When I took a minute to map out my Wattpad stories for the month, I sketched out where I wanted to take Elara this time around. While there are plenty of storylines I’m eager to explore, there are others that need to be explored to help propel the main idea forward. This particular tale sits somewhere between those two guideposts. There isn’t an earth-shattering idea embedded in the text, but sometimes that’s where the most important things live.
Elara’s workshop had settled into a comfortable rhythm. New commissions, once rare occurrences, often arrived when people were desperate. They sat alongside old projects, and the cluttered benches reflected the constant balance between invention and obligation. For Elara Finch, the work itself remained the easy part. It was everything surrounding that effort that demanded her patience.
Across the shared wall, Aldric Vire understood that reality better than most. The apothecary’s requests rarely ended with a simple answer, and the latest problem occupying his thoughts promised to test both Elara’s skill and her willingness to indulge another unusual challenge.
However, not every interruption arrives in the form of a difficult commission. Some arrive carrying old grudges, misplaced confidence, and a habit of appearing when they are the least welcome. On days like those, the difference between restraint and escalation can become far more important than any invention resting on a workbench.
Excerpt of Measured Intrusion
Aldric lifted a brass cylinder, turning it in his hand. He gripped the inner tube and twisted it. A soft click carried across Elara’s workbench. He bent down and set it among her scattered tools. He tapped its edge as his gaze drifted to her. “The seal seems to be sound, though I suppose whatever you choose for the interior will determine which compounds I’ll be able to store without regretting the attempt.”
Elara leaned away and batted Aldric’s hands off the prototype. She folded her arms across her chest. “You always make simple requests seem more complicated than they should be.”
“The complications of my job stem from dealing with mixtures that can kill me if I trust the wrong container.” He flashed a brief smile at Elara as he flicked the cylinder. “Should I seek another tinkerer for this commission?”
“You can’t afford anyone else,” Elara said, plucking her prototype off the workbench. “That’s before you factor in your expedited timetable.”
A rough knock rattled the hanging tools. Elara shifted to peer past Aldric. When she caught sight of the figure looming in her doorway, she groaned. “I’m busy. Leave.”
Aldric glanced toward the door. “If you need me—”
“You’re fine.” Elara slipped off her stool and rounded the apothecary as she stalked to the men lingering beyond her threshold. “What do you want?”
Garron exchanged glances with Tessik and Corren before leaning forward as he jerked a thumb into his chest. “Can’t we visit a guild-approved artificer?”
Elara scoffed as she grabbed the door handle. “You’ve never been compelled to seek my services before.”
With a predatory grin, Garron’s back straightened. “Is it that strange to venture into new behaviors?”
“For you three, I can’t think of anything stranger.” She stepped aside, letting the trio see her guest. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve more pressing matters to deal with than your attempts to ruin my work.”
With a scoff, Garron strode past the threshold. “I wasn’t aware you could dismiss potential clients.”
Behind Elara, the automaton’s head turned toward the commotion. Elara shook her head and stepped forward, planting a palm against his chest as she tried to guide him outside.
Garron brushed her hand away as his gaze flicked from the tinker to the automaton standing at the back of her workshop. He lingered on the mechanical figure while keeping the door open. He dragged his attention from her creation and studied the shelves lined with tools, gears, and unfinished projects.
“Smaller than I remembered,” Garron said.
Tessik laughed at the comment as he slapped Corren’s shoulder.
Elara shook her head as her eyes narrowed and teeth ground. She swallowed a curse as she released a heavy breath.
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