Chapter 6 . B5 vouchers " No kidding , it's tough ! " Winnie said , eyes wide as saucers . " You gotta hit the top ten for a full ride . Top twenty ? That's just half off ." Winnie pumped her fist , all fired up . " I'm gonna crush those exams ! Top three get a sweet scholarship , too ! " Lorrayne's eyelashes fluttered . With over two hundred kids in their year , breaking into the top ten was like trying to catch a unicorn . But with tuition fees looming like a dragon over a hamlet , she figured she could grit her teeth and give it a go . Syrria Academy of Arcana had seven courses : Potioncraft , Runecraft Class , Arcane Tongues , Alchemy , Astrology , Bladecraft , and Equestrian Arts - one class a day , nice and chill . She'd already sat through Potioncraft and Runecraft Class ; they were no big deal . After seeing how neat and logical Runecraft Class was , Lorrayne had mentally slapped new labels on the subjects to make them click . Potioncraft was basically bio class . Runecraft Class ? Math , straight up . Arcane Tongues sounded like some hoity - toity foreign language . Alchemy was chem , no question . Astrology was old - school stargazing , so probably physics . Bladecraft was just fancy gym class , and Equestrian Arts was like driver's ed , but with horses instead of wagons - and no license to show for it . Math , languages , science , and a bit of sweat - this place was a geek's dream , leaning hard into the brainy stuff . Lucky for her , she'd been a science nerd in her own world . Everything but Bladecraft and Equestrian Arts should be a piece of cake to ace . Still , to pull it off , she needed gold - stat . That meant offloading her secret wool - weaving recipe quick . With some coin in her pocket , she'd grab a decent horse , both to keep up her highborn charade and to crush Equestrian Arts . " Hey , Winnie , who's the big cheese in Syrria's wool game ? " she asked . Syrria Academy of Arcana , named after the City of Syrria in the Duchy of Luncos , sat smack in the middle - east of Westvale . Warm , muggy , flat as a board , and buzzing with trade , the city was a merchant's playground . " North side's got the church , " a boy , pointing as they strolled . " West , up on the hill , is the lord's castle . Middle's Syrria Grand Plaza , and south ? That's the Merchant's Quarter , baby ! " " Don't sleep on these streets , " he added with a smirk . " Traders from all over roll in to swap goods . If you want it , it's here - stuff from every corner of the world ! " He nodded at a pair of shops ahead . " Those two ? My family's fabric joints . Half our stuff's cashmere , and it's top - notch ! " " We're not the head honchos in Syrria , but we're close ," he bragged . " Fair prices , no funny business - best deal around ! " Winnie's classmate , Balk Harkins , son of Syrria's second - biggest wool merchant , Barton Harkins , wouldn't stop jabbering the whole way . He was a sunny kid , freckles sprinkled across his face , flashing big buckteeth when he grinned . Lowborn like Winnie , but his family's trading hustle kept them flush , and his clothes were a cut above - crisp and stylish . When Lorrayne asked Winnie about Syrria's wool merchants , Winnie didn't miss a beat and hooked her up with Balk . Lorrayne didn't care if they were the top dogs or not - she just needed cash , and fast . She got straight to it with Balk , saying she had a killer wool - weaving recipe and was ready to talk business . To light a bre under him , she added that if he wasn't interested , she'd shop her deal to another merchant in town . Balk's eyes lit up He was hell - bent on growing the family biz and becoining Syrria's top merchant - no way he'd let this slip through his Singer 11/8 PO Chapter 6 . He fired off a message to his dad and invited Lorrayne and Winnie to the shop to talk it over . This was too big for him to handle solo . B5 vouchers Barton was already waiting at the store . He wasn't convinced some highborn girl had a recipe worth a damn , but since his son brought her in , he'd give her a shot . Plus , she was a " highborn " . Barton thought if he could get chummy with her - or , crazy thought , win her heart - their family might just sneak into the upper crust . Barton had sent Balk to Syrria Academy to rub elbows with the elite , and after a whole year , his kid finally brought a highborn girl to the shop . Barton was practically misty - eyed with pride . " Father ! Balk's chipper voice echoed from the street . Barton hustled to the door to greet Lorrayne . Balk led the way , with two girls , about thirteen or fourteen , trailing behind . Lorrayne stood out like a star in the daytime . Brown hair , eyes blue , skin smooth as silk , and a neck so graceful she could've been a swan . Her face was flawless , her posture perfect , every step like she was gliding . Barton glanced at her feet . She was lifting her gold - stitched skirt , tiptoeing over the damp cobblestones like they were cursed . Yup , no doubt this is the highborn miss , Barton thought . ' Only fancy ladies move like that to keep their dresses pristine . " " Come on in , come on in ! " , Barton said , practically bouncing . " What's your name , honored lady? " Lorrayne flashed a small , easy grin . " Good to meet you , Mr. Harkins . I'm Lorrayne . " She stepped onto the shop's clean stairs , letting out a quiet sigh of relief . The streets were a nightmare - piles of manure , folks tossing water out windows . One wrong step , and she'd have been heaving . Barton , sharp as a whip , led her upstairs , yelling at the shop boys to light some incense and grab fresh fruit . He'd caught her nose wrinkle earlier - she'd definitely smelled the street funk . They settled into the cozy upstairs parlor , ready to get down to business . " Miss Lorrayne , " Barton started , treading carefully , " Balk says you've got some fancy wool - weaving trick up your sleeve? " No surname given , so " Miss Lorrayne " it was , even though it felt a bit awkward . " Yup . " Lorrayne said , leaning back like she owned the place . " It's a family secret - not something we'd usually spill . " But , no offense , Syrria's cashmere is rough as a bad haircut and heavy as a sack of potatoes . It's like wearing a porcupine . " She rubbed her neck , pulling a face like a wool collar was scratching her raw . " Drives me nuts . " " Oh , yeah , our cashmere can be a bit prickly , " Barton said with a polite chuckle , though he wasn't totally buying it . Wool's wool - thick , scratchy , he thought . What kind of fancy noble wears this stuff right against their skin ? Is this girl just yanking my chain ? " Here's the deal ," Lorrayne said , cutting to the chase . " You use my recipe to weave cashmere that doesn't make me wanna claw my skin off Turn it into clothes I actually like , and I'll pay you good " Barton scratched his chin , thinking it over . How much fabric are we talking ? " If it was just for her , setting up a whole production line might not be worth the hassle . " One cashmere sweater a day . " Lorrayne said , ulting her chin up like she was calling the shots . " Say , fifty bolts ." " And a bolt's ? " he asked . 2/3 P Chapter 6 B5 vouchers " Forty feet , about fifteen pounds of cashmere , " she fired back , cool as a cucumber . " I'll toss you a hundred gold coins upfront as a deposit . For the sweaters , you'll get ten silver coins each . " She'd done her homework - cashmere sweaters usually went for sixty coppers a piece . Her offer was over ten times that . Barton's eyes sparkled like he'd just found a treasure chest . No way he was turning down that kind of coin . 1873 Title: ReelTalk EP 40 - Contract Lovers & Heartbreak CrushReel's ongoing romance series, Miss You After Goodbye, continues to captivate on the latest ReelTalk episode. Haley Lohrli dives into her daring new character, while Ben and Josh share insights into their own memorable roles, promising a blend of laughter and heartwarming moments. Exploring themes of love, loss, and unexpected connections, this episode delves deep into the intricate relationships that drive the narrative forward. As the stars reveal their on-screen chemistry and off-screen camaraderie, viewers are in for a treat with each unfolding scene. What sets this episode apart is its ability to balance humor with poignant storytelling, offering a refreshing take on modern romance dynamics. Dive into the world of Contract Lovers & Heartbreak, available to read at CrushReel for a journey that promises both entertainment and emotional resonance.