I ran through Dawnwatch, my boots pounding across the dirt and cobbles. Knut and Nabeeh were right behind me, though the fire mage was lagging behind.

  “If they’ve hurt Ma, we kill them,” Roq said. “Right? Bash in their heads and then dip me inside. What da ya say?”

  “Would me saying ‘yes’ make you hope they hurt Ma?”

  To his credit, Roq didn’t hesitate.

  “No. She is more important.”

  “Good.”

  “She bakes the pies.”

  “Roq…”

  “I’m joking! Just trying to distract you while you run for your parents’ potential, lives is all. Speaking of which, you’re awfully slow.”

  He wasn’t wrong, it had taken my mind off it, but only for a heartbeat.

  “You will vacate the smithy today, and hand over the keys,” Serona’s voice carried from inside, her two warriors standing in the doorway to the forge. I could hear Pa’s stuttering in rage inside.

  “Move,” I said, and shoulder checked the warrior wearing chain mail, likely the damage dealer of the two. He stumbled away and almost fell right over. His stats mustn’t be that impressive if I could bump him out of the way that easily. Serona turned as I entered, and I heard Knut and the tank push against each other, my friend warning the man not to draw steel unless he was ready to die right then and there.

  “Mr. Aldrich,” Serona said, emotion flickering across her face.

  She was definitely surprised to see me alive, or perhaps she was just irritated at being interrupted. I hadn’t been hiding after getting back last night, but I’d only been to the guild so far.

  “How… unexpectedly well you look,” she said, her voice cold. “One hears such worrying tales of mishaps befalling travelers outside the walls lately. It’s reassuring to see you unharmed.”

  “The air-filled witch admits it!" Roq hissed. "She did send the archer. We should bash her ugly face in right here and now!”

  “I know. Play along.”

  "Enough waiting! Let’s see if this bitch’s composure cracks under pressure!"

  “Focus, Roq. Observe first.”

  I forced a smile, casual as I could manage.

  “I didn’t realize you had us watched, Lady Serona. I appreciate your concern, though, but like any town, Dawnwatch is full of rumors, like flies on the corpse of a traitor.” I looked at Benedict, who did his best to look stoic. “We had a productive outing to test a new bow. Fortunately, the tests went well, and we are stronger than ever.” I smiled at her. “Ready to bring down any… monster, and keep Noros safe.”

  Benedict scoffed from where he leaned against the wall.

  Pa stood in the center of the forge, looking ready to explode, fists clenched so tight his knuckles blanched. Ma stood next to him, holding his arm.

  To my surprise, Isabel Pine, the bank manager, was there, hovering at the edge of the room. She looked stiff as a poker, while Richard stood by the door to the shop, doing his best to look relaxed, arms folded and silent.

  Serona’s lips curved, but only just a little.

  “Indeed. Monsters lurk everywhere. Such a shame about those… unfortunate incidents involving individuals connected to my House in the past. Ivan and his loyal men, all vanishing after visiting certain establishments.” Her gaze slid to the forge, then back to me. “The frontier swallows people whole, doesn’t it?”

  I kept my face blank as I responded.

  “It’s a harsh land, Serona. People make choices, sometimes bad ones. We focus on our craft here, building things that last. If someone decided they no longer wanted to live…who are we to stop them?”

  “That’s Lady Serona,” Benedict snapped.

  “She ain’t my lady,” I said, “And from what I understand, she ain’t yours either, so you keep your mouth shut. Traitor.”

  Benedict straightened, but Serona waved a hand at him, and he settled back, glaring at me. There was genuine disgust and hatred in him, and it was all directed at me.

  Serona glanced at the lit coals.

  “Such fire in one so weak,” she said. “One must be careful with fire, you know. Accidents happen. A stray spark, a moment’s carelessness… Forges have burned down from less.”

  "She dares?! She speaks of the fire they set? The arrogance! Remind her what happens to those who threaten this sanctuary, Ash!"

  Energy ran down my back as I forced myself to stay calm, and I just shrugged.

  “Pa reinforced his teachings after that mistake. I learned to make sure the coals were fully dead.”

  "Yes. Let her know we will feed on her bones if she does not flee. But don’t be too specific. We don’t want her to understand and actually, you know, flee. Our surprise strike will be all the sweeter!"

  I stepped a little closer, lowering my voice.

  “The frontier is dangerous, Serona. But monsters who come here looking for trouble, bringing conflict from… Riftside… they often find themselves outnumbered this far from home. Dawnwatch looks after its own. Monsters who wander too far from their lairs tend to regret it until their last breath.”

  "Hah! Yes! Mark our territory. Even she must understand such simple words. Let her feel the danger of standing in our domain! Wait, maybe you could take a piss on her leg or something? Oh, that would be so awesome!"

  Serona glared at me, and for a moment, I thought she would attack. I moved to the side, placing myself in front of Ma and Pa.

  But the sound of running footsteps made us both look to the outside, seeing Lydia, the fire mage, and the swordsman from Richard’s party arrive. Four adventurers now stood in open support of us, and we outnumbered them seven to four. If either of them tried anything, I’d bash their heads in before they could even cast a single spell.

  Serona’s posture shifted, becoming more patient and less predatory.

  “Enough pointless banter,” she said. “We are here on business. You are to hand over the forge, Tharen, right now.”

  “Not a chance,” Ma said. “You have no rights.”

  “I suggest you take your men and leave,” I said. “Before we make you. Just like last time.”

  Richard’s hand drifted to his sword hilt.

  “You could not make us if you tried, boy,” Serona said. “And if you want to make this harder than it has to be, that is fine. House Domitius must protect its investments. Recent… destabilizing events have forced our hand.”

  “Destabilizing?” Ma said. “What are you on about?”

  “Dawnwatch has been attacked,” Serona stated flatly. “I was there, fighting on the wall myself. Without me and my party’s intervention, I dare say the monsters might have breached the rift.”

  “That’s monster piss, and you know it!” I snapped. “Not a single non-flying monster made it inside the wall. Besides, we’re a frontier town. Defending against attacks is what we do. We survived, like we always do. How is that destabilizing?”

  She allowed herself a small, cold smile.

  “Precisely. You are attacked repeatedly, and your defenses are weakening with every new assault. Did you not see how you left the gate at Sentinel Station? It is barely standing, boy. This highlights the increased risk in this region. Furthermore,” she nodded towards the forge and then glanced at Roq, “We have confirmed sightings of… legendary equipment emerging from this very forge. In combination, this drastically alters the perceived value and risk associated with our financial arrangements.”

  “You dare use our skill against us?” Pa snapped, his face going red. “We work, we build, we defend this town, and you call that a reason to threaten us?”

  “It is not a threat, blacksmith, it is financial prudence,” Serona replied, waving a dismissive hand. “Your sudden, unforeseen capabilities require a reassessment. Therefore, under the terms of the loan agreement you signed, specifically the ‘force majeure’ and risk reassessment clause…”

  “What clause? What are you talking about?” I demanded, taking a step toward her.

  "Force majeure? Risk reassessment? Pathetic human word-shields!”

  Serona gestured to Isabel Pine, who held out a sheaf of papers.

  “Pine, you can’t be serious!” Pa burst out, his voice raw. “You know we’ve never missed a payment! This ‘force majeure’ is monster crap! We defended this town!”

  "Yes, Pa! Roar! Let the weakling banker feel your fire! Maybe you can stab her with a fiery poker? Mark her!"

  Isabel didn’t meet his eyes.

  “Mr. Tharen, the contract you signed… it does contain certain provisions for unforeseen circumstances.”

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  “What provisions?” Ma said. “Show us this clause they are hiding behind.”

  Serona seemed to enjoy watching Isabel’s shaking hands as she flipped through to a marked page.

  “Clause 7b… it stipulates that… in the event of ‘significant unforeseen circumstances materially altering the perceived risk profile of the borrower or the value and security of the asset,’ the lender, House Domitius, reserves the right…” Isabel trailed off.

  “Reserves the right to what?” Ma pressed, her voice dangerously calm.

  Isabel swallowed.

  “The lender reserves the right to have the Bank evaluate the situation.” She lowered the paper. “The recent siege, the confirmed presence of red-rated threats near Dawnwatch, and the… unprecedented creation of legendary-tier equipment… collectively this does constitute a significant alteration of risk. The borrower’s capabilities and the asset’s context have changed dramatically.”

  “Changed for the better!” Pa roared. “We’re making things that save lives! And you twist that into a threat?”

  “It represents volatility, Mr. Tharen,” Isabel said, but her voice was thin. “Unpredictability. Standard banking practice requires reassessment when such factors emerge.”

  "Standard practice? These are vultures thinking us a fresh kill to pick at! I say we should bash her head in, too! Don’t just mark her, let me have a go at that skank!”

  “We didn’t borrow from the royal bank,” Ma said. “They refused us. That’s why we had to borrow from the nobles in the first place. What do you even have to do with this?”

  “Lady Serona has asked me to accompany her in the case there were objections to the contract. If you decide to object, it will be up to the royal bank to rule on this. So, we looked into it up front, to save you all time and headache.” She at least had the decency to look ashamed. “It is standard practice,” she added, lamely.

  “Standard practice, or standard Domitius bullying?” I said. “Was this truly up to the ‘Bank’, Manager Pine, or was it House Domitius? Who exactly told you the risk had changed?”

  Isabel drew herself up, finally meeting my gaze.

  “I have received a gem gram from our central bank and the lawyers there. They have reviewed the case and decided in favor of House Domitius.”

  “But, we haven’t even had the chance to object or present our case!” I said.

  “Be that as it may,” Isabel said, “The Bank’s assessment, Mr. Aldrich, based on the contract terms and the undeniable events of recent days, is that the conditions for invoking Clause 7b have been met. Lady Serona is acting within the contractual rights agreed upon by Mr. Tharen.”

  “But you are talking of the attack that just happened. How can they have had the time to review and rule on that?” Ma asked.

  “Gem-grams,” Serona said, placing her hands on her hips. A gust of wind surrounded her for a brief moment. “Now, by royal decree, the bank has reviewed our claim and found it to be true.”

  “Can we bonk them on the head yet? I feel it is only fair to give them a headache after they made us listen to all that crap.”

  “If we fight here, even if we win, Ma and Pa might get injured.”

  “The clause is invoked,” Serona said, pressing her advantage.

  “And what exactly does that mean?” Ma asked through gritted teeth.

  “It means the full outstanding balance of the loan is now due,” Serona said with a smile.

  “Due now?” Pa shouted, and only Ma’s hand on his arm held him back. “That’s impossible! We have a specific payment schedule agreed upon!”

  Serona flicked her wrist, dismissive.

  “Scheduled payments are irrelevant when a demand clause is triggered. However, House Domitius recognizes the… practicalities. The contract allows for a minimum notice period upon demand. I am granting you the full five standard days to settle the entire amount.”

  “Five days?” I said. “Five days to pay what? Let’s hear the number you thieves have cooked up.”

  Benedict smirked, and Serona raised a brow.

  “Thieves, Mr. Aldrich? We merely collect on legitimate debts. The outstanding principal, combined with the accrued interest calculated and verified by the Royal Bank, comes to a total of…” She paused, letting the silence stretch. “Four hundred and seventy-eight gold coins.”

  Ma sucked in a breath. Pa cursed.

  “Four seventy-eight? In five days? Riftrot take you! You’re not getting the smithy, that much I can promise you.”

  Knut’s hand dropped to his mace and Nabeeh let out a low whistle.

  "Four hundred seventy-eight gold!" Roq said, growling. "How many monsters must we kill? How many skull do we crush to get that? This is not debt collection, Ash, this is extortion! Calculated theft! Just do it already and smash her face in!"

  “Yes, it is extortion. Don’t worry, we’ll take care of it.”

  “That calculation…” Ma said. “It seems excessive. The interest rates—”

  “Are as stipulated in the contract and verified by Manager Pine,” Serona cut her off. “The amount is correct and non-negotiable.”

  “And if we don’t pay this in full by midnight on the fifth day from now, then what?” I asked, wanting to hear her say it.

  Serona didn’t blink.

  “If the Tharens default on their loan, Mr. Aldrich, House Domitius will legally acquire the collateral stipulated in the contract that Mr. Tharen signed. The building. The tools. The forge. The land it stands on. Everything. It will all belong to us.”

  "Over my shattered haft! This forge is ours! Defend it, Ash! Let me taste their blood and crack their bones on Pa’s anvil! Yes, hit them with the platemaw hammer at the same time you tenderize them with my head!”

  “You conniving, rift-rotted snake!” Pa said. “This isn’t business, it’s highway robbery! You come into my forge—”

  "Yes! Unleash the fury, old smith! Show them the fire within! Strike them with your hammer!"

  Ma stepped past me, trembling with fury, and stuck her finger into Serona’s face.

  “This is a pretext, a blatant land grab!”

  Serona didn’t flinch.

  “Touch me, peasant,” she whispered, “And the very air will slice you finer than butcher’s meat. My person is not for the likes of you to lay hands upon.”

  "She threatens Ma?! ASH! Defend her! Let me feel the impact!"

  Her guards stepped into the smithy, their hands on the hilts of their weapons. I moved fast, grabbing Ma’s arm and pulling her back, gentle but firm.

  “Ma. Don’t give her the excuse, and you, touch any one of my friends or family, and I will smash your head in so quickly you won’t see it coming. Snakes like you don’t fare well outside the tall grass, Serona. More often than not you never manage to make it back to safety.”

  “Easy, Roq. Not here with my family. We need a controlled conflict if at all.”

  "Control? Now? When Ma is threatened?!" Roq seethed, but I could feel his grudging understanding. "Fine. The forge… the pies… collateral damage is unacceptable. But if she lays a hand--"

  I turned to Serona, ignoring the guards, forcing the focus back to business.

  “Enough threats, Serona. They won’t change the piece of paper you’re hiding behind. Let’s stick to these so-called legal terms. You will get your money, and the next time a Domitius sets foot in the forge for whatever reason, they will not leave alive.”

  “We play their game for now, but there’s only one way this will end, buddy. Just play it cool.”

  "Make the terms solid as tempered steel. Leave no room for her viperous twists."

  I gestured at Isabel Pine.

  “We get 478 gold and hand it to you, before midnight five days from now, and the debt is satisfied in full, this contract becomes worthless trash, and you and your House relinquish all claims on Steel & Scale, present and future. You walk away and never darken this doorway again. Is. That. Correct?”

  Serona held my gaze, annoyance flickering in her eyes before smoothing over.

  She gave a sharp nod.

  “Precisely, Mr. Aldrich. House Domitius always honors the letter of its agreements.” Her smile was thin, humorless even. “Assuming, of course, such a… significant sum can be procured by such… modest means in the allotted time. We shall see, won’t we?”

  "Liar! She honors nothing but power and greed! She hides fangs forged in deceit. We should rip them out and force them down her throat!"

  I laughed, short and harsh.

  “Honors the letter, maybe. But how do we ensure you or your people are even here to receive the payment on the fifth day, Serona? What’s to stop you from claiming we never showed, or that the funds were short, after conveniently making yourselves scarce?”

  "Yes! Anticipate her treachery! Humans are slippery eels when gold is involved."

  I leaned forward, voice low but carrying.

  “Given your reputation and who you got working for you, I don’t trust your word further than I can throw this forge.”

  Serona raised a delicate eyebrow. She was more amused than angry.

  “Your lack of trust is hardly surprising, Mr. Aldrich, given your… circumstances. But House Domitius operates within the bounds of law and contract. Such paranoid fantasies are beneath our concern. If you fail to meet the terms, that is your failing, not ours.”

  "Paranoid? When her assassin failed only yesterday? The audacity!"

  “It’s not paranoia when I’m right,” I said coolly. “You prefer ambiguity, I am sure. Easier to claim default if there’s no clear record, right? We need a guarantee.”

  Benedict pushed off the wall and was about to speak, but Serona just glanced at him, stopping him dead. She turned back to me.

  “Your attempts to imply impropriety are tiresome, blacksmith apprentice. The terms are clear. Payment is due.”

  "She dislikes being questioned. Good. Press her."

  Isabel Pine, looking more pale than ever, gulped and spoke.

  “Lady Serona… Mr. Aldrich… perhaps… to ensure clarity… the transaction could be formally processed through the Bank?”

  Serona turned to the banker, her gaze unreadable but heavy. Pine shrank back but continued, as if growing at least an inch of a spine.

  “The Bank can… document the receipt of the 478 gold coins… and hold the mortgage deed. Upon confirmation of the full payment within the specified time… the Bank would issue a formal, dated receipt of settlement and return the deed to Mr. Tharen. It would… formalize the process.”

  Pa exploded.

  “Formalize? You think we trust you after everything you’ve pulled over the last weeks? After you’ve stood there and justified this theft? You are in their rift-rotten pocket! The Bank will just hand it over to Domitius anyway!”

  "Pa speaks truth! The Bank is compromised!"

  Serona watched with detached interest, then looked at me, that knowing smile returning. She shrugged, as if the whole thing was beneath her.

  “If involving the Bank’s clerks satisfies your peasant need for paperwork, Mr. Aldrich, so be it. It changes nothing. The deadline remains, and so does the amount.” She gestured at Pine. “See to it, Manager. Ensure your records are impeccable.”

  She handed over the contract and turned away, already dismissing us.

  "She concedes too easily. Why? What does she gain? This feels wrong, Ash. It must be a ruse!"

  I put a hand on Pa’s arm, stopping him from saying more.

  “We agree,” I said, making sure Isabel heard. “The Bank will receive the payment and hold the deed. We’ll have our receipt.”

  "A flawed shield is better than none, perhaps. But watch the banker closely. Her loyalty is thin as rust on steelhusk.”

  Serona gave me one last, cold look, promising future trouble, then swept out, her guards following right behind her.

  “You heard the Lady,” Benedict said, lingering, his face twisted in a mockery of pity. “Just pack your things. There’s no shame in knowing when you’re beaten. Don’t fight this, Thomas. You’ll be crushed.”

  Pa spat at Benedict but missed. “Get out of my forge, traitor. Scum. And to think you had an ounce of decency in you.”

  “We will find a way,” Ma said, her voice not betraying her emotions. “We will pay one way or another.”

  Benedict laughed, ugly and short.

  “Pay? With what? Shiny monster bits? Mind gems? The demand is for gold, Helena. Nearly five hundred gleaming gold coins, and the bank will not trade you a single coin even if you gave them a mind gem each..”

  “We’ll hunt,” I said. “We’ll forge and sell. We’ll make the gold,” I said, my voice flat. “And you, watch your back, Benedict.”

  He shook his head, savoring every word.

  “Oh, Ash, you still don’t understand how the world really works, do you? Where do you think you’ll get such a volume of gold in just five days? The Royal Bank?”

  Without a word, Isabel squeezed between Knut and Nabeeh, almost stumbled over the big man’s foot, and barely caught herself.

  “P--pardon me,” she muttered and rushed off.

  “House Domitius has deep coffers and extensive trade networks. Their business is worth far more to the Bank than your little backwater smithy. Ms. Pine might be obligated to accept gold into her coffers, and she can’t sell mind gems for more than the price peg, but she’s under no obligation to buy your mind gems at anything close to a fair rate, especially not on your timeline. She’ll offer you scrap value at best, if she deals with you at all. You’re locked out.”

  "What?! Locked out? Do they control the flow of gold? This… this is the true trap!"

  I spun toward where Isabel had been standing mere seconds ago and sighed.

  “Confirmation by silence!"

  Benedict’s smile twisted.

  “Consider this a kindness. You all get to walk away, free of debt. That’s more than many. Don’t throw your lives away over metal and pride. Go somewhere else and restart.” With a final, oily smirk, he strode out.

  "Kindness?! He calls this theft kindness?! Smash his legs, Ash! Let him crawl away like the insect he is! No, wait! First smash his hands, then his feet, and then his reproductive organ!"

  “All in due time, Roq. All in due time.”

  The smithy, usually alive with hammer and flame, was entirely still. We just stood there, processing what had happened in whatever ways we knew.

  Knut, Nabeeh, Pa, Ma, Richard and his companions, all looked at the empty street.

  The weight of what had just happened, finally crashed down and all the bravado I felt only moments ago was gone. Four hundred and seventy-eight gold coins. Five days.

  The worst part was that we couldn’t convert our monster wealth into gold because the same people demanding we pay had taken away our only real means of getting enough coin in such a short timeframe.