Spellsinger 03 – The Day of the Dissonance by Foster, Alan Dean

of the house of ill repute, but he suspected the sight of the

full-grown grizzly adjusting the brass knuckles over his

immense paws did not bode well for the future.

“I understand your concern, luv,” said Mudge as he

casually recovered his bow and quiver, “but now that me

mate’s ‘ere everything will be squared away.”

“Will it, now?” she said. The grizzly stood rubbing one

palm with a massive fist and grinning. His teeth were very

white. The badger eyed Jon-Tom. “Does he mean to say

that you’ll pay his bill?”

“Pay his bill? What do you mean, pay his bill?”

“He’s been up here for three days without coming

down, enjoying my best liquor and girls, and now he tells

them he hasn’t got a silver to his bastard name.”

Jon-Tom glared back at Mudge. The otter shrugged,

didn’t appear in the least embarrassed. “Hey, at least I was

honest about it, mate. I told ’em I was broke. But it’s all

right, ain’t it? You’ll pay for me, won’t you?”

“You are his friend?” inquired the badger.

“Well, yeah.” He brought out the purse Clothahump

had given him and jiggled it. The gold inside jingled

musically, and the badger and the bear relaxed.

She smiled at him. “Now that’s more like it.. .sir. I

can see that you are a gentleman, though I don’t think

much of your choice of friends.” Mudge looked wronged.

“How much does he owe you?”

She didn’t even have to think. “Two hundred and fifty,

sir. Plus any damages to the linen. I’ll have to check.”

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Alan Dean Poster

“I can cover it,” Jon-Tom assured her. He turned to

look darkly at Mudge, hefting his ramwood staff. “If