Chapter 30: Chapter 30: The Seven Merchants Challenge, Part 2

Jessa immediately turned his attention on her, and Rath stood and left, moving to the edge of the stage where he could sneak a look at the crowd. Part of it, anyway. He tried to search for a familiar face, but mostly, it was all a blurry mess. A healer had once said Rath required spectacles, but that was not something Rath would ever be able to afford—or keep affording, since with the life he lived, they'd invariably get broken over and over again.

The spectators cheered again, and the crowd of competitors in front of the stage dispersed in a frantic rush. After that went the earl group, and then the dukes. When Rath's group was ushered onto to the stage, he almost lost his breakfast. That was becoming an alarmingly frequent feeling. Stupid. He had no reason to be nervous, not when he had every intention of losing.