Briar Gemstone's Arc

Chapter 1 of 1

Briar Gemstone arranged three amethysts in her shop window, watching how they caught the lamplight. She wanted her gem business to become the most powerful operation in Caraval Carnival. Each stone held whispered secrets she'd traded for, and each one glowed brighter than any competitor's wares. Her lips curved into a cold smile as she touched a ruby that once belonged to someone important. The sign above her door read "Caraval's Hidden Gems" in letters that sparkled like crushed diamonds. Gothic arches framed the entrance, and rare stones lined every shelf inside. Blooming lights cast colors across the walls, making shadows dance between the displays. She stepped back to study her shop, then frowned. People walked past without stopping. They didn't know her treasures existed. Briar needed visitors to find her. She walked to the carnival's main path and studied a black and white directional map mounted on a post. Other shops were listed there with painted arrows pointing the way. Her shop wasn't on it yet. She traced her finger along the blank space where her store should be, already planning how to fix that problem. Back at her shop, she unpacked wooden boxes and wire screens. The new attraction would let customers pan for gems themselves, turning treasure hunting into a game. She'd call it Briar's Gemstone Exploration. They would pay to search through sand and gravel, finding small stones they could keep. But the best gems, the ones that held real power, would stay locked behind her counter. The customers would come for the game, but they'd return for the secrets only she could sell.