oran has forged the knives. After I brought them back to my workshop, I hefted each and tested its edge on a stick of kindling. They were identical in all ways (at least as far as I could tell).

Over the next few days, I tried to focus on catching up on my tasks. I renewed a few of the older enchantments around the castle. I warded Beglan’s garderobe to spare it from prying eyes, including those of the last warder, Kean. I mixed a salve for Marta son, the one suffering from blackbird’s pox. I cast longevity and durability spells to some recently mended armor for the guards (at Breck’s request). I attempted to help Ione, a servant girl who asked for a charm to woo a love interest. I didn’t have anything that would be particularly useful, and was not about to loose the Cant of Persuasion again, so I gave her a luck charm and face paint enchanted to draw attention to her pretty eyes. One of Lady Reiling’s handmaids asked for a charm against conceiving, and although Kean’s book contained a relevant ritual, it was too time-consuming and expensive for me to undertake. I advised her to seek out Temilla, the witch woman, instead.

I must have seemed distracted. My mind kept wandering back to the magical demonstration I had planned for Goran. Thankfully, all of these services allowed me to collect a few favors for later redemption.

Yesterday evening, I took the knives back to Goran’s forge. The flickering light and lingering heat of the forge were welcoming, and Goran sent a boy for beer when I arrived.