Since his last altercation, Ulam had taken to carrying the jade-green axe he found in an Orcish Sanctuary with him everywhere he went, the vicious-looking blade serving as an efficient deterrent for trouble-seekers. So far it proved effective because in the nine cities they had visited since he started carrying his axe, no one had been foolish enough to pick a fight with him.
Amantius laughed quietly as he leaned close to Ulam. “Nilawen is cheating again. Third table from the right.”
Ulam shifted his glance to the Elf at the table, an actress who was part of the Crimson Owls as well. She was only a head shorter than the Orc, with a slender body and straight, hickory brown hair that cascaded over her shoulders. She used her gentle eyes and contagious laugh to charm men while she switched cards underneath the table with a free hand, an act Ulam had seen performed a hundred times over in taverns all across the Empire. She was so convincing and so enchanting that even Ulam had fallen for the ruse when he first met her, a fact that she never let him forget.
“And there it is,” Amantius whispered.
In one graceful motion, Nilawen had slipped a card from the table into her left sleeve and switched it with a different card, the replacement having been hidden in the right sleeve of her sunflower yellow tunic. It had happened so quickly that Ulam did not see, and as he looked around the tavern, no one else seemed to have noticed either. Her opponents at the table were lost in a fit of laughter, Nilawen’s quick wit driving them to such bellowing. Ulam watched quietly, one hand wrapped around an almost empty mug of beer, the other starting to grip the handle of his axe.
If she played them right we might finally be able to leave this place, Ulam thought as he stared at the sizeable amount of coins heaped onto the center of the table. Being stagehands for The Crimson Owl Traveling Theater Company had not been as exciting or profitable as Ulam and Amantius had been led to believe, and together with Nilawen, they tried many ways to gather enough money to set off on their own. Of all their schemes, cards had always been their most successful endeavor. In taverns and inns all around the Empire, Nilawen played the role of an innocent beauty who would win with sheer luck, while Ulam and Amantius lurked nearby, waiting to spring to her side in case their ploy was discovered. So far they had not been needed, but Ulam had a sneaking suspicion that their luck would soon run out. I should have sat in front of the window to keep the room dark; the sunlight is not our ally.
“Time to reveal,” Amantius muttered.
There was a defeated sigh; all the men at the table tossed their hands up in dismay, their display then followed by a delayed, and entirely rehearsed, shriek.
“Does this mean I win?” Ulam heard Nilawen say through the murmur of the tavern. She was pretending to be shocked, as he had seen countless times before.
“How is this possible? I had such a good hand!” One of the men said. “There is no way this could have happened!”
“Beginner’s luck,” one of the others said as he stood from the table.
Ulam began to relax the grip around the axe shaft; his heart slowed its pace. The little amount of dread that had built inside his gut in the previous few minutes evaporated as he watched the card-players part with their money and leave the table.
Nilawen stood and bowed to her opponents, her soft hair swaying in the sunlight. She fixed her tunic and picked up a satchel that had been at her feet, placing it on the tabletop. She then reached for the coins in the center, but as she did so, the fourth person at the table grabbed her by the forearm, an incredulous look on his face.
“Think I’ll just check your sleeves first, sweetheart,” the man said as his other hand began to feel around her arm.
As quick as lightning Nilawen used the palm of her hand to strike the man in the nose, knocking him backward as blood started gushing down his face. The man let go of her as he fell onto the floor, shouting in pain as the entire tavern turned its attention to the scene. Ulam and Amantius rose from their corner, the former already hoisting his axe, hoping the imposing sight would be enough to dissuade any potential enemies.
“Get her!” The man with the bloodied nose yelled as he struggled to get back to his feet. “Get that damned, pointy-eared bitch! She cheated us!”
“Boys!” Nilawen shouted as she quickly began stuffing her satchel with the coins. “Now would be a good time to help, don’t you think?”
Two of the cheated men suddenly reappeared, trying to push through the throng of people that had gathered. Ulam barreled through the crowd, growling as he tossed unsuspecting spectators aside like pillows. When he reached Nilawen he raised his axe high and brandished his tusks, the sight striking fear into the hearts of those in his immediate proximity. Amantius meanwhile stepped into the circle around the table as well, raising his arms imploringly while asking for calm and order.
“Please good people,” Amantius shouted over the clamor, “there is nothing to see here. This man assaulted my friend and accused her of cheating because he couldn’t accept she had beaten him. I understand his frustration because, let’s be honest,” Amantius shrugged, a playful smile on his face. “Who among us hasn’t lost money at cards before, especially to someone so fair?”
Some of the male patrons mumbled in agreement while others laughed; Amantius having persuaded just enough people to ease most of the tension
