TH
in the shop. Alondra's face cycled through shades of red and w
had burned him. To be publicly corrected on a matter of herbology by m
and said mildly, "It seems you're not very familiar with herbs, Alondra. It's probab
advice, but they landed l
m around her shoulders. He spoke in a loud, deliberate voice for everyone to hear. "The
urious goods. "Weren't you saying you wanted a vial of 'Amberg
Benson was trying to use a vulgar display of wealth to reassert his dominance an
nson? But it's so expensive..." she simpere
." He snapped his fingers at the shopkeeper, a shrewd-looki
ox's. "An excellent choice, Gamma. This particular via
. Five thousand gold coins. It was more than
hrough, pulling a black crystal card from his coat-the fami
the counter to S
ough a small, intricate alchemical de
. The device r
professional apology. "My apologies,
atched the card back. "
's assets were largely frozen due to a disastrous military investment. His father, Pack A
his payment failed in front of so many people-especiall
nned the crowd and f
commanding whisper. "Faith. Lend me whatever m
everything I had was
k-all the times he had taken my earnings with
ne of hurt and disbelief. I had to play the part of the wounded mat
hough I added a slight tremor to it, loud e
nson. I don't
nned that I would re
ce a path down my cheek to sell the performance, my voice sweet as poison,
s a failure." I used the word "failure" deliberately, a n
Benson Haynes, the great Gamma General, publicly refused a loa
ly nowhere for him
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