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“How would I know?” Eienir asked.

“Seems you know something. Everyone else looked suspiciously around, you only watched me and kept rubbing the bar top with that filthy fucking rag, most likely spreading purulent festering wounds to everyone brave enough to touch it!”

“You touched it!” Eienir shouted.

Rokai smiled. “I am purulent. I tend to gift everyone and everything with the sparkling infection that is my personality,” he said dramatically. “Especially when I don’t get what I fucking want!” he bellowed as he shot another male — this one preparing to draw his own weapon and try to get the drop on Rokai. “Why do people keep making me do that? Give me the fucking band. Tell me where the female is.”

“I don’t know for sure, but I’m fairly certain the female is nearby,” the larger woman said.

Rokai focused on her again, but did not move away from the door. He needed to remain near to it so he could hear if anyone tried to enter. “Expand on that statement.”

“More than a week ago, a Cruestaci warrior came in, looking for another warrior. I remember thinking the male wasn’t as large as I was used to. No offense, I just happen to like Cruestaci warriors, at least I can look them in the eye and not tower over them, you know. I don’t have to worry about breaking them in bed.”

Rokai glared at her, making it evident that he was losing patience.

“He went down, Eienir carried him out the back, then returned a few minutes later.”

“Why would you think the female is nearby?”

“You are looking for a Cruestaci credit band. And a female. What if they came in together?”

Rokai shifted his gaze to Eienir. “Where is the band?”

“I don’t have it.”

“Where is the band?”

“I said I don’t have it!”

“Where is the female?”

“I don’t know.”

“Where did you take her?”

“I don’t have her.”

“I asked where you took her, not where she is. Where is she?” Rokai demanded.

The entire time Eienir had been engaging with Rokai, the female at the end of the bar had been moving closer and closer.

“I said I don’t know where she is, and I don’t have the band!”

The female grabbed the back of Eienir’s head and slammed his forehead against the heavy wooden bar top. The male crumpled to the ground and she went to the ground with him behind the bar. She’d barely had time to disappear behind the bar top with the unconscious male before she popped back up holding Eienir’s hand in the air, with the rest of his body hanging limply from it. “Got it!” she announced happily.

“Nice work,” Rokai said. “Bring it to me.”

“You got it,” she said. She retrieved a knife from the bar and used it to cut the band off Eienir’s wrist. “Here. It’s a little cut up, but it’s here.” She walked to the end of the bar and set it down on the bar top.

“These people can go now, right?” she asked.

“Nope. Not finished yet. Last thing I need is a bunch of help-me-please-the-bad-male-is-trying-to-kill-everybody’s running around here. I’m trying to accomplish something here!”

“Okay, just asking,” she said, taking a step back and holding her own hands up.

Eienir started moaning and reached up toward her.

“Hold on…” she said, turned around to Eienir, who sill lay on the floor, and stomped his face. He fell unconscious again and the female turned back to Rokai. “Done. What else do you need?”

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