"Your offer and resourcefulness are both appreciated," she says, accepting the flask and removing the stopper. She takes a fortifying swig from it, pauses, then downs another before passing it back.

"But I'm afraid I must decline. I've a seamstress in Stryevaek who would gut me more surely than our dearly departed demon if I went anywhere else with my repairs. I couldn't bear to lose her over professional discourtesy."