Taking in the scene within a few minutes, Rex could see the entire area of the bottom floor of the tavern. He was standing on the top of a platform that lowered two steps down to the main floor of the bottom level. Over three-quarters of the space was taken up with circular tables with a mixed number of patrons seated around each table, across the far end of the room was a long wooden bar with two people behind serving the customers and two girls scampered throughout the tabled areas bringing drinks and food and taking away the emptied plates and glasses to a room behind the bar, to the far left of the bar against the wall was a doorway with a set of stairs that could be seen through the archway heading up. Against the far-right wall was a small, raised platform that had a golden-haired woman singing an upbeat tune strumming on a lute and just behind her was a tall wiry man with a strange bowl haircut beating a drum. “You going to just stand there like a weirdo or come and organise ou

“Kealy can you follow Dilo and make sure she doesn’t start the fight early, I guess we will wait outside and make sure the soldiers don’t do anything unfair in this silly bout,” Rex sighed, nodding to the archway before scratching his chin. “I would like to ask if we could come, I have a vested interest to see how this bout goes myself,” Karinna asked. “Why would you have a vested interest in how our affairs go?” Venya asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. “Call it intuition,” Karinna said, “It is a gift and a curse for my race to have these kinds of things. I cannot explain why, I just have this feeling that we should accompany you outside.” She shrugged at not being able to explain it any further. “Rosie called you an Assarian, what is that?” Rex asked as they made their way through the tavern, Rex gaining a few cheers and claps and the shoulders from the men in the tavern from his win over Gary in the arm wrestle. Cassius cleared his throat from behind them, getting Rex’s att

“Ok,” Rex said, sitting up a little straighter, “You have my attention.”Dilo sighed loudly and her shoulders slumped forward a little, “I thought that would. His message came while you were at the river. I wanted to tell you about it straight away, but no good time came up, but I wanted to also let you know I have no intention of responding to him, like I said earlier, my loyalty is mainly to you, but also by extension to anyone you deem worthy to be a part of our group.”The soft sincere tone Dilo had while speaking resonated with Rex, he could tell she genuinely met what she said about her loyalty, he just was not sure why it had changed so quickly. “What did he want?”“He wanted me to let him know where I was. I get the feeling he thinks I am a prisoner in need of rescue. I wanted to get your thoughts on replying saying my allegiance has changed,” Dilo said her tone remaining soft, with only the sma

After Rex said his goodnights and departed, Rosie was left trembling and breathless as the shock of what she had done finally hit her, “I don’t know why I did that.” Remembering what had happened as she walked back down to her room, a voice halted her outside the door of her room. “Where were you? You seem happy about something.” Looking at where the voice had come from, she nodded and then shrugged, “Squad leader Brend. I was upstairs with father. I’m just heading to bed now.” As she turned back to face her door once more, something out of the corner of her eye drew her attention back. “Why are you dressed for an outing? Going somewhere at this hour?” Looking at his riding equipment and warm travelling coat draped over his shoulder, he grinned before shrugging smugly, “Not that it’s any of your business, but I’ve just returned from the garrison.” Seeing a smugness more than usual in his body language piqued her interest. Brend was usually secretive when he left to send and receiv

After the soldiers had left, Rex turned to Cassius and Karinna, who both seemed to be looking at him, almost as if expecting something from him. “Um, everything ok?” he asked, a little nervous under their expectant stares. “We are fine, thanks to your intervention,” Karinna smiled. “Besides the crossbowmen, I think Cassius would have been fine,” Rex replied, nodding to Cassius with his head . “The fact I did not think to look for such a dastardly tactic shames me,” Cassius said, his shoulders sagging slightly, his eyes downcast. “Luckily we had Rex’s strong direction,” Karinna said looking up at Cassius with a reassuring smile, patting his forearm gently. “I would ask a favour,” she said, looking back to Rex, her face scowling slightly. “If it is something I can do, but please be hasty,” Rex replied, looking back to the roof, his face covered in a worried frown, “I think I heard Grub isn’t doing too good.” “I know a little of healing,” Karinna said, “The favour can wait. Lead on