2 KiB
| title | teaser |
|---|---|
| Payment | Hours later, Karin was enjoying the bliss of a good glass of whiskey. Her injuries weren't bothering her for the night and she was ready to fall asleep. But she had one more visitor before she slept. |
A few bells later, Karin enjoyed a blissful buzz that took the edge off her pain and made the seconds race past in a blur. She smiled to herself and looked down to her glass; she kept it on the joint of her leg and hip. The caramel-colored liquid was almost the same shade as the patch of hair next to her knuckles.
She lifted the glass and took a deep breath of the heady scent before sipping it. The warmth and sting of it sliding down her throat felt good. She smiled and set it back down.
Suras knocked quietly on the door. "Still awake?"
"Yes."
The waitress came in and held up the bottle. "Another?"
"No, I think I'm done for the night. Oh, that's for you." Karin gestured to a small stack of crowns on the corner of the desk. It was a healthy amount but more than a tip.
"What's that?"
"Just some coins for your trouble."
"Oh, thank you." Suras immediately gestured to Karin's packs. "You want me to clean those? It looks... and smells like you went through a swamp."
Karin laughed bitterly. "A swamp? Yeah, two of them, one at each end of this last tour."
"How long?"
"Just shy of three months, about a hundred fifty days or so. It's pretty rank in there, I'll deal with the larger bag when I'm on my feet. That is just my clothes."
Suras wrinkled her nose and then walked over to the bed. She rested her hand on Karin's outstretched knee. "Anything else tonight?"
There was an instant flush of heat coursing through Karin's body. Her hand tightened on her glass as it shook. "N-No."
"After the night guests leave, I'll have a bath drawn for you. Have a good night."
"Night, Suras."
The younger woman turned and headed out, but not before picking up Karin's clothes bag and carrying it out of the room. The door clicked shut behind her.
Karin stared for a moment, surprised.
Then she realized that Suras had ignored the stack of coins.