’s inter-family drama as much as possible. However, that didn’t mean his feelings for her were all gone. Only time would heal his wounds.

As the party approached the pair, Diya got a better look at their armaments. Victoria carried a new bow with a crimson Core planted near the grip. A tangle of green vines covered her right arm like armour too. Diya struggled to recall her plant spirit’s base spell but was willing to bet that she had upgraded it already. Since no quiver hung from her waist or shoulder, he guessed the spirit supplied her with projectiles for her weapon.

The wolf spirit walking next to Lawrence hadn’t changed one bit. Perhaps that’s why they had ventured so far from the fifth floor’s hub. The Hyenes had canine qualities. As a result, their Cores would likely have high compatibility with the wolf. Diya doubted Edgar would waste time or resources looking for an aged beast and accept whatever gave the soul useful summons and augments. Lawrence carried new equipment too. Diya couldn’t tell whether they were enhanced with Cores or not, but he had no trouble discerning the high quality despite their distance.

At first, Edgar appeared the least equipped of all of them. He no longer carried a mace and shield but an ornate wooden staff. Instead of armour, he wore a long crimson coat similar to Diya’s in design. When a gust of wind blew over the hills, the garment appeared to breathe and flutter with it. Then Diya realised it wasn’t a single piece like his coat but made of countless over-lapping, palm-sized pieces. As they got closer and Diya spotted the trio of hibiscus growing out of the staff’s head, he realised they were petals.

“Looks like you and I had the same idea, Sen,” Edgar said once they were ten metres away from one another. “I’d say great mind thinks alike, but I’m sure both of us would disagree on that front.”

“Hello to you too, Edgar,” Diya said, skipping the honorifics. The spoiled lordling wouldn’t dare do anything to harm Baba as long as Lord Graham was around. As a result, he didn’t see any point in giving Edgar the respect he believed he deserved. In fact, Edgar would probably get suspicious if he acted any different. “I don’t have Lawrence to carry my load. So, travelling light is in my best interests.” Diya addressed the other two. “It’s nice to see you, Lawrence, Victoria. What brings you all the way out here?”

“We need our vanguard to upgrade his spirit before we can ascend to the next interval,” Edgar said, answering in their stead. Lawrence smiled politely. Diya had nothing against the big lug. He worked for the Boleyns, and it didn’t matter whether Lawrence believed him or not. Victoria, on the other hand, looked to the ground, struggling to meet Diya’s eye. “I see you’ve had good fortune despite the junk spirit, Diya. What are you doing here?”

“My client wants to explore the first interval and see its beasts up close before investing her finances or time in a soul upgrade. This is the final leg of our journey before I move on to the next interval.” Diya hoped he’d delivered the lie convincingly. To further reinforce it, he looked past his former friends to the De Lawney pair. “In fact, I came as far as the new settlement to kill two birds with one stone. The rumour mill says that the De Lawney house is looking for a hand to drive the Hyenes back. Perhaps I can provide help for a short while. In exchange, I’d like to use a gate leading to the next interval.”

The De Lawney pair looked at one another. “You should’ve approached someone on the floor’s main hub for such work,” one of them said. “We’ve been recruiting able hands left, right and centre. You’ll most likely find security or construction work in Hyene’s Watch, though. Since you’re a friend of the Boleyn house, we can look into a discount for door access—”

“Diya is a former, disgraced employee.” Edgar cut the DeLawney off. He grinned at Diya as he spoke. “Actually, he was never hired by the house. He lived off his father until we kicked him out. I’m in no position to instruct the De Lawneys on who not to hire, but do not give him special consideration on our account.”

“Understood.” The De Lawney Climber shrugged. “We should get going, Master Boleyn. Your earlier detour put us behind schedule.”

“Why don’t you walk with us, Diya?” Victoria asked, finally meeting his eye. “The new settlement has a couple of inns. It’s best if you can ride the night out there. It’s not safe this far out for a party with only one upgraded soul.”

Edgar opened his mouth to speak but then shut up after looking at Gwyneth. She had remained silent throughout the exchange, studying the Boleyn Climbers. Thanks to the temperature, the hood and raised scarf didn’t look out of place. Since people without sufficient body tempering were especially vulnerable to the cold, it made sense that she’d want to cover up.

“That’s a good idea,” Diya said. “Our time on the fifth floor has been pleasant so far, but the local fauna hasn’t impressed Miss Allard.” If he remembered correctly, the Boleyns spoke Spanish but not French. He just hoped the DeLawneys didn’t try to address her in any language but English. “We’re most likely going to return to the third floor.”

“Is that so?” Victoria shot Gwyneth a polite smile. “What spirit has Gaia blessed you with, Miss Allard?”

Gwyneth tilted her head to the side like a confused dog. “Que?”

“I’m afraid English isn’t her strongest subject,” Diya said. “She’s not long arrived in New Calcutta, you see. Miss Allard parted ways with her former party, and I was lucky enough to get the job. It’s her cape. She’s looking for possible sources of attack spells before she settles for a defensive or utility-focused card.”

“She’s new to the city and doesn’t speak English?” Edgar asked, raising an eyebrow. He looked between Diya and Gwyneth. Then the lordling burst out laughing. “That explains so much. I was wondering why anyone with half a brain would hire you, Diya. The poor girl had no other options, so you took advantage of the situation, didn’t you?”

“That’s unnecessary, Edgar,” Victoria said, squeezing her brother’s arm. “I know you have bad blood with him, but we need to be civil around the house’s new allies. It’s called professionalism.”

Edgar’s jaw tightened as he glared at his sister. Much to Diya’s relief, the spoiled lordling nodded and backed down. They walked downhill towards the settlement together. The two groups stayed six feet apart from one another, but Diya spotted Victoria drifting closer as they approached the gates. The guards neither stopped Diya and Gwyneth nor questioned them.

Perhaps this unfortunate meeting can work out in our favour.

Once past the new settlement’s threshold, Edgar struck up a conversation with the De Lawney Climbers in his party. They led him away towards the binding station, and Lawrence followed. Victoria stayed behind awkwardly, watching Edgar disappear into the crowd. Once he was out of sight, the vines wrapped around Victoria’s arm receded. They shrunk back from her shoulder and collected around her wrist to form a thick, green bracelet.

When the pair left the gate, following the sign that read ‘inn’, Victoria followed them. Diya found himself torn between studying the De Lawney’s new outpost and paying attention to her. They needed to go unnoticed, and Victoria’s presence didn’t help. So they stopped outside the loud tavern just off the main street. Then Victoria approached Diya and threw her arms around him.

“I’m so happy you’re okay,” she whispered, holding him tight. Diya hesitated for a moment. The resolve to keep away from her faltered, and he returned the embrace. “I know you met Utpal earlier this week, but he won’t tell me how you’re doing. His old warmth is gone, and he maintains a strictly professional relationship with Father. I was afraid you got hurt or died, Diya. You have no idea how pleased I am to see your soul upgraded.”

After she was done gushing, Victoria pulled back before leaning in to kiss Diya. For a moment, his heart threatened to burst out of his chest, but he managed to keep himself from giving in. A pit formed in his stomach when he pushed her away.

“I’d rather keep things professional while I’m on duty, Victoria,” Diya said, backing away. “It’s nice to see you. It really is, but Miss Allard and I need to discuss our plans for the floor.”

“Give me a break, Diya,” she said, lowering your floor. “Edgar and Lawrence can’t tell when you’ve been lying, but I’ve known you longer than anyone. This woman isn’t your employer. You’ve managed to find a climbing companion, haven’t you?”

“I have.” Diya sighed. There was no point in lying to Victoria. “Gwyneth, meet Victoria. We can trust her.”

“Forgive me if I don’t remove my mask, Victoria,” Gwyneth said. “My relationship with the De Lawneys is rather complicated.”

“I understand.” Victoria tried to hug Diya again but froze when he backpedalled. Her shoulders drooped as she looked into his eyes. It took every ounce of willpower he had, but Diya managed to remain strong. “What are you doing here then, Diya? Trying to enter the next interval.”

“We are,” Diya said. “Gwyneth has already upgraded her soul. The only thing holding us back is her relationship with the house—”

“It has more to do with my refusal to maintain a relationship with them,” Gwyneth added.

“I have the funds to pay our way through, but I’m worried the guards might want to see Gwyneth’s face before letting her through.” Victoria raised an eyebrow when Diya spoke of his financial status but didn’t interrupt or ask questions. “We came in here hoping to sneak through the gateway in the middle of the night.”

“That’s a bad idea, Diya,” Victoria said. “You have no idea how tight security is in here. They’re building this as a forward base before expanding into the Hyene lands. I’ve heard Edgar talking, and the DeLawneys want to establish more cities up here. They’ve got the same goal as the Ansons. The family intends to establish themselves as a nation in the tower.”

“We don’t know what else to do, Victoria.” Diya sighed. “I’ve finally found a climbing partner that I can trust, and I refuse to leave her behind.”

Victoria’s jaw tightened. She looked between Diya and Gwyneth, and it was obvious to him what she was thinking. He didn’t try to offer her reassurances, though. Even though he cared about Victoria, his romantic status was no longer any of her business. Things would’ve been different if she had fought for him harder.

“Let me help you then.” Diya kept his face expressionless as Victoria spoke, taking his hand. He didn’t think she’d be willing to risk angering her father or brother. “Edgar got greedy on the way here and chased a beast that we didn’t need. It’s set us well behind schedule.”

Diya looked at Gwyneth for reassurance, but the woman shrugged. She knew nothing about the Boleyns and was likely to distrust them. It was up to him to decide whether accepting Victoria’s help was a good idea or not.

“Edgar negotiated a deal with the DeLawneys that involves getting our first upgrades. They helped me with mine and his. Only Lawrence is left now. I’m pretty sure a main family member will join our party in the next interval.” Victoria lowered her voice and stepped in close before continuing. “Either way, the De Lawneys scouted an enormous Hyene warrior north of here. It’s been patrolling the hills, trying to keep Climbers at bay. Our new allies arranged two experienced interval Climbers to help us take it down. We were supposed to meet them here last night and leave for the expedition at dawn. Now they won’t be available for a couple of days, and we’re going to use the bind station and then go home.”

“What are you saying, Victoria?” Diya asked.

“If the rumours about the creature are true, I’m sure killing will open a temporary gateway to the sixth floor!” She whispered excitedly. “Let me help you take it down. I’ll make up some excuse and stay in the tower. Then we’ll head out tomorrow, at the break of dawn, and kill that monster. You can slip away and carry on climbing.”

“I don’t get it,” Diya said. “Why would you take such a risk, Victoria? This could mess up your party’s plans and cause a heap of trouble.”

“Because I care about you, Diya.” Victoria’s smile failed to hide the hurt in her eyes. “Isn’t that obvious? Besides, if we get a decent card out of it, I can use it to placate Edgar. He and I’ve been fighting non-stop. He’ll believe me if I say that I wanted some time away. Besides, he’ll be ecstatic to have everyone upgraded without putting in any effort.”

“I’m willing if you are, Diya,” Gwyneth said. “Honestly, this sounds like a much safer plan than testing the De Lawney guards. If Victoria is right about their plans, I bet they have experienced Climbers protecting this place. I’d rather face a pack of powerful Hyenes than test the security in here.”

Diya looked between the two women, struggling to make up his mind. He didn’t want to put his future in Victoria’s hands, but they didn’t have many options. Gwyneth had proven herself as a valuable companion, and he couldn’t afford to leave her behind. Then he’d have to start in the new interval from scratch.

“Fine,” Diya said. “Go smooth things over with Edgar and make something up. He can’t have an inkling of what we’re planning. Maybe call me an arsehole and tell him how I blew you off.”

“Don’t worry, Diya, I know how to lie to my brother,” Victoria said. She took his hand and squeezed it. “I couldn’t stand up for you back then. Let me help you now. It’s the least I can do.”

Then they parted ways. Victoria returned to the main road and rushed off towards the binding station. Her touch lingered on Diya’s hand. He couldn’t decide whether rejecting her affection had been the right decision or not. Gwyneth patted Diya’s shoulder and nodded towards the tavern. They needed to get off the streets and get some rest.

Diya released the ink coat before entering the tavern to avoid drawing unwanted attention. He needed to figure out how to make his summons give up their shine. They drew way too much attention. The landlord determined the pair weren’t DeLawney workers immediately but bought Diya’s story regarding looking for work. It wasn’t easy for Climbers without affiliations to find decent pay. He demanded fifty pence for the night, and Diya had no choice but to pay it.

To further sell their story, Gwyneth asked for leads regarding work to be included in the price. Realising she was a woman softened his demeanour. The man took the pair aside and asked whether they were a couple running away from home. It wasn’t uncommon for mixed-race couples to face prejudice or familial pressures. The pair played along. The convinced landlord returned half of what he had charged and promised to keep his ear to the ground. He confirmed what Victoria had said. The De Lawneys were looking to expand, and there were lots of jobs going around. However, finding employment without recommendations would prove impossible. He promised to ask around and have something for them by noon in the next day-night cycle. Diya thanked the man and retired to the room upstairs.

“So that was Victoria,” Gwyneth said as soon as they were alone. “Your longing stares at the night sky make sense.”

“Shut up.” Diya chuckled.

“It would be unprofessional to kiss in front of my employer.” Gwyneth’s mocking tone made him laugh harder. “That’s where you screwed up, I think. She was buying the story until then. Why didn’t you just kiss her? It was obvious to both of us that you wanted to.”

“It’s not a path I wish to walk down,” Diya told her. “If I had made a move and cemented the relationship earlier, perhaps things would’ve turned out differently.”

“You’re not punishing just her, you know, but yourself too,” Gwyneth took a seat on the double bed and patted the empty space next to him. “I’m not telling you how to manage your romantic life. Just pointing out what I observed. I just think that a kiss would’ve given you some valuable closure.”

“How about we focus on what’s to come?” Diya asked, trying to change the subject. “The innkeeper will be up with our food in a second. It’s best if we play the role of a relieved couple.” He sat down next to her. “Are you going to be okay sharing a bed, or would you like me to take the floor?”

“What do you take me for?” Gwyneth asked, feigning offence and backing away from her. “I’m an honourable woman Mr Sen. Just because we’re travelling together doesn’t mean I’ll share a bed with you.” Then she burst into a fit of laughter and put an arm around him. “It's too cold for you to sleep on the floor, Diya. I doubt you’ve tempered enough to avoid falling sick. I trust you enough not to take advantage of me.”

“I’m glad.” Diya smiled, leaning against Gwyneth. He needed more friends like her in his life. “You’re lovely. You know that?”

Gwyneth chuckled and pushed him playfully. “If it gets too chilly, perhaps we can cuddle. Just don’t get too handsy, alright? I’ll get mad if you wander past the waist.”