Crystallis Verdantglass's Arc

Chapter 10 of 18

Crystallis walked the perimeter of the hall that afternoon, checking every support beam and running his hand along the walls. The vendor's arrival had cost him the first-row stall, but it had also reminded him that six months ago, someone else had been confident enough to sign a lease here. He found the problem behind a stack of crates the venue administrator must have shoved against the back wall. The stone showed deep cracks running from floor to ceiling, moss growing thick in the gaps. He pressed his palm against it and felt the cold draft leaking through from outside. The wall wasn't just damaged—it was failing. He traced the largest crack with his finger and watched a chunk of mortar crumble away. The venue administrator had known about this. That's why the hall had been sealed for decades. That's why Crystallis got an exclusive lease for double the price with no questions asked. He pulled his journal from his coat and sketched the damage, marking the location and the angle of the cracks. If the wall came down during the competition, it would take half the hall with it—and anyone standing inside. He closed the journal. The marketplace couldn't open here. Not like this. He'd have to pay for repairs before a single vendor moved in, or walk away from the lease entirely and start over somewhere else.