Chapter 18 · Grind, Loot, Survive - Chapter 18: Dirty Deal

"Sit. Now," the Cleaner spat. He didn't use a chair. He just pointed to a rusted metal crate in the center of the damp cellar.

Milo didn't sit. He let his gaze drift across the room, noting the three hounds circling him like starving wolves. Their breath smelled like wet copper and old graves.

"I don't really do the whole 'sitting on a crate' thing unless there's snacks involved," Milo said, leaning back against the cold stone wall. "And since we're skipping the appetizers, why don't we get to the part where you tell me why I'm in a basement that smells like a failed sewage project?"

Selene stepped forward, her boots clicking sharply on the concrete. She didn't look at Milo. She looked at the Cleaner, her eyes like shards of glacial ice. The air around her always felt ten degrees colder, a physical pressure that made the hair on Milo's arms stand up.

"He's the one," Selene said, her voice flat. "The Glitch host. The Council wants him erased, but I want to know how he's stealing rank without a Sigil core."

"Erased is a very strong word," Milo chimed in, sliding a glance toward Selene.