The deal was struck with a firm handshake and a binding contract, one that Rylus personally prepared to ensure fairness between both parties.
The moment the ink settled, Selena leaned back in her chair, exhaling deeply. Finally, a win. She had expected the process to be difficult, perhaps filled with back-and-forth arguments, but Garrick had been remarkably easy to negotiate with.
It was almost too easy, in fact.
She glanced at Garrick, the blacksmith-turned-magic-engineer, expecting to see the usual soot-covered, rough-edged man who had been working the forge when she arrived. But then—whoosh!—A simple spell later, the layer of grime was gone.
Selena stared.
Her brain needed a second to register what she was looking at. Gone was the rugged blacksmith covered in soot and sweat, replaced by someone who looked more like a noble's younger brother than a craftsman.
