Lucas walked along the rows of tomato plants, his hand already reaching out to pluck the first fruit.
Footsteps followed from behind.
Silvara.
Lucas stopped abruptly. Without looking back, he turned — and suddenly broke into a quick run toward the horse-drawn carriage. Silvara froze for a moment, then hurried after him.
Lucas opened the back of the carriage and took out a small basket that had been neatly prepared.
He immediately returned to the field and began filling it first, carefully selecting the ripest, most flawless tomatoes.
Silvara frowned.
"Why the small one first?"
Lucas kept working, his voice low.
"Come on. You know Silas from the Merchants' Guild looks sly, right?"
Silvara nodded slightly.
"And?"
"If he shows up too soon," Lucas continued, "Healer Mae won't get anything. The contract clause says *all harvested produce*."
Silvara understood at once.
"Ah."
She gave a short nod.
