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“So, you look like you’ve taken a few hits tonight,” she remarks.
“Oh you mean this,” I say as I point to my lightly bruised cheek. “You should have seen the other guy.”
“Oh I bet you did a real number on him,” she laughs. “Although something tells me fights are a regular part of your job.”
“It’s true.”
I point to the scar sitting above my right eye.
“This one I got fighting two thugs at once. That was years ago, so I’m stuck with this for life.”
“If it’s any reassurance, it looks good on you,” she says, a glimmer of seduction sparkling in her eyes.
Fuck, she looks good.
“So,” I mutter, twirling the remnants of my ale around. “You mentioned that you work in a shop? Do you’ve any plans beyond that for the future?”
“If I’m being honest, I don’t really know. Like anywhere else on Protheka, there’s not really a lot that a human can amount to. I guess I’ll just have to see where life takes me.”
“What about family? Did any of your relatives make it out of Tlouz with you?”
She shakes her head, peering into an empty pint.
“I don’t remember my family. My earliest memories are of growing up in the orc encampment. Maybe I was kidnapped from my true family.”
“I’m sorry to hear,” I say gently. “For all you know, you may yet find them one day. If you can escape orcs then you can do anything.”
“No, I don’t think so. Protheka is so large that I’ve no hope of running into them ever again. The orcs more than likely ate them.”
Unsure of what to say, I reach my hand out and rest it on hers.
“Don’t worry, I’ve long gotten over it,” she says reassuringly. “What about you? You grew up in Milthar at least.”
“My own family are back in that village I came from.”
“That’s nice, how often do you visit?”
“Well… I don’t if I’m being honest. Neither side of us keep in contact with each other. I never really fit in with anyone there, including my own blood. In their eyes, I’m an outcast, so they weren’t exactly saddened when I announced my departure to Karona.”
“Well I hope you’ve got yourself some close friends here.”
I shake my head.
“Like I said, I’m a loner above all else. I value my solitude but… sometimes I do wish I had someone special in my life.”
At that moment, the brown haired bartender comes over and takes away our pints.
“Can I get you guys anything else?” she asks with a warm smile.
“Another round please Nova,” says Kyra. The bartender shared a smirk with her before going to get us our drinks.
“Do you know her?” I ask.
“Yeah, we’re good friends. So, why come to Karona of all places? Is it better than village life?”
“I much prefer it. Maybe I was always meant for the city type of life. Even as a child, I was labeled ‘big city boy’ by my family.”
Nova pops back over with a fresh round of drinks for us. I fished out a handful of coins from my pocket.
