"Yeah, I was trying to stop a guy getting mugged and... it must have happened right after that."

He glances down at his side. "Uh. If you go, could you get my sword too, please? It's at least as hard to replace as my glasses." He didn't know whether anyone in the city besides him knew how cold-forged iron worked, and he doubted anybody would put up with him hovering over their shoulder telling them how to make it. And that was apart from the cost.

"Second hand... well, the guy got out all right, then, at least. If I'd managed to kill anybody they'd have probably been right there. In that state I would've drained them. And it's not like humans ash." He pauses. "... Speaking of which, just for future reference, if you find me and I look dead, I'm not. If I'm really dead I'll turn to ashes."