The lower span shook under the loosed river, and brown spray lashed the planks beneath Hajin's feet.
Behind him, freed workers crowded the housing steps, rubbing wrists that no longer carried anybody's labor tokens.
Inside the housing, Ferra's hammer kept ringing against the forged brace she flatly refused to leave.
Above the channel, chains dragged Captain Brann Keld's tower platform toward her coupling one shuddering link at a time.
"Broadcast fellow, let's talk like merchants before your forge woman gets crushed," the captain called, spreading both hands over the rail.
"Oh, now he wants to haggle," Hajin muttered, cracking his neck.
"Leave the workers and walk away, and every coin of passage on this road is yours, every season, forever," Captain Brann Keld shouted.
"A maintained road straight to your precious Sixth, think how useful that becomes for a man with friends like yours."
'He wants to sell me the road with the same people he already stole.'
