CHAPTER 83: PREPARING FOR THE STORM

Sara stood at the printing machine, watching Palwin work with mechanical precision while her cousins Jenna and Will handled the ink preparation. The new shop had given their business a professional appearance that attracted better clients, but Sara's mind was occupied with darker thoughts.

"Palwin, help them with the printing, all right? I'll be back soon," Sara said, pointing at her cousins. "Watch over her. She listens to everything, but don't ask her to do anything too complicated, all right?"

Her cousins laughed at Sara's protective tone. "Don't worry, Sara. We've got this figured out by now," Jenna said, already organizing the next batch of advertisement orders.

As Sara walked through the marketplace, she pulled out an old, dried piece of paper that Marcus had written months ago before his capture by Lord Varek's men. The notes contained detailed instructions for creating various types of explosives, information she'd memorized but never acted upon ever since. Even though Marcus hadn't asked her to prepare these materials again, Sara felt a growing certainty that she needed to be ready for whatever was coming.

The marketplace buzzed with morning activity, but Sara noticed the underlying tensions. Conversations stopped when refugees passed by. Vendors charged different prices depending on whether customers were locals or displaced people. Children threw stones at refugee camps from safe distances. The city was fracturing along invisible lines that could split wide open at any moment.

Sara made her way through the less reputable sections of the market, where merchants sold materials that respectable businesses avoided. She'd cultivated relationships with these discrete traders over months of careful negotiations. They asked no questions and kept no records, perfect for her current needs.

At Kamu's stall, tucked between a fortune teller and a seller of questionable meat, Sara purchased saltpeter and sulfur. Kamu was a thin man with nervous eyes who specialized in materials that had multiple uses, some legitimate and others less so.

"Morning, Miss Sara. The usual inks and dyes?" Kamu asked with practiced casualness.

"Actually, I need some of your agricultural supplies today. The kind that helps with soil improvement and pest control," Sara replied, using their established code for more dangerous materials.

Kamu nodded and discreetly passed her several wrapped packages. "For your gardens, of course. Best results when used carefully and in proper proportions."

"I understand completely. Thank you, Kamu."

Her next stop was Tobias, a metalworker who operated from a cramped workshop behind the main smithing district. Tobias specialized in small, precise metal work that the larger forges wouldn't bother with. Sara needed specific casings and components that would contain and direct explosive force properly.

"Sara! Good to see you again. How's the printing business?" Tobias greeted her warmly. He was one of the few merchants who treated refugees and locals with equal respect.

"Growing every day, thanks to customers like you. Today I need some custom metal work. Small containers, very precise specifications." Sara showed him sketches she'd prepared based on Marcus's notes.

Tobias studied the drawings carefully. "Interesting designs. These look like they're meant to contain something under pressure. What are you planning to store in them?"

"Just some chemical compounds for our ink mixing process. We're experimenting with new formulations that require careful handling," Sara lied smoothly.

"I see. Well, these will take a few days to complete properly. The tolerances you're requesting demand careful work."

"That's fine. Quality is more important than speed."

Sara made several more stops, gathering materials and components that individually seemed innocent but together could create devastating weapons. She'd learned from Marcus's cautious approach to always maintain plausible explanations for everything she purchased.

By the time she returned to their shop, Sara's satchel contained enough materials to create a dozen different types of explosives. She felt both relieved and troubled by her preparations. Marcus had allies in high places now, and their business was thriving, but something in her gut told her that the real challenges were still ahead.

When she arrived back at the shop, she found Aldric talking with her cousins while Palwin continued printing with unwavering focus. Aldric's attitude toward Sara had changed noticeably since he'd lost his original shop to save Marcus from Lord Varek's prison. He was more attentive, more protective, though Sara wasn't sure if she was imagining the shift in his behavior.

"Aldric, can we talk privately over here?" Sara asked, gesturing toward a quiet corner of the shop.

"Sure, Sara. What do you need?" Aldric practically flew to her side, his eagerness obvious to everyone watching.

Sara opened her satchel carefully, showing him the materials she'd gathered. "I know things are going well right now, but after the trial, I couldn't forget what Marcus taught me. I need a place where I can create explosives without Marcus learning about it."

Aldric's expression grew serious. "What for? He has allies in good places now. Lord Hammond supports him, Sister Korra advises the King. Things are looking up."

"There are things he's not telling us, Aldric. And we can't protect each other if we're not prepared for the worst." Sara's voice carried a desperate edge that made Aldric pay closer attention.

"I'm not fully convinced this is necessary, but those explosives Marcus used at the trial were incredibly effective. You can work with them under my house. We have a small shed like workspace. I used to keep excess oil shipments there, but it's empty now."

Relief flooded through Sara's voice. "Thank you so much, Aldric." For the first time all day, she sounded like her old cheerful self.

"You know, Sara, you've changed so much over these past months," Aldric said, his face reddening slightly.

"In what way? I'm still the same Sara," she replied, though she noticed his obvious embarrassment. Is he blushing? she thought.

"I think maybe my understanding of you has changed. You're stronger than I realized. More capable. More..." He struggled to find the right words.

At that moment, they heard a loud splat against their shop window, followed by angry shouting from outside.

"ALDRIC, YOU CON MAN, COME OUT!" The voice was filled with rage and frustration.

Sara and Aldric rushed to the window to see two men standing in the street. One was middle aged with the calloused hands of a laborer, the other younger but equally angry. Both wore the clothes of small business owners who were struggling to stay afloat.

"Do you know them?" Sara asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. We did some advertising work for their butcher shop a few weeks ago. They paid four silver for our entry package, but apparently their business hasn't improved the way they expected."

More mud hit the window, and the shouting continued. "We know you're in there, Aldric Thorne! Come out and face us like a man!"

Palwin looked up from her printing for the first time, her mechanical focus disrupted by the commotion. Sara's cousins had stopped working and were staring nervously at the angry men outside.

"What do we do?" Jenna asked.

Sara felt her hand instinctively move toward her satchel of explosive materials. The old Sara would have hidden behind Aldric and Marcus, waiting for someone else to solve the problem. But months of learning dangerous skills and taking responsibility had changed her. She was tired of being afraid, tired of being helpless.

"We handle it," Sara said firmly. "But carefully. Aldric, go out and talk to them. I'll stay here with Palwin and my cousins, but if things get violent, I want everyone to get behind the printing press and stay low."

"Sara, I don't want you involved in this," Aldric protested.

"I'm already involved. This is our business, our shop, our reputation. We handle it together, or we don't handle it at all."

Aldric nodded, recognizing the steel in Sara's voice. "All right. But if I signal you, get everyone to safety immediately."

As Aldric headed toward the door, Sara organized her cousins and Palwin into defensive positions. She'd learned from Marcus that preparation and planning could turn dangerous situations into manageable ones.

The angry customers outside represented more than just a business dispute. They were a symptom of the larger tensions tearing at Drakmoor's social fabric. Refugees and locals blamed each other for economic problems that had deeper roots. Fear and desperation were turning neighbors into enemies.

Sara watched through the window as Aldric stepped outside to face the angry men. His posture was confident but non threatening, the careful balance of someone who understood that words could either defuse or escalate a dangerous situation.