Run: 2026-02-22-01KJ365H38565KQEQW54BDNES5

The market square hummed with the voices of a hundred traders and townsfolk. Elena pushed her way through the throng, clutching her satchel tightly against her chest. She knew the merchant would not wait — he never did, especially not for a girl from the outer ring. "You're late," Gregor declared, without raising his eyes from his ledger. He traced a thick finger down a column of numbers and scowled. Elena placed the parcel on the counter. "The bridge was out. I had to take the long way around." "Not my concern." Gregor unwrapped the cloth, lifting the crystal to the sunlight. It reflected the rays, casting tiny rainbows on the stall’s canvas roof. His frown grew deeper. "This isn’t what I ordered." She expected this. The old man always found something to complain about, regardless of the quality of the goods. Elena crossed her arms, standing her ground. "It’s exactly what you ordered," she insisted. "Blue quartz, uncut, from the northern mines. I watched them pull it from the rock myself." Gregor turned the crystal slowly, inspecting each facet. He brought it close to his eye, then extended his arm, examining it at a distance. Elena thought he looked like a jeweller appraising a diamond, though Gregor dealt in stranger things than gemstones. He placed the crystal down and sighed. "Fine. But next time, wrap it properly. The edges are exposed." He reached beneath the counter, producing a small leather pouch. The coins inside clinked as he slid it toward her. Elena scooped up the pouch, weighing it in her hand. It felt light. She loosened the drawstring and counted aloud: eight silver crowns. They had agreed on ten. "We agreed on ten," she said flatly. "That was before the bridge toll increased," Gregor retorted, a faint, practiced smile that never reached his eyes. "Take it or leave it." She accepted it without hesitation. She always did. The outer ring offered few options, and Gregor knew it as well as she did. Stepping out of the market into the narrow alleys beyond, Elena saw the sun hanging low over the rooftops, casting long shadows across the cobblestones. She slipped the pouch into her satchel and quickened her pace. If she hurried, she could reach the bridge before dark.