Satisfied, for tonight at least, I made sure that the fire was cold, turned out the lights, and left the forge. I reached the back door of the house and glanced over my shoulder.

In the distance, moonlight bathed the forge in a soft, silvery light, making Gin's spider rune wink at me from its new perch. I grinned, winked back, then headed inside to bed.

My penance had started.