Soleia held her breath as she peered through the magnifying glass, her eyebrows scrunched up together tightly as she stuck out her tongue ever the slightest. Keeping her hand as steady as she could, she placed the gemstone into the gold bed before securing the claws around the stone.
Only when she knew it was secure did she finally lean back in her seat, letting out the breath she didn't know she held. She raised a hand and wiped the beads of sweat away from her forehead before she reached for the pouch next to her.
Her hand dug into the pouch, pulling out a handful of stones at random before placing them onto the table. There was an assortment of stones―moonstones, obsidian, and opals― but in the end, she picked the lone garnet from the bunch.
Just as before, she shaped and polished the stone before carefully placing it into the slot that was reserved for it. Once the claws around the gem were secured, she slid the ring onto her finger, admiring it in the light.
