The world spun as Magni fell away from the bar. The pale ale from his gla.s.s hung in the air above him before crashing down on his face and chest. His eyes stung, and he turned onto his side."f.u.c.k!"
He rubbed his closed eyes with his hands, trying to wipe the ale off. When his vision cleared, he found a pair of fine black basilisk leather boots standing before him. He looked up and his orange eyebrows shot down in anger. He did not even recognize this guy who was yelling at him.
"Look, f.u.c.ker, do you even know who I am? I"m the youngest son of Lord Thor! I"m a freakin" Rosenkrantz," he roared. He spat on Tai Shan"s shoes as he picked himself up off the floor.
A look of danger shot out from Tai Shan"s dark grey eyes, piercing Magni"s soul. His voice was low, so only the two of them would hear, "Yeah. I know." He wished he could challenge this man to a duel, but the jerk was not in a guild. There was only one way to get what he wanted.
Without warning, he drew his fist back and hit the red-faced idiot squarely in the nose.
The punch caused blood to flow down Magni"s face. He brought his hand up to his nose, "My f.u.c.kin" nose! My nose!" He staggered back and collided with the bar"s countertop. "I"m gonna beat the c.r.a.p outta you." Pulling his fist back, he swung at Tai Shan"s composed face.
Tai Shan watched the fist fly towards him. His eyes did not blink, and he grabbed the fist in the air, stopping it from coming in contact with his jaw. If he taunted Magni, the man would probably challenge him to a fight.
Tai Shan tilted his head to the side with amus.e.m.e.nt. A l.u.s.trous lock of copper hair fell out of place as he ridiculed the man, "Are you stupid or is it just the alcohol? I"m the Captain of the Carnelian k.u.mas."
It had been common knowledge that Captain Jarnvid was sentenced to death. Most n.o.bles would keep up with the guild leaders in the city, so it surprised him that Magni did not recognize him. For the Carnelian k.u.mas, if the guild leader died, the next strongest member would take their place. His guild held matches for a month to decide who would lead them. He had worked hard to become the Captain of his guild.
Magni"s fist still hung in the air, unable to break free from Tai Shan"s grip. Tai Shan narrowed his eyes and squeezed the fist, forcing the drunkard to his knees while crying out in pain. "Apologize for insulting my sister," he demanded. "Your mouth drips with nothing but the darkest lies."
No one but Thor ever dared to treat Magni this way in public. The embarra.s.sment filled him with rage, "What the f.u.c.k are you guys waiting for! I don"t buy your drinks so you can watch me get beaten up."
His voice caused the men behind him to spur into action. They were his drinking cronies, and he always paid for them whenever they went out. The burly men stood up. They grabbed their bottles, drew their knives, or picked up their bar stools.
A man holding a barstool cracked his neck. "Sorry Magni, we was just surprised to see a dead man walkin"." It was one thing to dislike Lord Magni, but another to voice one"s opinion. All of them knew that Magni wasn"t liked by his family, but the Rosenkrantz would always defend him and bail him out of trouble.
Magni"s face was contorted from the pain of Tai Shan"s grip. Through gritted teeth, he declared, "You gonna die today."
"Are you threatening me? You want to kill me?" Tai Shan asked calmly. He preferred to clarify Magni"s threat upon his life in case they ended up going to court. He would get in trouble for punching the man, but that was nothing in comparison to a life.
"I"m sayin", you"re as good as dead. Your guild is gonna need a new Captain when I"m done with you," he growled. He ripped his fist free from Tai Shan"s grip. "I"m gonna make you wish you never saw my face."
Tai Shan had been going out for a peaceful meal with Macha and Jóhanna, so he did not bring his weapons. He swiftly kneed Magni in the gut and dragged him by the ear so they could take the fight outside. They were in an establishment on his property and he did not want to cause any damage to the building. The couple who owned it were good people and he had already caused a ruckus.
****
Macha needed to ensure Jóhanna washed her hands properly. At first, the young girl tried to leave without washing her hands at all and Macha stopped her.
She lifted the girl up in her arms and held her above the sink. Jóhanna clapped her small palms under the running water, causing the water to splash on them. "All done!" she announced and struggled to wiggle down.
"That"s not how you clean them. Use soap and do a good job," Macha explained with a giggle. To explain how long the girl should clean her hands, she came up with a song:
Wash, wash, wash your hands,
Keep the demons at bay;
Soap and water cast a spell,
to keep Jóhanna safe.
She sang it to the tune of Row Row Row Your Boat. Jóhanna loved that it included her name and made Macha sing it again while she washed her hands a second time.
When they were drying their hands with their hand towels, she looked up to her aunt. "Aunty Mama, how come you and Papa didn"t want me when I was little?"
The question felt like a cold dagger pierced Macha"s heart. She bent down into a squat so she would be eye level with the toddler. "Why would you think that? How could your Papa not want you? He missed you a lot."
Jóhanna looked down at the hem of her blue dress and shrugged. Her lower lip jutted out into a pout.
Macha worried that her words were not taken seriously. She took the girl"s hand and shook it a little, "Hey, your Papa fought hundreds of people so he could come home to you. Every day he tried his best. That"s why he was able to come back home to you."
Jóhanna lifted her brown eyes to look at her Aunty Mama. "Did you want to come back for me too?"
This was a difficult question. She did not know about the girl until recently, but it was also important for the child to feel loved. "I would fight a thousand demons to be able to see you again. So never think that you are not loved." In this case, she decided it would be all right to lie a little.
This answer made Jóhanna give a dazzling smile. She jumped at Macha, bringing her arms around Macha"s neck. The sudden attack caused them to lose their balance, and they tumbled to the tiled floor.
Despite the floor being dirty, she sat there and embraced the child. She was glad that she had pacified the young girl"s fears. "Love you."
When the two exited the restroom, the owner"s wife, Nitra, rushed toward them. Her curly blonde hair fell around her shoulders. The golden rings swung as she turned her head towards the door, "Lord Swat is in a fight outside!"