There were only a few ringleaders I had contact with.

Lor, the eternal fourth place.

Fredo, ranked seventh.

Nikke, the leader ranked second.

Rain, a new leader who was climbing the ranks fast. Last time I checked, they were ranked 23rd.

Among them, only Nikke and Lor had seen me in person.

And only Nikke had seen me without a mask and knew my real name.

“Can I get you anything to drink?”

“I’m good.”

I entered the house with low, reluctant steps. With all windows closed, without being able to see the grim and bleak landscape of the underground, anyone would believe if Nikke told them they were in the heart of the citadel above.

Chairs made of high-quality dragon’s leather, fur rugs and fancy tapestries, quartz crystals hanging from the ceiling with magic light pouring from them, illuminating the entire space.

Even the way he was dressed reeked of money and power—elegance even. I wouldn’t doubt it if even his underwear was tailor-made, his vest a blend of black and gold with only a hint of the white shirt showing from beneath. Nikke had his hair combed back; a hair so white it was blinding.

Nikke’s real name was Angus Quennin. He was born and raised in the slums.

And no one could even tell.

“I watched your race today. It was Emrys’ last, isn’t that so?”

I nodded once, still feeling a bit out of place. Every time I visited Angus’ place, it felt like I was in the city above. And I hated that.

“I still think you shouldn’t have accepted this proposal. Who knows, maybe I will finally steal Jackal’s first place, now that you don’t have your ace anymore.” An amused smile touched Angus’ lips as he poured a red liquor into a crystal chalice, the light reflecting it for a brief second.

Making it look a scarlet red.

“You say this only because you wanted me to sell Emrys to you.” And even after sealing the contract and receiving the money, Nikke was still making me counteroffers and trying to convince me to give  Emrys to him instead.

I was more surprised he hadn’t contacted me before the race than to see him invite me for a meal.

The man laughed, taking one long sip of his drink.

“Well, I still think I would’ve been a better choice. His talents will be wasted in that place.”

“He will grow in that place. Say what you want about the regulated races—the academies are second to none when it comes to raising and molding high-rank riders. With their resources, that kid can easily become a Diamond Wing.”

A glimpse of disgust crossed Nikke’s golden eyes, his lips curling in distaste before he replied.

“Let bygones be bygones, now. Nothing to be done, after things have already been settled.” He sat on the chair, signaling me to take a seat. After a few seconds, I complied. “So, how are you faring these days? Any ascending stars stealing your attention?”

I shrugged.

“King has promise. I think I will invest in her for the championship. I will open some free runs next month to see if I spot any new talent.”

The smile on Angus’ face did not fade.

“She placed second today, right? Hm…yes, I can see why you like her.” He took one more sip, his eyes wandering through the room before they met my gaze. “I’ve been thinking of expanding my business. Buying a couple more Blocks, planning more races. What does the great Jackal think about this?”

His question caught me by surprise. I wasn’t sure why he was asking me. As leaders, our approaches were vastly different.

I owned only five blocks, four that made one long run. The only solitary Block I had was 64, one considered to be bigger in scale when compared to others.

Nikke, however, did not own two Blocks close to each other. He only set eyes on big Blocks with lots of structures, his races resembling more of a blend of Royale Rush with a scavenger hunt. They were insanely popular and quite entertaining to watch.

Certainly he wasn’t looking for my advice on this.

“How many do you own already? Seven?”

“Eight.”

I slightly raised my eyebrow, still trying to understand where Angus wanted to go with that conversation. Managing Blocks was not easy, much less cheap.

Leaders had to pay commissions for the organization that owned the Block; it usually varied between 15% and 35% of the gross profit. Then, we had to hire construction firms—after every single race—to reform the structures and clean up the streets.

If we owned Blocks too close to residential areas—such as Blocks α, β, and Ω—ringleaders had to make sure residents would be evacuated to safer zones. And in case there were any damages to their houses, the ringleaders had to pay for repair damages.

Some Blocks were easier to access than others or were more frequented. So there were many things ringleaders had to consider regarding buying a Block.

Nikke already owned eight, and he had maintained his position at the top for six years. What was he expecting by getting more?

Did he want to remove Jackal from the top one?

But then why ask for my opinion?

“Why bother getting more Blocks? Your business is profiting as it is, shouldn’t you be glad the great Nikke’s races are so famous and sought after?”

It was almost as if he hadn’t heard me when he spoke again. As if he hadn’t paid an ounce of attention to my words.

“I was thinking about buying one of yours. Block 64. Would you sell it to me?”

I furrowed, not managing to hide the shock in my eyes or the annoyance in my voice.

“Why would I ever sell one of my Blocks? Especially to you.”

Angus leaned closer to me, his hands grasping the crystal chalice as he stared at the red liquid.

“I had a curious dream this week. But I’m not sure what to make of it.”

It took all my self-control to contain my laughter.

Angus and his odd dreams.

He would swear with his life the reason he was successful was because his dreams were blessed by some sort of winged goddess. As if they were prophecies or divine messages.

Funny enough, his strange dreams had never failed him. They actually brought great results whenever he “trusted” them.

Or so Angus claimed.

“What, did this dream show you buying Blocks from me? Or other leaders?”

“…not quite.” It took him a few moments to reply, his voice distant and cold.

For some reason, it made me shiver.

“What? Don’t tell me you want me to help you find some meaning in this dream of yours.”

The golden eyes met my own—their glow fierce and grim.

“Do you consider us to be friends, Vex?”

Hearing him say my name while gazing so deep into my eyes...made me avert my gaze for some reason.

“Vex and Angus may be on friendly terms; Jackal and Nikke are business rivals.”

The white-haired man smiled, a glimpse of relief crossing his face.

“I share the same belief. Which is why I’m meeting you today not as ringleader Nikke, but as your friendly neighbor Angus.”

He finished his drink, placing the chalice on the table in front of us. The next time our eyes met, a chill went down my spine. There was something dark lurking in those clear, golden eyes.

Something foul.

“Sell me Block 64. You rarely use it, so it would not impact your races. I’m not asking because I want it—I’m suggesting it because I believe you may need it.”

A nervous laughter found its way out of my mouth, managing to hide the unsettling feeling that kept growing within me.

“Why would I even need it? How would you buying one of my Blocks benefit me in any way? Why, don’t tell me you had a bad dream with me, and now you are worried.”

Angus stood up, startling me for a second. He walked around the living room, turning his back to me.

“In my dream, I saw a wounded animal in the woods. It was bleeding and limping, yet it never approached me for help. Then, it was struck by an arrow, right into its heart, and died right there. Soon after, the Winged Goddess appeared from above and placed a crown on my head.”

For some reason, my voice shook a bit when I asked, even though I was smiling.

“You think this animal was me?”

Angus turned his head slightly, just so he could meet my gaze.

“It had purple eyes, like you. It left a bad impression on me, which is why I messaged you.”

I scoffed, crossing my arms.

“Yeah, sorry, no offense, but don’t expect me to believe in this dream nonsense like you.”

He turned around, standing beside the window for a few moments, without saying anything. Angus didn’t appear sad or angry about my comment, rather, it was as if he was deep in thought.

When he opened his mouth to speak, however, a faint chiming sound echoed through the house. The man glanced toward the kitchen, his face once again a clean and handsome mask I could never crack open.

“Our meal is ready, it seems. I hope you are hungry, for I am famished.”

Apart from some pleasantries and small talk, we finished our meals in silence. And as soon as I was done, I left without ever looking back.

Although that night I couldn’t stop thinking about Angus’ dream, as the days passed by and my planning for the championship went on, I soon forgot all about Nikke’s strange proposal and odd dream.

This was my second biggest mistake.