Page 68 of Cage of Destiny
“There’s an occasionalbrawl.” Nothing serious. Or the City Guard would shut theestablishment down.
“I’m starting to thinkEmperion and Russek taverns aren’t the same thing.”
How different could they possibly be?It was a place to eat, drink, and be with friends. The perfect spotto catch local gossip. Wasn’t that why they were going to this onein the first place?
“Are you ready for this?”He practically bounced on the balls of his feet, a huge smile onhis face.
Why did he look so excited? So eager?“Of course,” she said, wondering what she’d gotten herselfinto.
He stretched his neck,tilting his head from side to side, and then swung his arms,loosening them up. When they reached the door, he pushed it open,and Allyssa entered a dimly lit room. Her eyes bulged and her mouthdropped open.What the bloody hell isthis?They were essentially in a barn, thefloor covered with dirt and hay, the rafters above still exposed. Along bar stretched the entire length of the left side of the hugeroom. In the center were three rings about twenty feet in diameter.In each ring were two men fighting one another.
Kerdan grabbed her arm,pulling her to the right, where tables were packed together. Thesmell of the place was atrocious—a mixture of sweat, hay, and ale.People sat at the bar shoulder to shoulder, stood around the rings,or sat at one of the tables. There was barely any room tomaneuver.Is the entire townhere?
“Is this normal?” sheasked.
“Yes.” Kerdan led heraround the people.
Blasted. Why was everyone so tall?Even the women towered over her.
“Let’s head over there.”Kerdan pointed at a table not far away with eight people sittingaround it. There were two empty chairs, not next to oneanother.
“It’s taken.” Did he intendto ask the people to move or sit with them? While she liked toconsider herself adventurous and not afraid of a challenge, shedidn’t want to sit among strangers in this unfamiliarland.
He glanced down at her, his browsdrawn together.
“In Emperion, we would sitat an empty table. Alone,” she explained.
“How do you converse withothers and hear gossip?”
“You eavesdrop or start upa conversation at the bar.” She’d expected rowdy dancing, loudmusic, and heavy drinking, not fighting and socializing. The smellwas starting to make her head pound. Was it getting hotter inhere?
“Are you nervous?” Kerdanasked, surprise etching his words.
“No.” Notnervous—uncomfortable. There was a difference. Russeks made nosense.
“How else are you going tounderstand us if you don’t mingle with the people?”
She remembered when he’d asked her tospar with his men at the garrison. Afraid he would learn Emperionsecrets from her, she’d refused. Now, looking back, she saw thesituation differently and realized he’d been trying to helpher.
The room vibrated as cheering eruptedfor one of the fights. Kerdan put his hands on her shoulders,steering her between the people and to the table. He plopped downon the empty chair. Allyssa headed for the other vacant one when hegrabbed her wrist, yanking her back toward him. She fell on hislap, her face going flaming red as all eyes turned to look ather.
“Well met,” Kerdan said.Everyone grunted in response. “I am Kerdan. This woman is going tobe my wife soon. What say you?”
“Betting on the man inblue,” one of the men answered, nodding toward the centerring.
“Stakes?” Kerdanasked.
“Eight to one.”
No one seemed surprised that Kerdanjoined them, nor were they fazed by his behavior. This sort ofthing had to be normal then. So… she was sitting on his lap, hishand against her stomach to hold her in place. Not sure what to do,or think or feel for that matter, she remained there and observedher surroundings. Eight men sat at the table; three were covered indirt, most likely from working in the field. The other two lookedas if they’d already been in a fight. There was also a pile ofmoney on the center of the table.
Kerdan must be a common Russek namesince no one seemed to pause when he used it. He didn’t say hername. Because she was a woman? Her name was foreign? Or some otherreason? Also, no one else had bothered to introduce themselves. Itwould take some getting used to these odd Russek ways.
The men pounded on the table. Thefight ended with the man in blue declared the victor. Three mencheered while the rest groaned. The money in the center of thetable was divided between the winners.
“I want in,” Kerdan said asbetting for the next round began. He reached in his pocket, pulledout four coins, and tossed them to the man next to him. The maninspected the coins and then added them to the pile in the middleof the table.
The winner remained in the center ringwhile the loser left. A new opponent entered. The two men circledone another, both muscular from manual labor, neither appearing tohave an advantage.
