Run: 2026-02-22-01KJ38MRCMN0V37MRMHWWVXVHY

The market square hummed with the chatter of a hundred voices. Elena forced her way through the crowd, her satchel pressed tight against her chest. She knew the merchant wouldn’t wait—he never waited for anyone, especially not a girl from the outer ring. *"You're late,"* Gregor muttered, never lifting his gaze from the ledger. His thick finger traced down a column of numbers, his brow furrowing. Elena dropped the package onto the counter. *"The bridge was out. I had to go the long way around."* *"Not my problem."* He peeled back the cloth and held the crystal to the light. Sunlight fractured across the stall’s canvas roof in tiny rainbows. Gregor’s frown only deepened. *"This isn’t what I ordered."* She’d expected that. The old man always found something to gripe about, whether the goods were flawless or not. Elena crossed her arms, standing her ground. *"It’s exactly what you ordered,"* she insisted. *"Blue quartz, uncut, straight from the northern mines. I watched them pull it from the rock myself."* Gregor turned the crystal slowly, inspecting every facet. He brought it close to his eye, then held it at arm’s length. Elena thought he looked like a jeweler sizing up a diamond—though Gregor dealt in far stranger things than fine stones. He set the crystal down with a sigh. *"Fine. But next time, wrap it properly. The edges are exposed."* He reached beneath the counter and produced a small leather pouch. The coins inside jingled as he slid it toward her. Elena scooped up the pouch and weighed it in her palm. It felt lighter than it should. She loosened the drawstring and counted: eight silver crowns. They’d agreed on ten. *"We agreed on ten,"* she said, her voice flat. *"That was before the bridge fee went up."* Gregor’s smile was thin, practiced—never reaching his eyes. *"Take it or leave it."* She took it. She always took it. The outer ring didn’t offer many choices, and Gregor knew that as well as she did. Elena stepped out of the market and into the narrow lanes beyond. The sun hung low over the rooftops, casting long shadows across the cobblestones. She tucked the pouch into her satchel and quickened her pace. If she hurried, she’d reach the bridge before dark.