said. “You listen to me , Frigdah, not him!”
“ Sorry, Sis,” Frigdah said. “He … scared me.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, Venir sized up Frigdah: she was much larger than her two sisters, heavy and full bodied, with a face of a child.
Then Venir heard a huff and looked over at his date for the night. Dresla wiped off her filthy dress, cast Venir an evil glance, and stormed away. Venir felt himself starting to get mad.
“ See what you did … Sis?” Venir asked. “Now my date’s gone, and all just because you don’t like my storytelling.”
He took a step forward. She held her hands up, stepping back.
“ Easy now, big fella,” she replied, winking with obvious inexperience. “But … I guess I could be your date.”
“ You can handle him, Sis!” a patron yelled.
The tavern crowd roared in laughter.
“ Are you kidding me?” Venir said. “What do you want? My patience is about done!”
Oh, here it comes , he thought.
Venir planned to make quick work of the woman and then track down Dresla before it was too late.
Sis paused, looking at the gathering crowd. She began wiping her sweaty hands on her dark clothes. Venir unfolded his arms and grabbed the hilt of his long hunting knife sheathed at his side. He didn’t know what to expect, but he’d be ready nonetheless.
Then Sis licked her thin cracked lips and finally spoke: “I want a challenge!”
Cries of elation poured from the patrons’ drunken lips like a thunderous waterfall. They began to cheer at the unexpected, somewhat ludicrous announcement. Word spread like fire that the Motley Girls had challenged the cow-kissing loudmouth. The men and women started dancing in elation as Luke the lute player started playing a daring song.
“ What do you challenge me with, Sis?” Venir said over the noise. “You want me to wrestle you? Or maybe the bigger version of you over there?” He nodded at Frigdah, who was helping herself to the half-empty drinks on the table.
“ Not you—him,” Sis said, pointing at Melegal. “We want to challenge him.”
“ Me?” the thief exclaimed in uncharacteristic bewilderment.
“ Him!” Venir said, arms extended wide. “Then why did you kick my chair instead of his?”
“ I don’t like your dumb stories!”
“ Okay, okay. What’s the challenge, then?” Venir said, almost laughing at the sudden turn of events. He couldn’t remember the last time Melegal had been challenged.
Sis crossed her chest. “Hand stabs,” she said. “I want my little sister to take on your skinny friend.”
The crowd oohed at this suggestion as the sound of coins started shuffling from hand to hand. Luke the lute player began the betting runs. Venir could see a frown growing on Melegal’s face. The thief wouldn’t even look his way but kept his eyes glued to the wine sitting before him. But seeing his friend at risk for a change was a welcoming sight. After all, why should Venir have to take all of the risks?
So Venir began taking bets. He knew Melegal preferred not to take on a challenge, but Venir was confident he could handle the hand stabs against this female counterpart—but then, one never knew for sure what opponents had up their sleeve.
“ Okay, Sis,” Venir said. “I like straight bets, so how much coin are you going to put on this wager?”
“ Ten,” she replied.
“ Ten?” He shrugged. “That’s no wager. All this trouble for ten pieces of silver?”
The crowd likewise responded with boos.
“ Ten gold talents! And not a talent more!” she said, slapping her gold on the table.
His eyes widened; it was a sizeable sum.
“ What do you think, Me?” Venir said, looking at Melegal. “Is ten worth the risk?”
Melegal shrugged, still not looking up from his wine.
“ Okay, Sis,” Venir said, “you and Big Sis over there, clear a smaller table and bring it here. I’ll fetch a blade.”
“ Hold up, blondie.” Sis poked his chest. “We’ll use her blade. Women get to pick,
“ Sorry, Sis,” Frigdah said. “He … scared me.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, Venir sized up Frigdah: she was much larger than her two sisters, heavy and full bodied, with a face of a child.
Then Venir heard a huff and looked over at his date for the night. Dresla wiped off her filthy dress, cast Venir an evil glance, and stormed away. Venir felt himself starting to get mad.
“ See what you did … Sis?” Venir asked. “Now my date’s gone, and all just because you don’t like my storytelling.”
He took a step forward. She held her hands up, stepping back.
“ Easy now, big fella,” she replied, winking with obvious inexperience. “But … I guess I could be your date.”
“ You can handle him, Sis!” a patron yelled.
The tavern crowd roared in laughter.
“ Are you kidding me?” Venir said. “What do you want? My patience is about done!”
Oh, here it comes , he thought.
Venir planned to make quick work of the woman and then track down Dresla before it was too late.
Sis paused, looking at the gathering crowd. She began wiping her sweaty hands on her dark clothes. Venir unfolded his arms and grabbed the hilt of his long hunting knife sheathed at his side. He didn’t know what to expect, but he’d be ready nonetheless.
Then Sis licked her thin cracked lips and finally spoke: “I want a challenge!”
Cries of elation poured from the patrons’ drunken lips like a thunderous waterfall. They began to cheer at the unexpected, somewhat ludicrous announcement. Word spread like fire that the Motley Girls had challenged the cow-kissing loudmouth. The men and women started dancing in elation as Luke the lute player started playing a daring song.
“ What do you challenge me with, Sis?” Venir said over the noise. “You want me to wrestle you? Or maybe the bigger version of you over there?” He nodded at Frigdah, who was helping herself to the half-empty drinks on the table.
“ Not you—him,” Sis said, pointing at Melegal. “We want to challenge him.”
“ Me?” the thief exclaimed in uncharacteristic bewilderment.
“ Him!” Venir said, arms extended wide. “Then why did you kick my chair instead of his?”
“ I don’t like your dumb stories!”
“ Okay, okay. What’s the challenge, then?” Venir said, almost laughing at the sudden turn of events. He couldn’t remember the last time Melegal had been challenged.
Sis crossed her chest. “Hand stabs,” she said. “I want my little sister to take on your skinny friend.”
The crowd oohed at this suggestion as the sound of coins started shuffling from hand to hand. Luke the lute player began the betting runs. Venir could see a frown growing on Melegal’s face. The thief wouldn’t even look his way but kept his eyes glued to the wine sitting before him. But seeing his friend at risk for a change was a welcoming sight. After all, why should Venir have to take all of the risks?
So Venir began taking bets. He knew Melegal preferred not to take on a challenge, but Venir was confident he could handle the hand stabs against this female counterpart—but then, one never knew for sure what opponents had up their sleeve.
“ Okay, Sis,” Venir said. “I like straight bets, so how much coin are you going to put on this wager?”
“ Ten,” she replied.
“ Ten?” He shrugged. “That’s no wager. All this trouble for ten pieces of silver?”
The crowd likewise responded with boos.
“ Ten gold talents! And not a talent more!” she said, slapping her gold on the table.
His eyes widened; it was a sizeable sum.
“ What do you think, Me?” Venir said, looking at Melegal. “Is ten worth the risk?”
Melegal shrugged, still not looking up from his wine.
“ Okay, Sis,” Venir said, “you and Big Sis over there, clear a smaller table and bring it here. I’ll fetch a blade.”
“ Hold up, blondie.” Sis poked his chest. “We’ll use her blade. Women get to pick,
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