Chapter 175: Ch173. Heiress of the Forgotten Forge
Mara leaned back against her workstation, arms crossed, the last thread of her story hanging in the air like smoke.
Jake’s eyes still gleamed. Elise sat on the edge of a crate like it was a throne. Alric leaned forward as if one more sentence would unlock the universe. Riven was trying to play it cool. He had his arms crossed but was definitely listening too hard.
"That’s enough storytime for you, kids." Mara said, her voice dry. "You want your gear fixed, don’t you?"
"Yeah, but-" Jake blinked.
"No buts. You’ve got ears full and heads spinning. That’s all I’m giving you." She stood up, cracking her neck as she stretched. "Come back in three days. If you’re lucky, I won’t slap a surcharge on every dumb question you asked."
Riven opened his mouth, but Mara cut him off before he could say anything.
"Especially you. Out."
They all scrambled, laughter and awkward apologies bouncing off the walls. The door slammed shut behind them, the quiet settling in like the closing of a curtain.
Mara turned.
The forge was hers again.
A familiar thrum rippled through her bones. The runes embedded in the floor began to glow softly, reacting to her [Classpect]. The smell of old iron, ozone, and forgotten magic stirred in the air.