"You can choose to be anything you want to be, here," she says, leaning back a little to give him space. "What you make of yourself here is all that really matters. I mean, I'm working full-time at a forge and selling pretty cool magic charms. Sometimes I hunt shit that's terrorizing people, you know? I mean, it's sorta what I did before I got here in Australia but totally different all at once."

Merlan grins at him.

"Right now, no one can tell you've a tin arm, right? It feels warm and real, so," she half shrugs. "Be who you want to be, live the life you want to live. Rest, fight things if you want, or not if you don't. You get to do the things you want to do right now."

Her voice is soft and her smile is, too.

"You're free, here."