A couple of hours later, as the light of the afternoon slowly softened into a quieter shade, Kiara arrived at a private residence located within the Business district of the Imperial City, where agreements were often worth more than official contracts, and there, inside a spacious yet modest hall filled with the faint scent of dried herbs and stored spices, she sat across from Malric.
The merchant held a long list in his hand, the parchment slightly crinkling under his fingers as he leaned forward, his brows drawn together in concentration while his eyes moved from one line to another with careful attention.
He was measuring not just the items written but the scale of the request behind them, while Zion sat beside Kiara without moving at all, his posture straight and silent like a statue placed for decoration rather than participation.
