I'd spent the last of the daylight haggling with a food-stall dwarf for a slab of fresh dire-boar and a collapsible brass grill. The church came into view, Warm lamplight flickered inside. I pushed the door with a boot heel.
"—and he said he'd be back before dusk!"
Lady Hestia's voice bounced off the walls. I stepped through just in time to see her pacing the length of an overturned pew, arms flailing. Lili sat on the improvised sofa, knees hugged to her chest, trying (and failing) to look detached.
The goddess registered the armor first, and her rant stalled mid-syllable.
"You're late." She jabbed a finger at the meat parcel tucked under my arm. "And you smell like charcoal and… lizard steak?"
"I never said when I'd be back," I said, dropping the bundle on our rickety altar table. "Long story. We eating or squabbling first?"
Lili's eyes flicked to the grill folded under my other arm. "Is that … a stove?"
"Portable," I answered. "Figured the familia deserved something that was not bread." I started unfolding brass legs until they locked with a tidy clang. I grabbed the flint and steel and made a small fire under it safely.
Hestia's pout returned at full throttle. "We could be celebrating," she grumbled, "if a certain white-haired rabbit weren't chasing after blond Valkyries instead of coming home to his loving goddess."
Lili's ears were coloured a delicate red. She looked anywhere but at Hestia. I sliced the boar into four thick steaks, laid them across the grate, and the fat hissed cheerfully.
"So," I said over the sizzle, "Bell ended up training with Ais Wallenstein?"
"Training, flirting—same difference," Hestia huffed. She slumped onto the pew beside Lili and stole a glance toward the door, as if willing Bell to appear in the frame.
Lili's fingers knotted in her cloak. "He… admires Miss Wallenstein. She's powerful."
The way she said it carried a sting of envy. I flipped the steaks, letting the aromatics roll through. Hestia's frown twitched at the smell.
"Strength isn't everything," I murmured, catching Lili's eye. "Sometimes it's the supporters who keep the heroes standing. So don't cut yourself short, Lili."
That drew the smallest smile from her. Hestia, meanwhile, sniffed the air theatrically and finally abandoned her sulk long enough to fetch plates.
As we waited for the meat to finish, she sidled closer, voice dropping to an excited whisper.
"By the way," she said, "Hephaestus cornered me after you left. Wanted to know all about you.'" Blue eyes glittered. "I didn't tell her a thing."
I barked a laugh, low and easy. "Appreciate it, Lady. She looked like she had gained more questions throughout the entire afternoon."
"Oh, I bet she did." Hestia folded her arms, smug as a cat on a hearthstone. "But a promise is a promise."
The grill gave a final pop; juice blistered at the edges of the steaks. I plated four generous cuts, handed one to each of them, and took the last for myself. We sat in a loose triangle on the floor, better than balancing on wobbly pews, and for a minute, the only sound was chewing and soft hums of approval.
"It's good," Lili admitted between bites. She looked from the steak to the armor, curiosity finally winning over caution. "So… that set, I've never seen anything like it Where's it from?"
"Oh, you know around,d" I deflected, wagging my fork. "And it's cute, which is half the battle."
Hestia raised a brow. "Cute? I guess."
I swallowed a mouthful. "Let's call it artisanal craftsmanship and leave the rest for another day. Bell's going to want the whole story, and I'd rather only tell it once."
That earned an eye roll, but she let the subject drop. Lili leaned against the goddess's shoulder, plate balanced in her lap, and the three of us watched the flame gutter down to coals.
Outside, boots crunched on gravel. A familiar, breathless voice floated through the broken doorway. "I'm back—sorry I'm late!"
Hestia shot to her feet so fast she nearly overturned the grill. "TWO HOURS, BELL CRANEL!" she yelled, storming toward the entrance.
I traded a glance with Lili, equal parts sympathy and amusement, then picked up the grill tongs to shift the last bit of meat away from the heat. The door banged shut, Hestia's scolding devolved into laughter, and Bell's wide grin beamed across the room as he spotted the extra plate waiting on the stone floor.
"Smells amazing," he breathed.
"Eat," I told him, patting the spot beside me. Bell lowered himself to the spot I'd indicated, his grin softening into something more sheepish as he set his battered rucksack aside. Hestia retreated from her mini-outburst with one last pointed sigh, but she was already kneeling down next to Lili, pulling her share of the food closer.
Bell's eyes flicked from the grill to me, then to the hammer resting against my leg. His brow wrinkled faintly. "That's… new," he said carefully, gesturing with his fork. "Did you have it made?"
I nodded, shifting my grip around the thick haft. "Yeah. But it's actually my own making."
He blinked, then let out a low whistle. "It's huge."
"It's a hammer," I said simply, holding it up for him to get a better look. The head was a mass of teal, but weighted in a way that would let me swing it without overbalancing. "A bit much for most people, maybe, but it suits me. Since we now have the role of tank more or less set."
Bell took in the curve of it, then grinned a little, fingers twitching around the handle of his own fork. "Can I hold it? After dinner?"
I smiled back. "If I get to see that new chest plate of yours up close. It looks good, solid. Who made it?"
He blinked again, then glanced down at himself like he'd forgotten he was even wearing it. "Oh, uh, yeah. I got it from one of the stalls near West Main. Bargain bin, honestly."
Lili's head lifted at that, her eyes narrowing. "Bargain bin? Bell…"
He scratched at the back of his head, his face turning a little red. "It was cheap, and… I needed something better than that old vest. It looked sturdy enough."
I reached out with my fork and tapped the center of the plate, just above the slight curve in the metal. There, almost hidden by the brushed finish, was a smith's mark. My brow lifted.
"Welf's mark," I said softly.
Bell looked up, surprised. "Welf?"
"Welf," I clarified. "He was working at the forge today, same as me. Good eyes, kinda cute. If this is his, you should get more of his work. He's a good smith."
Bell's expression turned a little sheepish again, but proud too. "I… didn't know. Just grabbed it because it fit."
Hestia's eyes gleamed as she leaned forward, resting her chin on her knuckles. "You have a talent for picking out quality, Bell. Even if you didn't know it at the time."
Bell ducked his head at the compliment, but I could see the faintest hint of pride bloom in his chest. Lili shot me a quick look, almost questioning, then relaxed a fraction when I gave a little nod.
We ate in companionable quiet for a while. The steaks had cooled to a comfortable warmth, juices soaking into the last of the bread I'd scrounged from the market. Bell was the first to finish, of course, he always seemed to eat with urgency.
When he wiped his mouth and pushed his plate aside, he looked up at me again. "So… that armor too?" he asked, gesturing at the plates that gleamed faintly in the lamplight.
"Yeah," I said, rolling my shoulder to feel how it moved. "It's the first real set I've had. Made it myself."
His eyes widened, flicking from the hammer to the plates and back again. "You… made it today?"
"Yep. Took all day."
He let out a low breath. "That's incredible, Amara. Really."
I shrugged, feeling the weight of the hammer settle against my palm. "What I know how to make might not be useful to everyone."
He still looked like he wanted to say more, but Hestia clapped her hands softly and leaned forward with a teasing glint in her eyes. "Tomorrow, Bell. You and I have our day out, remember?"
Bell's eyes widened in mild panic. "Oh—right! I didn't forget!"
She grinned. "You'd better not. You have me to yourself for the whole day, mister."
Lili made a small sound, her mouth twisting like she'd bitten into a lemon. She quickly looked away, trying to hide it, but I caught it anyway. I leaned back, chewing thoughtfully on the last bite of steak. "Lili," I said after a moment, catching her gaze. "You up for joining me in the Dungeon tomorrow?"
She blinked, startled. "Oh. Just us?"
"Just us," I confirmed. "I need to see how the armor handles, and it could be fun. Girls' day out and whatnot."
Bell frowned faintly. "Are you sure it's safe?"
"You forget about the new guards?" I said. "We'll be fine."
Lili let out a tiny, relieved laugh, ducking her head. "Then… yes. I'd be glad to."
Bell's shoulders relaxed a little. "Okay. Just… promise me you'll come back in one piece."
I clinked the heavy hammer against the stone beside me in a gentle tap. "I promise, mister trying to make every girl fall in love with him."
Bell flushed at my comment, the tips of his ears turning red as he ducked his head. "I'm not trying to make anyone—" he started, voice cracking slightly. Lili snorted, a grin growing on her face. "You might not be trying, but you're certainly succeeding," she teased.
Hestia leaned forward on her elbows, a small, mischievous smile playing at the corners of her lips. "He's got that soft face and those big, earnest eyes," she said airily. "Even when he's covered in dust and monster guts, some girls just like a project, you know?"
Bell groaned into his hands. "I can't win with any of you, can I?"
"Not today," I said, flicking a bit of cooled grease off the edge of my plate.
He huffed out a laugh and settled back against the wall, hand absently resting over the chest plate I'd pointed out earlier. He traced the edge of one of the straps, thoughtful. "I guess I should see if Welf has anything else. I didn't know it was his work, but… it feels good. Sturdy, like you said."
I gave a small nod, resting the hammer across my knees. "It's worth it. His pieces aren't flashy, but they're meant to last. Better that than some piece of junk that'll shatter the first time you meet a Minotaur."
Hestia shot me a look. "No Minotaurs tomorrow, right?"
"Not if I can help it," I said. "Just a good warm-up for me."
Bell's brow furrowed, worry flickering across his face. "I know you're summons are strong, Amara, but… just the two of you?"
I reached over, tapping the haft of the hammer against his boot lightly. "We will be fine, Mom," I repeated. Lili's eyes darted between us. "I trust her," she said, voice calm. "I know how to watch her back."
Bell looked between us, exhaled, and finally let himself relax, if only a little. "Just… promise me you'll both be careful. Please."
I gave him a half-smile, a flick of the hammer that said everything I didn't bother to put into words. "Always."
Hestia reached over and patted Bell's knee. "And if you're that worried, you'll just have to get stronger?" she teased, laughter dancing in her eyes. Bell just groaned again, but he couldn't quite hide the smile.
I leaned back, bracing my shoulder against the wall. The coals had burned down to a soft red glow in the portable stove, and the last scraps of boar sizzled quietly on the iron plate. Lili pushed her hair behind her ear and let out a quiet, contented sigh, and even Hestia seemed more at ease.
"Tomorrow, then," I said, shifting the hammer onto my shoulder. "You two can go play… whatever you're going to play."
Hestia's grin widened. "A date, obviously."
Bell sputtered, face going red again. Lili's snort said all I needed to know. I didn't bother arguing, just gave Bell a knowing look. Lili's eyes flicked to the gear again, her curiosity peeking out despite the day's fatigue. "You're really going to carry that… hammer tomorrow?"
I glanced down at the massive head of bone and Machalite, the way it looked almost too big for someone of my size. "Yeah," I said simply. "It fits."
She let out a breath of laughter, small but warm. "It does," she agreed, her tone light.
Hestia stretched out her legs, letting them knock lightly against Bell's. "You know," she said, her voice half-musing, half-playful, "I'm starting to think I picked the best group of misfits in the whole city."
"You did," I said. "Now let's just see if we can keep that title for another day."
The last of the coals hissed softly, and the air inside the church seemed to settle into a gentle hush. Bell picked at a scrap of bread, Lili leaned back against the goddess's shoulder, and I let the weight of the hammer rest across my lap, already thinking ahead to tomorrow.