Allegiance

Chapter 36

The tavern in Xyrus City was full of noise from people talking and laughing, the musicians playing their instruments in the corner, people yelling at the bar, and glass breaking from the occasional drunkard who fell to the floor. In the corner of the tavern sat Curtis, still adorned in his hooded black cloak that concealed his identity.

Curtis grabbed the glass of alcohol in front of him, growing irritated by the second from all the idiots around him. His eyes darted around the tavern, seeing he was surrounded by nothing but common filth, who he assumed probably slept out on the streets.

"Would you like another?"

Curtis' eyes flicked to the voice, seeing the young blonde-haired, green-eyed waitress approach him with a blissful smile, pointing to the near-empty glass that Curtis was holding. Curtis did a quick assessment of the waitress, his eyes looking her up and down, seeing she had magnificent hourglass curves, great breasts, and a beautiful face to match.

Curtis lifted his chin so his gaze matched hers, and his lips curved into a smirk, "What's a beautiful thing like you doing in a place like this."

The waitress smiled, holding herself back from rolling her eyes since he was the umpteenth person to flirt with her today, "Working, obviously." She gestured to the glass in front of him again, "Would you like another?"

Curtis lifted and eyed his glass before looking back to the waitress, "Sure." He gestured to the empty seat across from him, "But only if you drink with me. I'd love to get to know you."

"Well, I can tell you one thing about myself right now," The waitress said, lifting her left hand and revealing a ring. "I'm engaged."

Curtis gave her a look that said he didn't care and would sleep with her anyway, "And? I won't tell if you won't."

This time, the waitress did roll her eyes, "Pig." She turned to walk away, and Curtis reached out to grab her rear, but she flawlessly swatted his hand away without looking back and stepped away from the table, heading toward the bar.

Curtis chuckled and smiled at the waitress as she talked with the bartender, seeing her as a challenge he wanted to conquer. The sound of the chair across from him screeching caught Curtis' attention, and his gaze shifted in front of him, seeing the leader of the mercenaries he spoke with earlier sit down across from him.

"It's about damn time," Curtis snapped with annoyance, drinking the last of the alcohol in his glass. "I've been waiting for hours."

"Easy there," The mercenary said with a fiendish smile. "It's amazing how one's sharp tongue can be removed so easily."

Curtis grumbled and narrowed his eyes on the leader, "Is it done?"

The leader nodded, "It is." He looked toward the bartender, held up a finger, and made a drinking motion, and the bartender nodded.

"I trust you followed my directions?" Curtis asked.

"We have," The mercenary leader said, looking back at Curtis. "They haven't been touched," He gave a sick smile, "yet. We have the place surrounded; just give us the order, and we'll take them."

"Not yet," Curtis said, taking out a communication artifact from his dimensional ring and sliding it across the table to the leader. "With them untouched and left alone, it'll give off a sense that they are currently safe, which could change at any moment at my command, making the threat greater."

"I guess that makes sense," The leader said and looked to the waitress as she approached and placed a glass of alcohol on the table in front of the leader. "Thank you," The leader said, handing her a gold coin. "Keep the change."