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“Return to your mother, boy. I’ve no time for this.”

His heavy sigh brushed my forearm. “As you wish.”

With the child’s disappearance, the tightening in my chest eased, and I frowned, scanning those gathered, finding nothing out of sorts, except for one thing.

Runa’s spritely twirls around the dance floor had ceased. Looming over her was a gruff-looking male with bulging biceps and thick shoulders. His body swayed with the beat while the sorceress had gone stiff as she twisted the wrist he clasped in his grip.

Without registering that I’d moved, I found myself before Runa’s unwanted suitor.

“Release her.” The last word emerged in a snarl.

The beast who held her captive scowled down at me. I glared back, tilting my head to peer up at the drunken oaf.

“The lady is with me.” He dared to poke my chest. “If she was yours, you’d be at her side.”

From the corner of my eye, I caught Runa’s fingertips flicker with purple sparks. Bad idea. If she used her magic, our cover would be blown.

Appearing to de-escalate the situation, I held up my hands, backing away, playing the role of coward. “My mistake, friend.”

The purple energy in Runa’s fingertips fizzled, and she planted her hands on her hips, outrage in the glare she shot atme. “Are you kidding me? Damn right, your mistake. What kind of husband refuses to defend his wife?”

Heart jumping, I backed to a table loaded with empty tankards. Anticipation tingled up my spine. “The kind who is always subject to scrutiny and hampered by politics.”

Her brow furrowed. “Seriously, you’ve never been in a bar fight?”

“Never. Fortunately, Morgue isn’t held to those same lofty standards. And you did promise to introduce me to all this world has to offer.”

I’d fought in many wars and commanded armies across dozens of battlefields. What I hadn’t done was brawl like a common thug.

Runa cringed. “I didn’t realize we were marking things off your adventure list. Does it still count if we’re not in a bar?”

“Absolutely.” I swung the empty tankard. The mug exploded against the dullard’s thick skull.

I grinned back at Runa, who watched me with a shocked expression. Perhaps I’d taken this excursion into the commoner’s realm too far?

Too late, I registered the heavy fist that collided with my jaw.

My head spun, and I found the pain invigorating. That was until Runa jumped onto the back of my attacker, biting his ear.

A high-pitched whine deafened me. My vision tunneled.

Runa peered at me, the fiend’s earlobe clenched between her teeth. Another’s blood stained her sweet mouth.

Red painted the landscape. This male would die. The moment Runa released her prey, I slammed my fist into his face. Blood exploded from his nose, and he toppled. Luckily, Runa jumped free before he collapsed like a felled tree—directly on top of a fully occupied table. The villagers seated there leaped to their feet.

Runa pointed an accusing finger at a random male who happened to be near me, and the furious mob charged theinnocent bystander. Aggression stampeded through the inebriated crowd. Battle cries rang out, and those gathered turned on each other.

The sorceress faced me with wide eyes. An all-out brawl was more than I’d bargained for and significantly more attention than we needed.

“Let’s get out of here before the authorities show up,” I shouted over the raised voices and cursing.

“The lodge is too far. This way.” Runa raced ahead of me.

We sprinted down the alley and into the stable where we’d boarded our animals. Together, we ran up a rickety flight of stairs and into the hayloft.

Once there, Runa cracked open a small loft door that overlooked the street and breathed a sigh. “I don’t think anyone followed us.”

She glanced at me, eyes sparkling, color in her cheeks. “That was—”