Run: 2026-02-22-01KJ3760EZD2BCSHFDAPR3V6PF

The market square hummed with a a hundred chatting voices. Elena pushed through the dense crowd, her satchel firmly pressed to her chest. She knew the merchant wouldn't be patient — he hardly ever extended such courtesy, least of all to a girl from outside the inner ring. "You're late," Gregor stated curtly, not taking his eyes off the ledger before him. He ran a thick finger down a column of figures and scowled. Elena set the package on the counter. "The bridge was out. I had to take the long way around." "Not my problem," Gregor grumbled. He unwrapped the parcel and held the crystal up to the fading light. It caught the sun's rays and scattered tiny rainbows across the stall's canvas roof. Gregor's lips twisted into a grimace of displeasure. "This isn't what I ordered." Elena had expected as much. The old man always found something to quibble about, whether the goods were flawless or not. She crossed her arms defiantly and met his gaze solidly. "It's exactly what you ordered, Gregor," she stated firmly. "Blue quartz, uncut, from the northern mines. I watched them extract it from the rock myself." He turned the crystal slowly, scrutinizing every facet. He brought it close to his eye, then held it at arm's length. Elena thought he looked like a gem dealer evaluating a precious stone, though Gregor dealt in stranger things than jewels. He set the crystal down and exhaled heavily. "Fine. But next time, wrap it properly. The edges are exposed." He reached beneath the counter and produced a small leather pouch. The coins within clinked as he slid it toward her. Elena scooped up the pouch and weighed it in her palm. It felt light. She loosened the drawstring and counted: eight silver crowns. They had settled on ten. "We agreed on ten," she said firmly. "That was before the bridge fee increased," Gregor countered. His smile was thin and didn't reach his eyes. "Take it or leave it." She took it. She always did. The outer ring didn't offer many options, and Gregor knew that as well as she did. Elena exited the market and stepped into the narrow alleyways beyond. The sun hovered low over the rooftops, and the shadows reached long across the cobblestones. She slipped the pouch into her satchel and quickened her pace. If she hurried, she would reach the bridge before nightfall.