Closed Clash of the K's (Konrad)

[Kiera]

⚜ Kiera ⚜ 5th of Fall,516AV The sound of clinking glasses and silverware filled a warm room. The steadily setting sunbeams poured through open windows to heat up stone floors. The distinct sound of chatter was occasionally broken by clicking that originated from the kitchens as pots and pans were used. Working bodies flitted from table to table as they cleaned up the scraps and collected the occasional meager tip that graced the tabletops. Spills were carefully mopped up and any drunkard was quickly removed from the vicinity or carted back to their room for a ‘fee’ or whatever goodies there was to be pilfered there. Some workers had no shame. The Fantasia Zulaca was one that was not too large yet roomy enough to fit a decent amount of patrons should it ever be packed. Sitting at just three floors with the first bottom floor being dedicated to entertainment and food, the other two were lined with different sized rooms to house the slew of guests that come and go every day. Maintenance and upkeep of the rooms here might have been occasionally shoddy but it was still taken care of with some amount of pride. The owner of the lovely establishment had to keep people coming somehow. It was in one of these fine rooms that a small figure could be found, hunched at the corner of a mattress. Kiera was frustratingly trying to pull the sheets over the bed. Her face was flushed pink with concentration and scrunched with the effort she was putting into her work. On her third attempt, the tiny girl struggled once again as the material of the bedcovers crinkled. She could not get it right and as the white cotton was yanked up again, the girl let out a scream into one of the nearby pillows. Her ire finally boiling over. She punched the offending sheet before flipping the cover around once again. It was back towards the orientation she had tried to do the first time she had attempted to cover the offending bed. She quickly did the first three corners and held her breath for the last. Out of all beds, she found the one in room twenty-two the most frustrating. As the last corner slipped into place and held for more than four measly seconds, she let out a jump of joy. The petite girl was finally done with the cleaning! Gathering her supplies and fluffing the pillow one last time, the currently blonde youth ambled out the door shortly after. She was done and that merited a break. Shoving her cleaning items away, the maid eventually made her way downstairs and into a corner seat where she nursed some water and a biscuit. A little over half a day of work was done and she was already exhausted. Before working here, she had been completely unaware of how taxing it was to change a simple sheet. Outside the comfort of her old home and lifestyle, everything was complex experience in comparison. Stretching a bit, Kiera allowed herself to sink into her seat as she idly observed the people already inside the inn. There were so many characters to be seen flitting in and out. In the far corner, a homely family of possible visitors, if their strange outfits were anything to go by, sat and ate peacefully. Just a bit off, another family, ones that looked local sat in stiffness as they gracefully shoved soup into their mouths. A single man sat at the bar, his head buried in his hand as he sobbed over what looked like his third bottle of wine. Kiera had to wrinkle her nose at that. That was utterly tasteless. There were a time and place for everything and drinking, should be reserved for the evening. At least, public drinking anyways. Peeling her eye away from the mess, Kiera tapped her fingers against the table she leaned upon as she let her sights move towards the opened doors of the inn with every intent on seeing and digesting the concept of everyone that came in. It was a simple game actually, but one that kept her from becoming bored out of her mind when work was slow. Making up stories for random people was always a fun pastime.

[Konrad Venger]

The foray didn't quite go silence when Konrad opened the door, but there were a few skewed riffs, shall we say. A table at one end ceased their talking and gawped at his scars for a moment, vivid and growling under his broad-brimmed hat. A drunk at the bar took one look at him and his cheeks ballooned, lips pressed together, and Konrad knew what he was trying to keep from spewing out.

But the steady hum over conversation continued. The low-then-high pouring sounds of liquid filling glasses went on. Laughter and song. The sounds of Fantasia... and muffled thumping from upstairs.

"Boss?"

After a quick look around the room, Konrad spoke the word over his shoulder and the Dynast followed him into the tavern. Three Eyes was right behind him, his two natural eyes as much on the street behind him as the inn before him. As soon as he was in, he closed the door and Konrad made for the front desk, a six-foot-five icebreaker through the glacier of patrons, tables, chairs and the odd drunk.

"Fine place, this. Zulaca own it."

Konrad had to admit, the Dynast wasn't too bad. No, the Radacke were of a sterner build; Konrad credited their Sunberth lineage with that, and Ivan was a good example of it.

Beats the shyke out of babysitting that wee shyke Julian.

Which was what they were doing, after all. Konrad had grown up taking coin for death, or broken bones and bottles of blood, or just to scare the petch out of the right people. Sometimes, though, it was just being seen that earned his pay... and when you looked like he looked, that was understandable.

"C-Can I help you sirs?"

The desk clerk recovered pretty quickly, all things considered. The tall man with jackal eyes and scars ruining half his face loomed over him and jerked a thumb towards the bald man who smelled much better, had far better skin, and ah, yes, he understood whom that would be.

"I'm meeting an old friend here."

"Old friend". That was the operative word, as it were. He remembered what the lady had told him four bells before, when she'd booked the room at the end of the hall, the finest they had. She'd used that same expression, and slid extra gold coins into his hand, telling him to keep an ear out for anyone doing the same.

"Ah... yes... please, follow me."

The desk clerk led the way and Konrad planted himself smoothly between him and Ivan, Three Eyes bringing up the rear as usual. As they walked through the bar area, Konrad swept his furrowed gaze across the collection of freemen, minor Dynasts, freed slaves and assorted other bar trash. He knew what to look for. Weapons and bulges, prying eyes and overly-intent expressions. Conversations and observations muffled by hands, nods to fellow watchers...

He didn't see much that bothered him, but either way, Three Eyes and him would be watching the door of the room at the end of the hall. Anyone wanted to interrupt the surreptitious little meeting Ivan had set up, they were welcome to.

Konrad hadn't killed anyone in dozens of days, and he was starting to get twitchy.

[Kiera]

⚜ Kiera ⚜ Kiera idly kicked her feet to and fro as she continued her perusal of the crowd. An occasional faint giggle would shake her body as amusing thoughts slipped in and out. She was content at the moment. There were no beds to be done, there were no bathrooms to scrub, and most importantly there was no overbearing patron to deal with. Today, she reckoned, was going to be a good day. Yet just like that, a small complication was tossed her way. A complication that she willingly invited with her own curiosity. With how the inn was, with its bustle and hum of life, it was not hard to see nor sense the shift in the air and sound when a particular man entered followed by another. The sudden silence of some, the nervous shifting of others. They were very much blatant to the girl sitting in the corner. Whoever these people were, some knew them and some did not. Unconsciously, she leaned forward as her eyes tracing over the trio’s every move. They looked like very interesting characters but not ones she could recognize off the bat. Her water glass made a little puddle on the table as she set it down. Frowning a bit, she wiped at the mess before looking back up. She was too far away to hear but it was not too hard to tell when someone was nervous or scared. After all, why else would someone fidget that much? The man with the scarred face was not particularly pretty but that did not make him absolutely disgusting to look at. So that left very little to her imagination. The man with the hat was probably dangerous, all three of them probably were. Brown orbs continued to trail the figures as they moved away. Sitting there just a bit longer, the girl debated on whether she should follow or not. On one hand, they were obviously dangerous, on the other, she was free and very, very, curious. It was obvious that one option was much more logical and safer than the other but, when has logic ever steadily kept on within a person this young? Despite hiding for a year, there were occasions where impulsiveness won and now was such a moment. The currently light-haired girl bit her lower lip as she stood up and shuffled towards the bar area. The bumbling drunkard she eventually passed was dodged and ignored as he slurred for yet another bottle. His drinking vigor renewed by whatever he had seen in those three. Peeking around the bar’s corner, the petite girl eyed the clear coast before making her way closer to the hallway. She kept her movement slow just in case someone from the party came back her way. In her opinion, it would look much weirder to have someone slinking around, right? She reached the hallway quickly enough and peeked her head in only to see the rather intimidating figures guard the door. Lips pursed. She had hoped they would all be going inside. Instead of being deterred, she felt her curiosity rise. What could be that important that merits guards? Why this place even? There were much nicer ones available, no? Craning her mind, Kiera pondered a way to get herself closer. Her eyes landed on a nearby bucket and mop. The metaphorical candle of her idea was lit. Grabbing the item, she buckled herself for what she was going to do. Sucking in a breath and moving completely into the hall, the slip of a girl ambled closer and closer towards the duo stationed out front. She had no intention of getting too close, though. Where she was aiming for was the room next door. Maybe, she could accidentally hear some something interesting when she is ‘cleaning’.

[Konrad Venger]

"It's clear, boss."

Konrad didn't growl the words to Ivan until he was sure they were the truth. The door opened when he knocked and the smooth-skinned Dynast behind it went even paler at the sight of him. He didn't know enough about the Dynasties to guess them by sight but this one... very pale.

"Wh-Who are-"

Konrad stepped to the side and the Dynast's face flooded with fresh blood and relief as she saw Ivan standing there, almost apologetically.

"My protectors, madam. Times are trying, are they not?"

The Dynast simpered and Konrad kept his face neutral. The door opened a little further and he looked over her head, scanning the well-kept room beyond the door. The two of them were talking, exchanging pleasantries, the usual polite twaddle Dynasts spoke in, and Konrad spoke under them to his partner.

"Eyes? Watch the hall."

"Aye."

"Sir? I need to check the room."

The two high-borns ceased their prattling as Konrad spoke. It wasn't a question, and Ivan understood why. The Sunberth killer had been chosen by him because he was known to be efficient and without conscience: both were useful attributes. He knew he wouldn't be inside the room during the meeting, so he needed to check every corner before he allowed the Dynast inside.

Ivan was under no illusions as to why: anything happened to him, Konrad would get it in the neck. Mayhap literally.

"Oh, of course, go ahead..."

The woman shuffled out the way and Konrad surged inside, head already swiveling. He checked every corner of the bedroom and found no-one save the woman wearing the lilac-coloed dress. The cupboard was next, then the closet. He moved the floor-length curtains and found no-one lurking behind them. Then he opened the door to the bathroom...

"Your man certainly is thorough, Ivan."

"He's paid to be, my dear," Ivan said with a smidgen of amused respect, that faded when Konrad actually checked beneath the bed before marching back to him and nodding stoically. "Satisfied?"

"Aye. Wait outside for yeh?"

"Please do."

Konrad and Three Eyes did just that, look good bodyguards. They flanked the door and everyone that passed them was subjected to the ol' "Sunberth Stare": something between a foaming spasm and a psychotic glare. Three Eyes would the odd eye twitch really helped pull it off with aplomb. But after a few chimes of naught but standing, Konrad felt boredom begin to creep in... and started listening.

"... not likely to... could be helped if... such a preposterous idea..."

They made good, solid doors in Kenash. Strong enough to muffle most sounds and, of course, the Dynasts knew you didn't have a clandestine meeting at fever pitch. They talked lowly, sometimes even whispered, and with a huff Konrad settled in for yet more boredom.

"Ey-up..."

Konrad didn't need to be told: he could see well enough. A slip of a girl that made slips look huge was ambling towards them, bearing a mop and bucket that seemed like spear and bathtub in her hands. Konrad's brow furrowed minutely. Paranoia came easily to him. Where he was raised, what he'd done, what had happened to him... all of it taught him that Dira waited behind even the unlikely and innocent. So the girl got the same look as anyone else, even as she walked past them, heading to the room next door...

The mercenary came to a decision as he watched her set down her the bucket and-

"Girl?"

When the girl turned, she'd see Konrad staring down at her like a daemon... but a daemon holding a gold miza between two fingers. Without a hint of malice he flipped it towards her, aiming for the bucket of dirty water. Konrad thought she'd catch it before it plopped into it, but if she didn't, well, too bad.

"Clean the rooms down the other end a' the hall f'now," he said, nodding down the direction of the hallway she'd come down. "There's a good girl."

That was the carrot. The stick was Konrad very deliberately wrapping his coin-flipping hand around the handle of his kopis, and squeezing just loud enough for the leather scabbard to creak, and the metal to hiss softly as it was ground against it. He nodded down the hallway and winked.

"Off y'go."

[Kiera]

⚜ Kiera ⚜ Soft tapping defined Kiera’s footsteps as she closed the distance between her and the two burly guards. Her heart, though, pounded in her chest rapidly. For all her experience, the blonde felt as if this moment was the most harrowing one in her life. Everything about her plan was a bad idea but now that she has started, she was not going to stop. She was too stubborn too and one day, that would probably be her biggest downfall. She had an slight aversion to failure that stemmed from her earlier childhood. The girl could feel her palm sweat as she slowly turned to open the door. All she had to do was act normal right? There was nothing wrong with someone doing a little cleaning. She was close, so close. She placed her bucket within the doors. The sudden call to her made her turn and with wide eyes, she stared at the looming figure. The water inside the bucket sloshed as the back of her boots tapped it. Animals were stampeding in her stomach. “Yes—“She mumbled as she eyed the coin. Water finally spilled and the mop that was still in her hand was promptly dropped as she moved the catch the tossed Miza before it could fall into her bucket. Gripping the item with a tight grip, Kiera bounced it in her palms before looking back at the scarred man. “Wha-,“ She half asked a question was answered promptly enough. Kiera’s mouth parted and then closed, and then parted then closed again. He had asked something of her that not only derailed her plans but gave her a clean out. “O-okay. Sir?” She stuttered before she looked down at her mess then back up. There was nothing keeping her from shuffling backwards at the creak and hiss. The back of her foot tapped against the mop she dropped this time around. There was nothing soothing about the wink but she was not about to disregard this offer and persist in staying in this room. She liked herself very much breathing. Nodding her head at the scary man, she skittered slightly as she picked up her item. The coin was promptly pocketed in the folded band of her apron and with a slight dip of her head she exited and closed the door, leaving her mess behind for her to fix later. She glanced at the person who paid her. “Thank…you.” And with that, she ambled down the hall towards the farthest end. She took one last look and slipped inside. The door was promptly closed and with that, she plopped her items onto the floor and slid downwards. Small palms curled against a still fluttering heart as the petite body curled. She tried to calm her breathing as her mind raced. He knew. The man knew she was going to listen in, even if he did not, the girl had a distinct feeling that she had been extremely lucky. As her heartbeat steadied. The teen frowned as she evaluated her life and her choices. She had been so close! It was actually…rather disappointing if she was being honest. To be near a goal only to be denied. For the next few moments, she simply sat in the room that she already cleaned earlier and drew nonsensical patterns against the wood with her fingers. The act of drawing was just a hobby that calmed her somewhat. It was not like there was anything else for her to do in here. The bedsheets were tucked in neatly. The closet was cleared, the trash bins were emptied of their sometimes suspicious content and even the bathroom had been scrubbed. The halfling would wait just a bit more before nudging the door open and peeking out. As much as she tried to resist. She wanted to know also.

[Konrad Venger]

"Skittish one, wunt she?"

"Tha's kinda the point."

"Point a' what?"

"Us."

Three Eyes couldn't much argue with that. He knew half the point of guards was to discourage people from causing trouble, not just act if the trouble arrived. Two blokes looking like them, though? They spelled out with their scars and their cold stares what those acts would look like.

So he wasn't too surprised when the cleaning girl all but shyked herself when she took Konrad's coin... though that in itself made him from a touch.

"Why'd you give her the money?"

His partner shrugged, hands clasped before his stomach, eyes lidded and staring into nothing as he kept his watch.

"More likely to do as she's told, y'know? Could just kick her up the arse, but that'd create trouble with the management, maybe. But give her a coin and send her on her way, ain't likely to come back."

Konrad spoke the words and as far as Three Eyes could see, they were true. But then Konrad's gaze flicked to the room that the girl had vanished into, and he saw it was open just a crack. A chime or two before, it wasn't.

Could be a distraction. Something to catch your eye. Keep you looking one way, while another way...

He thought back to the room just beyond the door. He'd checked every space, every nook where an assassin could hide. Checked the windows and saw they were bolted shut from the inside. Anyone coming into that room, through the door or the window, and he'd know about it. So why still this tension? This unease roiling in his guts?

Because it keeps you alive, he thought, coming to a decision. Better safe than-

He took a step towards the door Keira was peeking from, one hand already on his kopis-

"-sure it won't come to that. Ah, Venger?"

The door opened and Ivan stood there, polite smile on his face, as free from concern as Konrad's was a mask of it. The mercenary stilled his gait before it had even begun, tilting his chin upward slightly in silent inquiry.

"Go down to the bar and get us some rum with two glasses, please. They seem to have left this room woefully under-supplied with drink." A handful of coins were placed into his hand. "Good man."

The door closed again and Konrad was left looking quizzically as Three Eyes. Who would go? Konrad was the one asked, sure, but that didn't mean anything. In terms of sheer ability, he was the better man, so he should stay on the door. But losing one man at all... he didn't like the idea.

So he came to a third option.

"Wait here."

Three Eyes didn't argue. He just watched as Konrad walked down the hallways, tossing the coins up and down in his hand, pace easy and utterly ignoring the door Keira was behind now-

"I know you're there." He stopped behind the door. Maybe she could see his steel-capped boots from where she crouched. Hear the tinkle of the coins shifting in his palm. "Need you to go down, get a bottle a' rum and two glasses, quick like. S'what you're paid for, aye?"

He'd give her a few ticks, and if there was no movement from the doorway, Konrad would lean his head a little closer. Enough for her to smell the faintest whiff of Swamp Vision on his breath.

"Don't make me come in there for ya, girl. Hurry, now..."

[Kiera]

⚜ Kiera ⚜ Kiera frowned from her spot. She could see only a little but hear absolutely nothing from how far she was away. She pouted to herself even as the sentiment from earlier began to ebb away. if it was not for the scarred man, her life would have been an little bit easier. Stubbornness and curiosity kept her from being completely deterred. She would manage to do something hopefully. Whatever secret they were harboring, she wanted to know, even just a little. As she mulled over this, she wondered if profession to be had in eavesdropping. A lot of people talked in inns and drunkards sometimes liked to scream their sordid laundry if prompted enough. It was not hard to often learn who is having an affair with who and with which…lovers another prefers. Kiera’s nose crinkled at that. They lacked a loyalty and she disliked that quite a bit. Lost in her musings, the blonde did not realize the scary man’s approach until she heard his voice and spotted the metal of his shoes. The clinking of the coins was only registered seconds later. The petite girl stilled and held her breath. Was she caught? Perhaps yes, perhaps not but what he had asked was very much doable for her. She exhaled and then inhaled, to calm her nerves and think. Did she want to chance this? She stared at the room around her and then at her only exit. Either way, she was thoroughly petched if she was attacked in any way. Going out now would be a lot better than having him come in. The room was not small but it was filled with too many items to allow her to run easily anyways. Scraping up what little nerves she could manage in that short time, she stood up, she brushed off her apron as she spoke. “Ah…yes, one second…sir!” She opened the door and flinched at his face and presence. He was a bit too close for comfort. Maybe one day she would get used to it but today was not that day. Her face crinkled. She could smell the faint scent of something bitter coming from him. “Two rum…and two glasses right?” Amber eyes darted towards the exit towards the bar and then back at the imposing man. She could easily run out there, get what was needed and come back. Yet…she hesitated before moving. Her hand was held out slightly for the payment required for the drinks. Kiera was a bit proud to see that it was not shaking like a leaf, even though it did quiver. She kept her voice as steady as possible even if it was a bit more rushed than normal. “Mizas please?” It might have been rude but it was customary for the guest to pay first. Scary or not, these people are guests and she had enough pride as a worker here to do what was needed. It was also a desperate grasp at straws. The poor girl needed to gain some modicum of control. Any control was better than none in her books. At least this way, there was also a normalcy in the act. She continued to channel as much pride and guts she could as she straightened her back and looked at the man straight in the vicinity of his eyes. He was intimidating, terrifying even compared to his companion, but he could not be that bad, right? At least, that was what she kept repeating to herself in her mind as she held as steady as she could.

[Konrad Venger]

“Two rum…and two glasses right?”

Konrad smiled, although the word does not do proper description to the movement of ruined lips and scar tissue that made up so much of that man's face. The eyes, though... they were telling. They did not match the smile. Did not twinkle with mirth or warmth. They held the gaze of a cat at something small and wounded. A hawk picking some plump treat out of a flock.

All those things, imbued with the malice and knowing cruelty distilled into the human race.

Some sand, to this one. Steel in her spine. Aye... very interesting.

"Aye, that's it."

“Mizas please?”

"Here y'go," he said, dropping the coins into her small hand, "oh, and-"

With a jerk and a clench, Kiera would find her miza-filled hand suddenly held in Konrad's grip. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough to still. Not going anywhere until the taller, stronger man decided. Konrad drank in her surprise for a moment, an old hand at intimidation.

His smile widened a touch. A smattering of gold teeth and yellow ones still rotting in his skull.

"Don't be long... an' dun'f'get the change."

Konrad let the girl go, and when she'd scuttled away to her errand (faster than usual, he'd wager), he straightened up and smiled coldly at the door she'd vanished into. Behind him, Three Eyes voice held a tinge on humor.

"Yer up to somethin', Kon."

"Aye," Konrad said, turning on his heel to rejoin his comrade by the door. "Testin' a theory, y'might say."

"Should I ask?"

A lowly, throaty sound escaped Konrad's mouth.

"Better t'watch."

[Kiera]

⚜ Kiera ⚜ Nope, there was absolutely no way Kiera could suppress the squeak that parted her lips as she was grabbed. The movement did not hurt but it had surprised her enough for her to try and jerk backwards. The mizas dropped to the floor for her efforts. Her hand would not budge, though. It was quite adamantly stuck between much rougher and grimy hands. She wished he did not smile. It was not helping the situation at all. If anything it made things worse. The moment he let go was the moment Kiera skittered to the bar. Her steps were as fast as her heart. This was utterly nerve-wracking and for once in her life, she felt pity for the mice that were chased by the cats her mother owned once upon a time. As she grabbed and iced the glasses, she wondered if this was karma for not helping the tiny creatures out when she could have. Mumbling to herself, Kiera searched the bar for the bottles. She paused as she eyed the two bottles there. She did not recall the scarred man giving a preference so she took both. They did ask for two bottles of rum after all. Placing them in a tray, the girl loaded it next with the chilled glasses. She stared at the items, then at the doorways, then back at the tray. Her fingers quivered. “Why…oh why did I do that…” She muttered to herself as she drummed her fingers against the counter and kept her head low. She had an inkling she was burying herself with her earlier decision. She banged her head once. It was her mess though and she had no other option but to see it through. With the earlier reaction, she did not think someone was willing to take her place. The same shaking fingers added a bowl of ice to the platter before she took a tentative step back to the hallway. The glasses clicked against each other as the bottles vibrated with her every move. There was nothing gentle or soft in the way she was walking even though it remained steady. With eyes adamantly fixed forward, Kiera made her way back towards the room. "Here...are your drinks." She held out the tray as steady as she could.

[Konrad Venger]

"Here... are your drinks."

"Dint' waste time, either. Good girl. Ah, and she brought ice. Ain't that nice, Eyes?"

"Petchin' wonderful."

Konrad chuckled down at the girl clearly doing her best to to shake the bottle and glasses clear off the tray she was holding. He'd watched her return with some interest, cocking an eyebrow at the little bowl of ice between the glasses. His thoughts went off in two directions at the sight of it, as they had since he'd had his little idea about how to properly feel out this girl.

"There's a story I heard, back when I wuz a boy..."

As he spoke, Konrad hands moved over the tray and all arrayed on it. His voice was soft, or as soft as those smoke- and booze-blackened lungs could make it. More amused and contemplative as he studied the bottles and grabbed a glass.

"Dun' remember when ess'actly, but it was about a king... who got poisoned."

TINK

The ice cube clinked into the glass as he said the word, but it might have felt like a boulder crashing into a valley when Kiera looked up and saw how much Konrad's expression had changed. No false mirth or cruel humor anymore. Nothing but a mask set around burning green eyes.

"Clever thing was, folks that did it? They knew his taster - bloke who tasted his food t'check fer poison? - they knew he'd taste it. So they didn't poison the hot wine that he got served-"

Rich amber sloshed and splashed around the tiny ice cube as Konrad poured from one of the bottles. Kiera would see the cold little lump bob and shift a little, but not much. Konrad was hardly filling the glass; just a sample.

Enough to be sure.

"They poisoned the water he cooled the wine with. Clever, eh? One dead king, jus' cuz he didn't think to check the water."

Konrad thought the point was made clear enough. If not, it would be when he took the tray from the girl, holding the ready glass in his free hand, and passed it to Three Eyes. His partner watched with a smile that drank suffering etched on his fleshy face, enjoying the sight of this squirming girl and ah-ha, now he knew what his man's game was.

"Or the ice. Dependin' on the story..."

Konrad leaned down and held out the glass with his left hand. As his body eased forward his right slid with easy familiarity to the kukri at his back, and gripped the hilt. He felt the curved metal blade shift slightly as he tugged it out an inch.

"Taste it, girl. Yer a curious one, aren't ya? Wanderin' aroun', peekin' through doors... well, I'm curious, too. As t'what y'are. Jus' a curious little thing, or somethin' else. So-" The glass was pushed a little closer, so Kiera could see naught but the rim and Konrad's face a mere foot or so from her own. "-taste it. Now."

Konrad knew she could run. Fast little thing, used to skittering and scuttling. But unorthodox as it was to use it as such, he was betting that she wouldn't get too far before he could throw his kukri into her back. Then he would definitely know.