The Auctioneer's face was pale, his voice breaking as he raised the hammer."Twenty million! Going once… going twice—"
A sharp sound cut through the silence.
"Twenty-one."
The velvet voice came again, steady but colder than ice. Whoever was bidding from that balcony was not giving up so easily.
The hall roared back to life.
"Twenty-one million?!""Those two are mad!""No guild treasury can handle this kind of burn!"
The Iron Talons commander's face twisted in fury, but his officers were already holding him back. He sat down, fists clenched, knowing his guild was out. Dawnlight's leader lowered his hand, eyes bloodshot, but he didn't dare go higher.
It was now just Rhys and the hidden bidder.
Rhys's lips curved into the faintest smirk. He raised his hand without hesitation."Twenty-three."
Gasps rattled the hall.
"He jumped by two million?!""He's trying to crush the other side's will.""That's not a bid. That's a threat."
