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Aruar’s eyes aimed at those of the barkeep, their focus was far, far away Aruar didn’t notice With a deep and profound sigh the barbarian dropped his head into his huge ar the coentle and soft, and turned his head so that he could regard Delly She nodded to Aru hiht, long and slanted rays of h the westernIt took him a few moments to orient himself and to realize that this was not his roolanced around and then to the blankets beside him, to the lithe for soft and delicate in the flattering light

Then he remembered Delly had taken him from the bar to bed-not to his own, but to hers-and he re his less-than-tender parting with Catti-brie, Wulfgar gently reached over and put his hand about the wo in profound relief to find that she still had a pulse Then he turned her over and scanned her bare body, not in any lustful way, but ns that he had brutalized her

Her sleep was quiet and sound

Wulfgar turned to the side of the bed, rolling his legs off the edge He started to stand, but his throbbing head nearly knocked hiht to control his balance and then athat saht, and soard Delly again, all soft and snuggled amidst mounds of blankets He had been able to er, without the e For a ht be free, felt as if he should burst out of the house, out of Luskan altogether, running down the road in search of his old friends He looked back at the ht of Catti-brie and hoonderful it would be to fall into her arms

But then he realized the truth of it all

The drink had allowed hiainst those memories, and behind that protective barrier he had been able to live in the present and not the past

"Coentle coax with a subtle pro over your haaze to the opposite wall, against which Aegis-fang rested

Wulfgar spent a longthe woman, caretaker of his e up, the covers bundled about her waist, andno move to cover her nakedness Indeed she seemed to flaunt it a bit to entice the o to her But he resisted, realizing the danger, realizing that the drink had worn off In a fit of passion, a fit of ree, how easy it would be for him to squeeze her bird-like neck

"Later," he proo to work this night"

"But you don’t have to leave"

"I do," he said briskly, and he saw the flash of pain across her face He moved to her immediately, very close "I do," he repeated in a softer tone "But I will coently on the forehead and started for the door

"You are thinking that I’ll want you back," ca at hiaze ice cold, her arms folded defensively across her chest

At first surprised, Wulfgar only then realized that he wasn’t the only one in this roo around personal demons

"Go," Delly said to him "Maybe I’ll take you back, and ar sighed and shook his head, then pushed out into the hall, more than happy to be out of that room

The sun peeked over the eastern rim before the barbarian, an empty bottle at his side, found his way back into the void of sleep He didn’t see the sunrise, though, for his room had no s

He preferred it that way