A tall, beautiful redhead and a scowling half-hobgoblin stopped and stared at him. Before the battle-mage could speak, Rudolf and the guards stomped inside.
"Where's the elf sorceress Asha," the Dark wizard demanded.
"We rented her room 25," the hobgoblin said.
The wizard raced up the stairs, followed by the guards. Killum started to panic. He was no match for any of those guys, and yet his friend was about to get killed. She'd respawn, but he still couldn't just stand by and let them kill her.
"Is there a back way up?"
"Why?" the redhead asked.
"Asha is my friend," he said. "I have to help her."
The woman smiled. "She's not up there. Asha left well before sunrise."
"Are you one of her two friends?" the hobgoblin asked.
"Yes. No. What?" Killum said, glancing up when he heard Rudolf's cry of rage. "There are five of us, not two or three."
They both smiled. "Good answer. Asha went to Madam Elise's Inn down by the main gate after we heard that strangers matching her friends' descriptions were there."
"Thanks." He pointed up. "Don't tell them."
The battle-mage raced out of the pub and back down Prince Carl Street. He was moving against traffic, so it was slow going. And then Rand stepped out onto the street in front of him. The dwarf sighed and grinned, looking so self-satisfied.
"Rand!"
"Killum. You made it," Rand said. "Dude, you got to check this place out."
He stopped and looked at the door. It was open, but there was a big red heart painted above the door and the establishments name in bold letters: Naughty Cock. A half-elf blonde beauty stepped into the doorway and gave him a come-hither look. She was topless, with only a wisp of silk covering her nether regions.
Charissa. Half-elf human prostitute (Lvl 36). -2 Dark. PK: 3.
"A brothel?"
"Yes, and that's Charissa," Rand said, voice dropping an octave. "She's amazing in bed."
"Oh my god, what did you do?" Killum asked. "You might've just caught virtual VD."
"Hey, I'm clean," Charissa said. She pulled a knife. "Take it back or I'll cut you."
Next thing Killum knew, he was being chased down the street by a crazy hooker. Rand ran beside him, laughing. Fortunately, Charissa gave up after only a moment. But they didn't stop running until they reached the main gate plaza.
"Whew!" Rand said. "That short run kicked my butt. I might actually have to get into shape in this realm."
"What you need is to stop doing stupid shit like hiring hookers," Killum said.
"Dude, we can have sex!"
"Um, you're not my type," Killum said. "I like girls."
"No, no, no, I mean we can have sex with girls in this realm. And I swear, it is better than in real life," Rand said. "Charissa was a wildcat in bed, and she – "
"Too much information," he said. "Hush, you horny little dwarf. Whatever you do, don't tell the others you hired a hooker. They already think you're a perv."
"There's nothing wrong with hookers," Rand said. "Besides, you're just jealous because I got laid and you didn't."
"Wrong. I scored with a serving girl down in the shantytown last night," he said.
"How much did she charge?"
"Nothing."
"Did you buy her drinks?"
"Well…"
"You paid."
"Dammit." He scowled at the grinning dwarf, and after a moment he couldn't help but grin back. "Yeah, we both got laid. And you're right. It was incredible."
"Chicks in this realm are crazy in bed," Rand said. "I wonder if that applies to Tiana and Asha, too. Hmmmm."
Killum shook his head. Rand played a dangerous game there. Tiana and Asha might like Rand, but if he pushed them too far…
"Listen, we've overstayed our welcome here in Oxenbluff," Killum said. "I found a Dark wizard who claims Asha murdered him, so has the local cops after her. I think he's going to kill her when he finds her. So we have to find her and get out of town fast."
"Then you know she's in town?"
"You don't? I was told she went down to Madam Elise's Inn first thing this morning to meet up with you guys."
Rand shrugged. "Maybe so. I went exploring last night, and actually spent the night with Charissa. It cost extra, but was well worth it."
The sound of armed men trotting down the street reached them. Killum glanced that way, and then across the plaza. "Is that Madam Elise's Inn?"
"Yes."
"I hear soldiers coming. They might be looking for Asha, so we have to get out of here now," he said, taking off running. "Hurry!"
Chapter 16
The common room was dark and cool, still smelling of the morning meal. Asha didn't really care for the smell of bacon. The fresh baked bread was another matter, but she'd already eaten and she had a bad suspicion players could get fat in that realm.
"I love they have morning beer, lunch beer, and dinner beer," Fergus said. "Screw waiting until after five to drink. This is my kind of place."
Tiana clinked mugs with him, and Asha shook her head. The morning beer tasted "thick" to her, and was low alcohol content. She would've preferred a nice wine that early in the day. Or a Mimosa.
"Shouldn't we be out looking for Rand?" Asha asked.
She wanted them all together before springing her news that they were trapped in the Game, maybe with no way out. Just thinking about it left her feeling a little queasy.
"No," Tiana replied. "I tried, but the town's too big to find him."
"The runt's probably somewhere a pair of innocent young women shouldn't enter," Fergus said.
The thief punched the ranger in the arm. "Then why did you let me go look for him earlier?"
"I didn't. You just did," he said. Asha smiled when the redhead rolled her eyes. "I'm not your daddy. I don't own you. If you want to go bust your butt looking for Rand, then go. I'm going to keep my butt in this chair and wait for Killum."
Fergus' right brow arched, and his eyes narrowed as he looked out the door onto all that chaos. Tiana slammed her mug down, claiming everyone's full attention.
"Admit it, Fergus. You're just lazy," the thief said. "While I was rewarded for my efforts this morning by stealing half a dozen purses and leveling up some more."
"Good for you, but you still failed to find Rand."
"Like you could?"
"Oh?" Fergus said, sitting up. He pulled out a shekel and tapped it on the table. "Put your money where your mouth is."
Tiana tossed in a coin. Asha shrugged, and tossed in her shekel. Fergus grinned and nodded. Then he swept the coins up and poured them into his purse.
"Hey! You haven't won yet. Where's Rand?"
The ranger pointed at the door. "Right there."