The bar was upstairs.

  I’d been to a few sports bars, but none could have prepared me for what I walked into. Instead of a loud, boisterous crowd, the entire floor was quiet. Which didn’t make sense because I could see the beings clustered around the screens that lined the walls yelling and making animated gestures.

  I didn’t recognize any of whatever games were being shown on the screens, but I could tell that they were some form of sports. Athletes were easy to spot even in these strange races, and the use of balls, vehicles, and fights made it easy to understand that there was a competition going on.

  Orina led me over to the bar in the middle of the room. I wasn’t sure what all the races inside the oval structure were, but the Minotaur that walked over to us was easy to recognize.

  “Miss Taniel.” The Minotaur dipped his head slightly as he eyed me. “Here with a guest?”

  “It’s his first time at a Casino and I thought I’d show him around.” Her singsong voice would have put most men at ease, but my threat detection was kicked into overdrive. “Why don’t you give him some of your best elven wine, Musogor?”

  “I’d rather not drink anything with alcohol in it.” I held up my hands. “It’s my first time here and I’d rather know that I can make it home on my own.” I flashed her a smile. “But I appreciate the offer.”

  “Tsk.” My grandfather grumbled in my mind. “Do you have any idea how rude it is to refuse a drink from such a beautiful creature?”

  Yep. I looked between the two people and motioned at the screens on the walls. “How does the sound from the screens not reach us?”

  “Bosses keep a Mage on hand to maintain a sound barrier.” Musogor eyed me, then looked over at my guide. “You find him out in the sticks?”

  “He’s from New Tera but very sheltered.” A smile split her full lips. “All the more reason for me to be a gracious host.” She pointed at the front of the room. “Is my usual box free?”

  “Yes, my lady.” He picked up a glass and filled it with clear, bubbly liquid from a crystal bottle. “Your usual.”

  “You’re so good to me.” She batted her eyes at him as she took the glass from him. “Would you like some water?”

  “Water would be great.” I smiled at her before turning to the bartender. “How much do I owe you?”

  Orina laughed and touched my left arm with her hand, guiding it back to my side. “It’s on my tab, so don’t worry about pocket change.”

  I took a deep breath. Should I insist?

  “If the lady wants to cover you, then let the lady cover you!” My grandfather growled. “Water is worth pennies even for someone like you.”

  “Thank you.” I nodded.

  “Think nothing of it!” She beckoned me with her finger. “Come now, we’ll watch the games from my private box.”

  “Okay…” I glanced around the room, checking for danger that wasn’t there. The unfamiliar surroundings had me on edge and I was having trouble relaxing.

  Still, I followed the red Elf down past the bar to a door with a pair of wolfmen standing on either side of it. Each was wearing a gray suit and neither had on shoes, leaving their clawed feet on full display as they stared me down. I focused on the gold-accented door and the plaque above it that read VIP LOUNGE. The last thing I wanted was for one of these wolfmen to think that I was a threat. The bartender had mentioned magic and until I had a feeling for this environment, I was going to assume everyone was armed and the glass of water in my hand wasn’t going to be very useful as a weapon. Not that the wolfmen needed a weapon. Their claws and fangs were on full display. I knew back home that to face a wolf unarmed was a fools errand and I had a feeling that these men were more dangerous than any wolf back home.

  The brown-furred wolfman on the left sniffed the air. “Powerless.”

  “He’s with me, boys.” Orina shooed them with her hand. “You know I’m allowed in there, so step aside before I call Grethum down here.”

  The gray-furred one to my right growled at her, letting his lips part just a little to show her the row of sharp teeth hiding behind his lips. “Goblins only pay us. The Guild makes the rules.”

  “And your Were Guild hands out passes to those they do business with.” She reached into the front of her black dress and pulled out a coin with a cat’s face on it. “You know what this means.”

  “Cats.” The brown-furred one spat. “They don’t rule the wolves.”

  “Then you don’t mind me calling up Gley and letting him know that you wish to challenge him?” A smile crossed her face as she reached for her wristpad.

  “No challenge.” The gray one barked. “We were just testing you.”

  “Save your tests and posturing for someone it’ll work on.” Orina replaced the coin back into her bra. “Now, if you’ll open the door like you’re supposed to, we can put this misunderstanding behind us.”

  The wolfmen growled as they pulled the doors open, revealing a hallway that split into a + and then ended in a T.

  “This way.” The Elf strutted through the doors and down the hall.

  I followed after her, doing my best not to aggravate the wolfmen. As soon as the doors closed, I looked over at my benefactor. “What was that about?”

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  “Just a couple Werewolves who think that they can bully someone like you into becoming one of them.” She laughed as she looked me over. “You wouldn’t be near as attractive with fur.”

  “They wanted to make me one of them?” I swallowed as I glanced back over my shoulder. “Can they do that?”

  She frowned, probably because I glossed over her subtle flirt. “Legally, no. But if they are able to goad you into causing a scene, then they could have “accidentally” bit you.” She used air quotes to emphasize her point. “At worst, they would have been deported out of civilized space and banned from working in the alliance territory, but you would most likely turn and then you’d be enthralled to the Guild, just like they are.”

  “That’s…” I made a mental note to figure out what kind of weapon I could carry the next time I went through the gate. “That’s horrible.”

  Orina shrugged. “The universe isn’t fair. If you don’t look out for yourself, no one else will.”

  I nodded slowly as I followed her down the bare hallway. We took a right at the + and continued down the hall until we reached the end. She waved her wristpad over the door and it buzzed, then slowly opened.

  The wall opposite the door was a screen. It didn’t have a screen on it; it was a screen. The whole entire wall. A row of comfortable seats flanked a leather couch in the middle of the room. To my right was another door that led to a room. I wasn’t sure if it went to the next room or if it was a closet or a bathroom. I had a desire to see what was behind the door, but my host walked around the couch and lounged on the arm as she typed on her pad.

  “Go sit by her!” My grandfather urged. “You’ll never get an opportunity like this again!”

  Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. I glanced at the plush leather chairs but decided that Orina would probably see that as an insult. It wasn’t that the Elf wasn’t gorgeous, but in my experience, when a woman that beautiful was throwing herself at you, there was a HUGE catch attached to it. I sat down on the opposite end of the couch and took a small sip of my water. It was just cool enough to give it a crisp taste, but otherwise, it reminded me of distilled water from back home.

  “You don’t have to be a stranger.” Orina purred as she patted the space next to her.

  “I appreciate your hospitality, but we are strangers.” I shook my head. “And while I am flattered that someone as beautiful as you would show an interest in me, I did come to see the running game.”

  “Running games happen every day.” A grin slowly grew across her face. “When do you think you’ll see me again?”

  “I don’t know.” I shrugged. “But I’m planning on participating in the games, so I need to see how they’re done so I can prepare.”

  “You want to run, but you’ve never seen a game?” The red Elf laughed. “Why would you do that?”

  “My grandfather told me that if I saw the games, I’d be hooked.” I shrugged. “I’m just seeing if he’s right.”

  “I am.” The voice in my head grumbled. “I’m right about that fine woman too!”

  “You’re doing all of this because of your grandfather?” Orina tilted her head. “Why?”

  “He said he was a runner in his youth and that I have the aptitude for it.” I shrugged. “It was kind of his dying wish that I follow in his footsteps, so I thought I’d come see what he was talking about.”

  “Hmmm.” Her white eyes narrowed. “The Stabury Group sometimes sponsors teams, so I know most of the best runners.” She leaned closer to me. “What was your grandfather’s name?”

  “Alistair Peregrine.”

  Her eyes widened. “That’s a pretty big name to throw out without any proof to back it up.”

  “Tell her you have my Dungeon Runner token.” The eagerness in my grandfather’s voice was infectious.

  “I have his token.”

  I wasn’t prepared for her to jump on me. The red woman pawed at my clothes, feeling me all over as she searched for the item.

  “It’s not on me!” I grabbed her arms and pinned them to her sides. I hadn’t expected much of a struggle from the smaller woman, who weighed maybe 120 pounds. I was twice her weight, yet it was like wrestling with someone my size as I struggled to hold her still. “Stop!”

  “Where is it?” Her eyes widened. “Do you have any idea what this means if it’s true?”

  “Get off me.” I ignored the disappointed voice in my head as I rolled her into the seat beside me. Note to self, figure out how to shut off the hologram before any hanky-panky.

  “You’re no fun!” He grumbled. “What’s the point of continuing to live as a collection of memories if I can’t add new ones to what I have!”

  You can add whatever memories you want that are your own. I stood up and straightened my clothes. “I’m not sure how things are done here, but where I come from, this is highly inappropriate behavior.”

  Orina threw back her head and laughed. There was a predatory hunger in it that sent a shiver down my spine in a way that the Werewolves hadn’t. I’d thought that they had been the most dangerous thing I’d come across so far, but I was wrong. This red Elf was.

  “Rules are made for those without means.” Her white eyes sparkled as her smile grew. “I had intended to have a bit of fun with you, but if what you say is true, then you’re a treasure worth cultivating.” She flicked her wrist at the wall and the screen came to life. She patted the couch beside her. “Sit. Let me show you what you really came to see.”

  “I’m good.” I folded my arms across my chest. I stepped to the side so I could watch the screen and keep an eye on her out of the corner of my eye.

  The screen showed a large room with stone walls, but grass on the floor. I wasn’t sure what the room was supposed to represent, but before I could ask the voice in my head, a lone figure ran into the room on the left. The moment they were inside, a barrier formed over the entryway, locking them in.

  “I should have thought of that.”

  I ignored the voice as the screen pulled my attention. I’d been expecting to see a Minotaur or Werewolf on the screen, but instead, there was a Human in green leather armor standing in front of a large, purple-feathered bird. It stood as tall as an ostrich but was built like an eagle. The gigantic raptor spread its wings and hissed at the lone man, revealing a beak full of teeth.

  I felt my heart beat faster as the man and monster charged each other. The man threw a bag that exploded in fine powder when it connected with the monster’s face. The giant monster roared as it slowed, pulling its head up out of the cloud and thrashing its neck from side to side as it backed away.

  The man ran through the cloud, drawing a short sword off his hip. The purple blade sliced up as he ran by the monster, slicing the neck just above the wishbone. He ducked under the wing that swiped at him, then threw a bolas with his other hand, snaring the monster’s feet.

  The purple bird teetered, then fell over into the cloud. Its wings thrashed as it struggled to free itself, but each movement leaked more of its lifeforce onto the grass. The struggle didn’t last long before the monster exploded into black smoke and a crystal the size of my finger fell into the grass. The man walked over and picked it up, pulling off his leather helmet as he held the crystal up for the viewers to see.

  Excitement built as I recognized the face of the man I’d watched fight.

  “Why don’t we talk about you working for me?” Orina purred as she settled in her seat.

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