"We show up," Marron said firmly. She'd been stress-cooking since six bells—Savoria Rounds, the only thing that kept her hands busy and her mind from spiraling. The apartment smelled of sausage and cheese and toasted bread rounds. "We show up, we present our case, we prove the partnerships are legitimate. That's all we can do."
"You're very calm about this," Iris observed quietly from his corner. The mousekin looked like he'd barely slept. "My three vendors are terrified. If this doesn't work—"
"It will work," Marron interrupted, with more confidence than she felt. "We followed all the regulations. We documented everything properly. The Merchant's Guild is grasping at straws, trying to scare us into backing down. But we're not backing down."
"Even if they revoke everything?" Kira's voice cracked slightly. "Even if we lose?"
