Chloe Lolo's Arc

Chapter 3 of 4

The forest paths of Tongassia led to dozens of gem dealers, each one claiming to sell the finest stones. Chloe needed to visit them all. She had to see what passed for quality in this market. Three shops sat within walking distance of the pawnshop, their windows displaying rubies, sapphires, and emeralds under bright lamps. She studied each display, memorizing the colors and cuts. One dealer specialized in amber from the northern territories. Another focused on opals that shifted colors in the light. These were her targets. If she could forge stones that matched their best pieces, she'd have buyers lining up at her counter. The forest provided plenty of raw materials to practice with, and the competition gave her a clear standard to beat. Back at the pawnshop, Chloe hung her new mobile near the front window. Painted wooden tokens dangled from thin strings, spinning slowly in the air. The colors caught the afternoon light, making people on the street stop and look. She needed buyers to notice this place, to remember it. The mobile would draw them in. Once they saw her finished work, they'd come back. She adjusted one of the tokens and stepped back. Good enough. The Merchant's Timber Trading Post opened only twice a week, and today was one of those days. Chloe walked through the wide doors and watched traders unload crates from their wagons. Buyers crowded around the tables, inspecting goods and calling out bids. She spotted a collector examining a tray of cut emeralds under a magnifying glass. These people had money. They knew quality. If she could sell her forgeries here, she'd have proof her skills matched the best dealers in Tongassia. She circled the room, watching which items drew the highest bids and which sellers commanded the most respect. Near the back corner, she found a worn book on a display stand. The brown and yellow cover read "The Expanded Wastelands Survival Guide" in bold white letters. She picked it up and flipped through the pages. One chapter listed the names of craftspeople who had changed their trades forever. Master forgers, expert counterfeiters, artisans who had fooled entire markets. Their names were written there like they were heroes instead of criminals. Chloe's whiskers twitched. This was the proof she needed. The best forgers became legends. All she had to do was join them.