Aires rose early the next day.
The routine was familiar—filing out to mine ether glass—but today was different. Once again, he scanned the cell for Charis, but she was absent, just as she had been the previous day.
Her evasiveness gnawed at him, but he pushed the thought aside.
Luckily enough, after his clash with the five miners, no one dared approach him, though their wary glances followed his every move. They were still amazed at the inhumane movement he used to mine the glass.
By day's end, he'd amassed ten sacks of ether glass, each worth a meager gold coin toward his debt.
'At this rate, I'll be mining for over a year to clear 4,990 gold,' Aires thought, frustration simmering as he joined the line to record his work.
This time, Charis didn't come to see him. When he arrived at the counter, the gruff man monotoned, "Ten sacks, ten gold," and slid a silver coin across.
"Excuse me," Aires said, steeling himself.
"Yes"
"I want to request a move to the raiding team."
