"Show me the silk," Heena instructed the shopkeeper.
A heavy, stunningly vibrant roll of crimson silk was unfurled onto the wooden counter. It was beautiful, but unworked.
"Can you stitch it right now?" Heena asked.
"Right now?" The shopkeeper wiped her brow, looking stressed. "Well, my apprentices and I can cut and stitch the base robes, but there will be absolutely no time for the traditional embroidery. It would be completely plain. And it would still take a tremendous amount of time..."
Heena knew how to embroider. In past lives, she had been forced to learn needlework that could rival imperial artisans, and she could easily do it three times faster than anyone in this shop. But she didn't have the time, and her right thumb was currently a throbbing, heavily bandaged liability.
"I will give you one hundred copper coins if you can cut and stitch the entire set within two hours," Heena offered flatly.
