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“I want to learn,” she said firmly, her knuckles white around the sack in her hands. “Please… I want to apprentice under you.”

I blinked, taken aback. Of all the things I thought she might say, that hadn’t once crossed my mind. “Lira, I—”

She cut me off, words spilling out like she’d been holding them back for years. “I've been practicing. In secret. When he's gone to market or having meetings at the guild.”

Her voice shook slightly, but her grip on the burlap sack tightened. Then, with a determined look, she thrust the bag toward me. I took it, surprised by the weight, and handed it over to Grimble, who accepted it with a raised brow before reaching inside.

One by one, he and the others pulled out her work: a bracer crafted from thin, overlapping plates, a belt buckle with an intricate knot design, and a small section of chain links, each surprisingly delicate. They passed each piece around, murmuring as they examined her efforts, occasionally glancing her way with newfound interest.

“I’ve tried everything to convince him. But he just keeps saying it’s not a woman’s place.” She clenched her jaw, her voice firm against the thick wall of frustration I could sense rising in her throat. “But I see what you’re doing here… and I know it can be different. I could be different, too.”

Brilda squinted at the bracer’s edges and gave an approving nod. “Thin and light but sturdy,” she said, testing the give of the plates.

“Hmm, chainwork’s a bit loose,” Grimble added as turned over the link in his hands, “but you’ve got a good eye for detail, lass. It’s clear where you’re headed with this.”

“I know it’s rough,” Lira admitted, “but I want to learn. I’ll work as hard as it takes. I just need the chance.”

I looked down at the pieces in Brilda’s hands, then back at Lira, feeling the weight of her request settle. She was Thorne’s daughter, and taking her on would be like throwing a match into dry tinder. But as I watched her, I saw that familiar drive—the relentless pursuit of something everyone else had said wasn’t hers to claim.

“I don’t know, Lira,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “I’m barely recognized by the guild myself.”

“I’ll sponsor her,” Vorgath’s low, steady voice cut through the air.

I blinked, turning to face him. Of course he would. Vorgath was the first to believe in people, especially those trying to rise above the limits the world placed on them. He’d done it for me when no one else thought I could swing a hammer. He’d seen something in me that day, even before I’d seen it myself.

Lira flinched slightly, peeking up at Vorgath.

“You don’t have to be afraid,” Vorgath added. “No harm will come to you. I’ll make sure of it.”

Lira swallowed, but her posture eased a little. “Thank you,” she managed. “I… thank you.”

Brilda piped up, not missing a beat. “Aye, I say let her learn—ol’ Ironsmith’s feelings be damned.”

“Besides,” Sylwen added with a dry smile, “it could make for quite the stir.”

I shot the elf a look, but he had a point. Taking on Lira would set Thorne ablaze faster than pouring oil on an open flame. And though I didn’t mind ruffling his feathers—at this point, italmost felt like destiny—I didn’t want Lira caught in the crossfire of our feud.

“Lira,” I began carefully, “I understand how much this means to you. Believe me, I do. But there's a lot to consider here. Your father—”

“I don't care what he thinks!” she interrupted, her voice rising, a flush of surprise on her face. She composed herself but kept her chin up. “I'm sorry, but... I can't let him dictate my life. Not anymore.”

I studied her. That fierce determination was familiar, a mirror of what I’d felt not too long ago—the weight of being told “no” because of who you were, the frustration of being held back.

I sighed, feeling everyone’s eyes on me. This wasn’t a decision to take lightly. But as I looked at Lira, I knew I couldn’t turn her away.

“Alright,” I said finally.

Lira's face lit up. “Really? You mean it?”

“Yes, but,” I held up a hand to temper her excitement, “we need to do this properly. I’ll speak to your father—”

Her expression fell. “But he’ll never agree—”

“Let me finish. I’ll speak with him, but whatever he says, you have a place here if you want it. We’ll make it work, even if it means going over his head to the guild.”

Vorgath nodded beside me. “We’ll stand by you. Both of you,” he added, giving me a quiet, steady look.

Lira blinked, her chin lifting as her composure settled back in place. “Thank you. I won’t let you down.”