Monthly Extra - Rin Bonus Story: One Way to Haggle (female Rin)

“Alright, next stop is the jeweler's,” I say, looking over my list.

“Oh, come on,” Rin groans, sinking lower under the weight of the two bags in her hands. “I thought you said we were done!”

“I said we’re almost done,” I correct. “There’s twenty items on the Den’s list for us to pick up, and this is number twenty.”

“I’m gonna pass out between the heat as these damn bags. I’ll die right here on the street. That counts as a diplomatic incident, you know,” she grumbles.

“Somehow I suspect you’ll live,” I chuckle. “But here, this should help.” I place one of my own bags on the ground and cast a quick spell, summoning a little cool orb to hover around Rin’s head. “Better?”

“Much,” she sighs.

She’s even more relieved as we reach our destination and step inside, standing at least an inch taller as the cool air of the sparkling shop envelops us. Crystals and gemstones lay out on display on every surface, the more valuable ones locked behind display cases. Between the bronze fixtures and warm adobe walls, it feels like stepping into a little geode cave.

I’m in the middle of picking out some moonstone while Rin pours over an interesting display a few feet off, when the jeweler tells me the price for my selections: three hundred gold.

“What?” Rin balks, straightening up and looking over at us. “There’s no way you’re charging that much - are you kidding?”

“I assure you,” the man smiles like he’s patiently addressing a child, “These are well worth the price, and not easy to come by.”

She raises a brow. “Bullshit.”

“Rin, uh, language?” I hint through the laugh I’m holding back. This place is way too nice to be throwing around curses, and the jeweler’s expression now makes that pretty clear.

“If you intend to be uncivil, then I’ll have to ask you to leave.”

“We’ll leave as soon as you sell us that rock at a fair price,” she counters, striding over to stand beside me like we’re facing off with a fae. “Those are everywhere in Dalusin. They’re five-gold-for-five back home, and there’s no way it cost another two hundred ninety-five to import them. You’re insane.”

“I don’t think insults are going to help, either,” I hold up a hand. “But she’s got a point,” I add, addressing the shopkeep, who’s looking steadily more angry. “Rin’s from Dalusin, so if I were you I wouldn’t try lying to us again. With that level of inflation, I could report you to the merchant’s guild for price gauging.”

When we leave the shop I shoot Rin a grin. “That’s one way to haggle,” I say. “I can’t believe he threw in a piece of jade for free. Nice going, partner.”

“You’ll have to bring me around for jobs more often,” she snorts. “If you’re getting scammed like that regularly, it’ll save the Den some coin to have me.”

“Trying to spend more time with me, huh?” I tease. “Or do you suddenly like shopping and the heat?”

“Shopping and heat, no,” she smirks. “But if you give me an hour to cool off, I’ll show you exactly how I want to spend my time with you.”

“Then we’d better walk a little faster,” I say, picking up the pace as Rin stifles a laugh.