C158 Deal of Dread

Then, as if to mock the silence, a single, guttural cackle erupted from the far end of the room. It rippled through the gathered crowd, breaking the quiet and pulling everyone’s attention back to their businesses.

He held up the pouch, shaking it slightly to emphasize its weight. “Here, my friends,” he announced, his voice smooth and commanding, “are one hundred pristine agates