Cutthroat Negotiations

The forge was suffocating. Heat rolled off the walls, thick with the scent of burning coal and molten metal. The rhythmic clang of hammer on steel echoed through the space, each strike sharp and deliberate. It was nothing like the merchant's shop—there, everything was neat, refined. Here, everything was rough, loud, and blisteringly hot.

I stepped inside, forcing myself to breathe through my nose. The blacksmith stood over an anvil, muscles taut as she swung her hammer. Sparks flew, dancing in the air before vanishing against the soot-covered stone. She didn't look up, didn't pause her work, but somehow, she still knew I was there.

"You ain't the one I was expectin'." Her voice was flat, unimpressed.

I dipped my head slightly. "Master Lucian was called away on urgent business. He sent me in his place."