Making his way quietly through the darkened living room, Ruvian approached the front door and eased it open just slightly, leaving just enough of a gap for him to hear the voices outside.
His father stood several steps away from the house beneath the faint glow of a nearby street lamp, with the stranger facing him in the darkness.
"You were given plenty of time to consider our offer, Dieren. I was hoping you would make the sensible choice before we were forced to visit your home again."
His father's jaw tightened.
"I already told you that I'm not signing anything, and I'm not paying your guild a single coin for something I never agreed to."
The stranger released a quiet sigh.
"You still misunderstand the situation. This is not some payment you can simply choose to ignore. Every independent craftsman working in this district follows the same arrangement."
