To dispel the jitter in his bones about the promised date, Lux turned on the spot and called to Twiggs, perched on his own crate beside him. “How many Ice wine bottles do we have?” The words tumbled out before Lux remembered they hadn’t even exchanged a real greeting that morning.

  Sunrise had them hustling, every second snapped up by the last-minute rush to finish the Ice wine batch, splitting the two of them apart in a blur.

  Twiggs, busy straightening his jacket, replied, “With this morning’s batch, we’ve got seven hundred ready. Should net a tidy profit.” He was looking sharp today, crisp blue shirt with sparkling cufflinks, black tailored trousers, shoes glossy as a mirror. As he reached up to fix his hair, his finger snagged on one of the ever-present twigs. “Ah, I forgot to change my appearance!”

  Twiggs plucked a small pill from his pouch, popped it in his mouth without fanfare. Instantly a ripple passed through his features. The sharp edges of his face softened, the unnatural green faded from his hair and the twigs vanished, in their wake, shiny black hair tumbled down his back.

  Lux’s jaw dropped. The man beside him was no longer Twiggs, but someone aristocratic, distinguished, a different air altogether. “How do I look?” The voice was still Twiggs’, familiar and amused. “You can call me Melvern today. A little disguise for when I’d rather not be recognised.”

  A pill pressed against Lux’s lips, catching him off guard. Before he could protest, it was already melting on his tongue. Strange tingles prickled across his skin and his face felt hot. “Haha! You look awful!” Twiggs burst out laughing.

  Lux sprinted to the winery window. A stranger stared back at him, short, rough-cropped hair, beard like steel wool, and a scar tearing down half his face. Lux brought a hand to his chin, his fingers rasped on the bristles. “Hey! Why are you an elegant gentleman, and I’m a thug!” He spun on Twiggs, indignant.

  All he got in response was more laughter. As Lux stomped back, Magenta approached, new residents trailing in her wake. The moment she spotted Lux she burst into laughter, “Oh darling, that look does you no favours.” Lux ignored her teasing and moved to the boxes.

  “Let’s not dawdle, I have a date to get to. Load up!” she snapped at the people behind her. The boxes disappeared into their pouches, one after another.

  They couldn’t use a wagon, arriving at the city’s travel building with a loaded cart would be a disaster. The pouches, too, only held so much. That was why the others had come, to spread the load.

  With all the Ice wine packed away, the entourage stepped into the waiting porthole. Outside the travel building Lux found himself on unfamiliar city streets, clustered with the others. He’d forgotten to ask the city’s name. He nudged the elegant man beside him, “Twiggs, what city is this?”

  “It’s Melvern remember and this place Arura Vale,” came the quick correction. “They’ve got a small Other World auction house here, that’s where we’re headed.” Melvern slapped a palm onto a nearby pillar, summoning a Travel Carriage.

  The cart rolled up, bodies squeezed in, a tight fit with eight inside. Lux gave silent thanks Novgar wasn’t with them or else someone would have wound up on a lap. He pressed his face to the window, taking in the city as the carriage sped along.

  Every time he visited a new place, Lux found his gaze snagging on the strange races that thronged the streets. He watched until the carriage pulled up before a grand building, five stories high and gilded with polished brass.

  A valet in crisp uniform and white gloves opened the door with a bow, “Welcome to Grimelder’s Other World Auction House.”

  Lux stepped out, wide-eyed. A middle-aged woman, dripping in gemstones, walked past on the arm of a man whose suit all but screamed money. The sight of such extravagance made Lux look down at his own humble clothes. Would they even let him in? He didn’t blend with the parade of silks and jewels.

  A sharp jab in his back made him stumble. “Move! Why are all the help these days useless!” Magenta’s sharp voice cut through his uncertainty. He watched as a delicate black heel touched down, followed by Magenta’s slender form draped in skintight purple. A blue jewel dangled from a fine chain about her neck, the stone flashing every time she moved. Lux stared, when had she changed?

  An elegant man appeared at her elbow, extending an arm. “Shall we?” Twiggs’ familiar voice rumbled, pulling Lux out of his daze. Watching them stride forward, realisation hit, he was the help. No wonder he hadn’t needed to change!

  Annoyance flared, quickly smothered as he trailed after them into the building. The staircase at the back dominated the entry hall, each step clad in plush carpet. Attendants in perfect uniforms shepherded guests up the stairs.

  While Lux gawked, Twiggs was already deep in conversation with a waiting attendant. Within moments, their party was led to a side room off the main hall. A deep red wooden desk filled the centre, two chairs set before it. Behind the desk, a young woman greeted them, “Welcome back, esteemed guests. Please, sit.”

  Twiggs and Magenta sank gracefully into their seats. The rest of them hovered, awkward and ignored. “Place your items for evaluation,” the woman requested. Twiggs, clearly experienced, set a case of Ice wine right on the desk.

  The desk’s surface glowed softly, a faint hum rising. A discreet machine spat out a ticket, which the woman plucked from the air. “High quality Ice wine, twelve bottles,” she read out.

  “We’ve got fifty-eight boxes, and four loose bottles,” Twiggs added, stacking the cases in batches. A ticket for each, until the entire inventory was logged. Twiggs accepted a parchment and, with a flourish, signed it with a fake name and a distinctive seal.

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  “Will you be bidding today, or only placing the items for auction?” the attendant asked. Twiggs shook his head, disdain dripping from his voice, “Nothing interesting in today’s auction.” He waved a catalogue.

  If the woman noticed his rudeness, her face didn’t show it. Transaction done, she led them to the door. “Your items will be in the first auction round. You may collect payment after the session.”

  Lux found himself back in a travel cart before the shock wore off. “That was a letdown. I expected something a little more exciting,” he pouted. Laughter erupted from Magenta and Twiggs.

  “Of course it was boring,” Twiggs said, eyes bright with amusement. “That was just to verify authenticity and sign agreements. The real action starts at the auction, we can attend if you like.”

  Lux brightened at the promise he wouldn’t miss the spectacle. Maybe the Ice wine would cause a stir! Magenta, however, had her mind on something else.

  “My dear future husband, shall we have our date while we wait?”

  Heat raced to his cheeks. Every eye in the crammed carriage swivelled towards him, disbelief, awe, anticipation, snickers. Dig a hole, Lux thought, bury yourself. But he knew he could not get out of the promised date.

  “Okay.”

  “Travel Carriage, take us to Colourful Lane.” Magenta’s voice, delighted, rang out. The carriage swerved around a corner, and Lux braced himself.

  When the cart stopped and only the two of them got off, panic fluttered in his chest. Magenta locked an iron grip around his arm and marched him forward. “Let’s go!”

  He looked up, blinked. They were standing before a mammoth grocery store. “You want to go… shopping? For a date?”

  Magenta, so poised a second before, hesitated. She started picking at her nails, gaze darting away. “Couples shop together,” she mumbled.

  Lux followed her gaze to the window. Inside, a couple laughed over a pile of apples, the man’s arm draped casually around the woman’s waist. She leaned into him as they moved down the aisle, at ease.

  A flicker of longing crossed Magenta’s face before she straightened, tossing her hair with practiced arrogance. “You know what, never mind.” Her voice was sharp. “You’re not my type anyway.” She spun on her heel.

  Lux felt a twist in his chest. That lost look didn’t belong on someone like her. He’d promised her a date, and a date she would have! Without thinking, he cupped his hands and yelled, “Sweetie Pie! Don’t be mad! I promise I won’t fill the cart with candy this time!”

  Heads turned. Magenta froze, slowly, incredulously turning to stare at him.

  Lux pressed on, louder, “And I won’t brag to the staff about having the most beautiful date in the store!”

  A woman jabbed her husband. “Why don’t you ever brag about me?”

  Magenta’s lips twitched, eyes sparkling. She strutted back, looped her arm through his, declared, “Fine. But don’t overfill the cart!”

  Lux barely had time to realise he’d played himself into a disaster before Magenta was hauling him into the store.

  Inside, he poured out compliments with wild abandon.

  “Sweetie, you shine brighter than those apples!”

  “I’m like this banana, I go bad without you!”

  “You’re just like this kiwi, exotic, fuzzy, and sweet!”

  Whispers trailed them through the aisles. Magenta glowed, skipping ahead, arms sweeping groceries into their cart at double speed. Lux kept it up, determined, then suddenly it happened.

  They were stopped at the spice rack. An older woman beamed at Magenta, “Oh, what a wonderful lover you have, dear. He clearly cherishes you.”

  Magenta smirked. “Of course he does! I’m a catch! But him?” She shot Lux a devilish look. “He’s average looking, broke, weak, can’t fight, a bit slow…”

  “Magenta!” Lux protested, scandalised at her list of his failings.

  “Worst of all, no stamina. We all know what that means.” She raised her eyebrows suggestively.

  Lux choked. The older woman nodded, “Stamina’s important, young man. For a healthy love life. It’s better to get on top of it early.”

  Before Lux could escape, another woman hustled over, “Try the Horny Bullgrass in produce. My husband swears by it!”

  A third chimed in, “No, Whipping Eel! Keeps them ready for anything, if you get my meaning.”

  Lux tried to flee. These people were crazier than Magenta. Who compared love life notes at the grocery store like they were discussing the weather? A bony hand clamped onto his shoulder.

  An old man with white hair shook his head solemnly, “Don’t be embarrassed, lad. Happens to the best of us. Listen to your elders.”

  Lux was dragged into the middle of the aisle and subjected to a twenty-minute lecture about magical aphrodisiacs, bedroom exercises, and something called “Thunder Root tea.” Bags and bottles piled up in his arms, and all he wanted was for the floor to swallow him whole.

  Magenta? Radiant.

  They left the store, Lux with his dignity in tatters and arms full of embarrassing groceries. When he came to his senses, he quickly stuffed the items into his pouch never to see the light of day again.

  “Thanks for today,” Magenta said, abruptly.

  Lux glanced up. She was staring down, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. “I always wanted to try shopping as a couple. And… it’s nice, having people worry about me. Even if they’re strangers. It’s new.”

  He hesitated, frozen mid-step. Did she really have no one? The itch of sadness burned in his chest. Vulnerable Magenta was dangerous, she made the rest of the world seem smaller, less important.

  Words escaped before he could stop them. “If you ever want a friend to go shopping with,” he said softly, “just ask.”

  Magenta’s face lit up, glowing warmer than a warm fire on a cold night. “Great! I already know where we’ll go for our next date!”

  Lux flailed. “Not a date! Just friends!” He figured if he framed it as a friend outing, he’d avoid… whatever just happened.

  Magenta clapped her hands, triumphant, and shoved him toward the waiting travel cart. “Friend, date, same thing!”

  The carriage rolled away, and Lux realised his resolve would never hold. He had a soft spot for Magenta, a dangerous admission. He sighed, heavy, as the carriage rattled on. “Idiot,” he muttered at himself.

  The auction house was flooded with guests, so crowded he could barely move. It took a full lap of the entrance before an attendant found them. “This way, please. Lord Melvern is waiting.”

  Up the staircase they went, Magenta tugging him along, feet sinking into thick carpet. Their destination, a private box on the third floor, where only Twiggs in his disguise waited.

  “Melvern, see anything interesting?” Magenta swiped a brochure, dragging Lux to the seat beside Twiggs. She flipped through the listings, tapping at a box near the top.

  Pictures shimmered on the paper, each with a detailed description. Lux’s eyes snagged on a batch of monster cores, the quantities were mind-boggling. Ten thousand in the smallest bundle, millions in the largest. He pointed, “Why are there so many?”

  Magenta laughed, delighted. “Oh dearest, you should see your face!” With no real answer from her, he looked to Twiggs instead.

  “This is an Other World auction. The bulk buyers aren’t individual people, they’re whole worlds.” That was all it took for Lux to piece together why there was no resistance to the Mystic Beau portholes on earth, they wanted to be able to gain access to monster cores.

  Below, a growing commotion caught his attention. An attendant stepped onto the stage, and a giant screen filled with a photo of the first item up for bid.

  The opening lot, a batch of ten thousand low quality monster cores. Lux had expected a stir, at least a murmur from the crowd, but most people weren’t even looking at the screen, they leafed through brochures or murmured with companions.

  The auctioneer’s voice cut through the hum. “Esteemed guests, we begin with a batch of ten thousand low quality monster cores.” Bids tumbled in, the final price reaching 10,100 gold.

  Lux’s jaw dropped. “That can’t be right?” He turned, incredulous, “Are low quality monster cores only worth one gold?”