Kuri drank.
She worked through the first mug without pause.
Her throat moved with each swallow.
The short black top pulled tight across her chest. Bare skin at her midriff stayed visible under the tavern light.
She set the empty mug down and reached for the second.
Ameth watched the table. The tavern noise filled the space between them. Neither of them added to it.
Two men at the bar argued louder. One slapped the wood again.
Near the window the merchants had put the map away and were counting coins.
The fire in the hearth shifted and sent a small wave of heat across the room. A lone drinker at a side table coughed once and went back to staring at his cup.
Kuri finished half of the second mug before she set it down with more force than necessary.
The wood under it made a sharp sound. She looked at the ceiling.
"I didn't get paid," she said.
Ameth said nothing.
