Falan removed his shirt and handed his sword belt to Serin. He was ready to fight. The hairy-chested brute stepped into the center of the room, fists up, smiling. “Your friend better not forget that wager when I’m through with you.”

Falan sniffed wryly. He enjoyed a good fight, though he was not looking forward to a bear hug from arms as thick as his own thighs. The black hair on the other man’s chest seemed to spring out as if it too wanted a go at him.

Falan raised his fists, then glanced toward the girl, a small thing. A little shy, he thought. She seemed to be—

His vision swam with little white flecks, a blunt throbbing in his jaw. He was on his knees now and the spectators were shouting in a din of excitement.

“Kick him!” a man shouted.

“Get up,” a woman yelled.

Was that the girl shouting? If he lost this fight, she would be in even deeper than she had before. Falan got back to his feet.

The large man—the bear—had a self-satisfied look on his thick bearded face. He came for another swing, but this time Falan raised up his arm, blocking the attempt, then brought up his fist in an uppercut to the bear’s stomach. It seemed to stun the man, but only for an instant. After a more than quick recovery, the bear twisted Falan’s arm downward so he could get inside Falan’s defenses. The room seemed to bounce as Falan was forced backward, his head swinging from the head-butt he’d just taken.

He shook himself, smiled. His opponent crunched his bushy black brows.

Thought I would go down that easy, did you?

Falan’s eyes caught an awkward moment behind the hairy man. Leaning to the right and peering over the heads of the crowd—most were far shorter than Falan—peering over their heads, he spotted a pretty woman in a dark purple-hooded cloak eying the crowd in search of something, or someone. Her piercing green eyes widened and then turned into slits as they fell on the feisty young girl he was attempting to rescue.

They know each other?

Another hard blow made its mark. The pain blossomed through Falan’s stomach, and for a moment he could not breathe. His thoughts were not on the pain, but on giving a good show so Serin could collect more coin when this farce was over.

Falan was new to tavern brawling. The whole thing was a scam, but it worked, and pain was not something Falan was afraid of, or even avoided when he did not absolutely have to.

It was time to end this.

Shaking himself, he got up, fists raised. He lunged at the sweaty-chested bear, feigned with a jab, then brought his leg in an arc connecting his shin with the side of his opponent’s knee.

The other man fell to the floor, grunted loudly as Falan backed away, making enough room for what he was about to do next. He lurched forward, jumped. He brought his first down with more bodyweight than just a shoulder could have provided.

His knuckles connected with the bear’s jaw and he slammed against the wood-planked floor, more than a little stunned. Falan kicked him twice in the ribs. But he was not finished. It would take more than that to end this...

Falan bent over, delivered a flurry of blows, the bear struggling to block, failing miserably as punch after punch landed. Finally the bear’s arms flailed, his eyes in a daze. Falan delivered one last blow that ended the brawl.

The crowd cheered and others grumbled their losses.

Falan searched faces as he picked up his shirt.

“One of these times,” Serin said with a wry grin, “you’re going to lose, you know.”

Where did they go? Falan wondered, still eyeing people in the common room as they turned to go about their own business. The innkeeper let out a heavy breath of relief as the bard picked up his harp and started to sing. Several men called for drinks and the serving girls made their way to the kitchens while tables and benches were slid back into place.

“Falan, are you awake?”

“Of course,” he said as he put on his shirt and sword belt. “Did you see where they went?”

“Who?” Serin asked. “You mean the girl? I think I saw another woman take her through the stable door.” Then he added, “I was not actually sure you would win this time, Falan. Had me worried for a time.” He shook several small purses of coins he had won, a satisfied smile on his face.

“I get half,” Falan said, rubbing the side of his jaw.