Should he show his hand so readily? No, he has paid the price of transparency once before. Forgemaster aren't merely beautiful artists to compensate handsomely for the resilience of their hand and the clarity of their vision —

They are prized weapons, instruments of war. Easy captives and castaways. No, a sweet rhino's ride doesn't earn that kind of trust so easily.

"Because they have an army," he offers his shoulder, and the tunnel captures his voice, returning it in crystalline echoes. "And we need one."

Hector needs to forge them one.