We went to the auction house.

I thought about investigating the other paths and seeing if we could tell where the other gates led, but that would take us out of town, and I didn't want to risk running into another group coming through the gate. Bandits were known for raiding and pillaging, and the only reason there were so many was because of the neutral zones between each God's territory. Since the Gods didn't like leaving the safety of their cities, that allowed for a very large godless area to exist. While there was still a risk of monster attacks, that only made the Bandits get creative about how they lived, and raids had taught them how to be mobile. While it was easy to tell an area where a certain Bandit group roamed, it was almost impossible to find them if the Bandits wanted to hide.

Since it seemed like we were on the cusp of a big fight breaking out, I assumed that the place where such things would be highly discouraged would be the auction house. I wasn't sure what I had been expecting, but it hadn't been a two-hundred-foot-long stone warehouse. There weren't a lot of accents, which I had been expecting. Temples usually had decorations outside, even on the poor ones. There were two massive glass doors, which definitely made it stand out among all of the log buildings.

While the air in the Pocket Dungeon was warm, it hadn't been uncomfortable. As soon as we stepped into the auction house, crisp, cool air brushed against our skin. This place was definitely more advanced than anything else that we'd seen in town so far.

A pair of Anubis women with flowery chokers in low-cut tops with skirts almost as short as Aelin's came up to greet us, while a pair of oversized black-furred Minotaur males in white suits each stood guard over a decorated golden door on either side of the counter. There was a black door to our right that didn't have a handle or a console near it to indicate that it could be opened from this side. Plush leather couches and fragrant potted plants lined the walls, while painting adorned the walls that I had assumed would be blank. A Rhastan man was behind the counter, and his face split into a smile as his beady yellow eyes focused on us.

"Welcome to Wonder!" He beamed as he walked around the counter and gave a sweeping bow. "I am Fay'Met, the most humble of hosts for such honored guests!" He looked up and held out his hand. "May I know who invited you to the show?"

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I nodded at Jenne while the blonde-furred women flanked the ratman and batted their lashes at us. Kara had her arms crossed and didn't look amused while Aelin was about to burst with excitement. Oz and Ren didn't seem anywhere near as impressed.

The Cathedral Ward was known for being predominantly human, and while there were still Anubis in the Dispatchers and plenty of Grim in the Authority, Minotaurs, Raijin, Rhastan, and Kitsune were a rarity, especially in a godless town. I wasn't sure why there were so many demi-humans around, but I knew enough to know that it wasn't just a coincidence.

Fay'Met took the coin and smiled. "Ah, the Cobras, I will have Nefere and Tetena show you to your area." He handed the coin back to Jenne.

I swallowed as the implications of what he said hit me. All of the people with a Bronze Cobra coin were going to be in the same area. That meant that we were going to be around some of the Bandits themselves. I didn't know how many knew me on sight, but I was starting to think that it wasn't such a good idea to have come here without a disguise of some kind.

He must have seen my apprehension. "Avus and Mitus are here to assure that rivalries aren't chased." The rat-man smiled. "Trust me when I say that none here can match their strength!"

I looked at the two bull-men and could see CBs on their wrists. Even the Anubis women and the Rhastan had CBs, so I had a feeling that we were already surrounded by Adventurers that might well all be outside of our level.

Fay'Met gestured at the counter. "I just need to register all of you." He rolled his hand as he waved. "It is just a formality so that my employer knows who all has graced us with their presence."

I wrinkled my nose. "I would have thought that anonymity would be practiced here." I folded my arms in front of my chest. "I'm not sure that I want a lot of people knowing I was here."

"Don't worry, Atlas Vowler, we're not going to kidnap you again!"

I turned to my right and saw that the black door was open. Standing in the doorway was a bald, silver man with brighter green eyes than the last time I'd seen him. Of course, that had been while he'd been carrying Jord Dinx in the Bunker at the Desolation of Gar.

Hogo, one of Sipher's men and one of the three Bandits that my father had power-leveled to Tier Five, was standing in front of me.

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