The jovial atmosphere turned sour quickly by the shouts of two angry men. We all turned back toward the barrels where one of the wolves had gotten into an altercation with a hefty bear clan member.

  “You’ve already had a mug, sir,” the wolf man insisted.

  The bear member thrust his empty mug into the other man’s face. “Does this look like a used mug to you, gray hair?”

  The wolf man lifted his nose and sniffed before he curled his lips back. “It smells like it.”

  “Well, it isn’t! I’ve had a pint of something else!” the bear man insisted as he stabbed a finger at the barrel between them. “Now pour me a glass and I’ll get going!”

  The foreigner shook his head. “It’s only one glass per customer. You need to get out of line.”

  The line wasn’t too happy to hear this back-and-forth delay.

  “What’s the hold up?”

  “Are we getting any, or not?”

  The wolf nodded at the line. “You’re making your people wait. Get out of line.”

  The bear man stomped his feet on the ground and puffed out his chest. “I’m not leaving without my promised drink!”

  The transformed wolf member leaped into the argument and punctuated their dispute with a growl at the bear man. The insistent bear growled and snapped right back.

  “What’s going on here?” The shout came from King Wearg, who sauntered into the fray with a smile on his face. He set a comforting hand atop his transformed man and his eyes flickered between the pair of arguers. “What is the problem?”

  The wolf man glared at his foe. “This guy thinks he needs a second glass.”

  The bear sneered right back at him. “I haven’t had a first one!”

  Wearg held out his hand to the bear. “Let me see your glass.” The bear reluctantly handed over his mug and the king sniffed the contents. He wrinkled his nose and turned to his compatriot. “You believed this was our best drink? The stuff at the bottom isn’t fit for our pigs.”

  The bear’s eyebrows crashed down. “What are you saying, wolf?”

  Wearg opened the tap and poured out a full mug, which he held out to the bear. “I’m saying you can enjoy your pint and everyone behind you will be able to get their drink, too.”

  The bear snatched his mug but still glared at the king. “But what were you saying-”

  “Go along now!” somebody behind him shouted.

  “You’ve got your mug, now it’s our turn!” another yelled.

  The bear’s shoulders slumped and he lumbered off, though a dark look clouded his face.

  Yushir folded his arms over his chest and watched the wolf king. “A sly dog. He insulted the drink crafted by the bears and still managed to stop the argument.”

  Dadan, too, studied the king of the wolves, more so because Wearg’s gaze settled on us. He sauntered over with a crooked smile on his lips and his arms open to our male companions. “Lord Eastwei! Prince Yushir! What an honor to see you after so many years!”

  Yushir accepted the man’s hand and was a little taken aback by the exuberance Wearg gave their shake. He accepted the return of his hand with a pitiful glance at his worn hand. “My apologies for not visiting sooner.”

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  “There’s no need for that! You did such a favor to my clan at your last visit during the Battle of Tianfeld that any gap is very much excused!” Wearg countered as he turned to Dadan. He held out his hand to the imposing lord. “And it’s a great pleasure to meet you again, Lord Eastwei. I was barely older than a pup the last time you visited but I remember seeing you on the battlefield parting the men like one parts stones on the seashore.”

  Dadan replied with a simple bow of his head.

  “You are certainly very generous today toward the bear clan,” Yushir spoke up as he studied the rows of kegs. “That many barrels must be a whole year’s supply of your grain alcohol.”

  Wearg folded his arms over his chest and laughed. “One can’t put a price on peace.”

  “What brought about this sudden interest in burying the sword?” the prince inquired.

  The wolf king’s smile faltered a little. “Hasn’t word reached the heavens about the attacks? Isn’t that why you’re here?”

  “Unfortunately, the tales have reached His Majesty and he seeks for me to bring the clans together in a meeting as soon as possible so we might discover this fiend,” Yushir confirmed.

  Wearg crossed his arm over his chest and bowed deeply to the prince. “His Majesty has my eternal thanks, but I wonder what has taken so long for action to be had from the heaven realm.” He straightened and the glint in his eyes was less playful than before. “Many of us wondered if His Majesty had forgotten about us and we were left to fend for ourselves by whatever means necessary.”

  “I cannot guarantee we will find a solution but we hope a meeting will at least make our foe wary,” Yushir mused.

  Wearg’s lips twitched into a brief sneer. “Your words are emptier than I had hoped, Prince Yushir. If His Majesty had acted months ago, there would be fewer of my people dead.”

  Yushir knitted his eyebrows together and his stance tensed. “Those are bold words, King Wearg. His Majesty would not approve.”

  Wearg threw his head back and laughed. “His Majesty has been so long in the heavens that he is more a legend than a fact. Many of the pups believe he is a legend. What do I have to fear from insulting someone so far removed from my people and I?”

  “That is why I have come here, to assure you that you are not forgotten,” Yushir insisted.

  The king shrugged. “Then you are here and we’ll see if something comes of your visit.” He turned his attention to Arian and me and his smile reappeared. “But you appear to have two lovely maidens with you. Might I be introduced to them?”

  Yushir reluctantly stepped aside and used a hand to gesture to us. “This is Lady Fei and Lady Arian.”

  Wearg’s eyes widened. “Lady Arian? The princess of the bear clan?”

  Arian bowed her head. “It is a pleasure to meet you, King Wearg.”

  “The pleasure is mine, Lady Arian,” he countered as he looked her over. “You are certainly a beauty to behold. Your father must be very proud.”

  “You are too kind, King Wearg.”

  The king turned his focus to me and I felt Dadan stiffen at my side. The wolf looked me over and I noticed his nostrils flared a little. “You have a lovely scent, Lady Fei, one very foreign to the bear realm.”

  “I’m not from here,” I confirmed as I tried not to squirm beneath his attention.

  His eyes shone with a strange light. “That is good to hear. Foreigners liven up our realms with their unique crafts. Have you any skills at which you excel, Lady Fei?”

  I shook my head. “Only in getting into trouble.”

  Yushir’s eyes twinkled as he pointed a finger at Dadan. “That is not unique. My friend here has the same gift.”

  I glanced up at the quiet Dadan and noticed his sharp, bright gaze didn’t wander from Wearg. The king noticed it, too, and lifted a playful eyebrow at the lord. “Lord Eastwei, you seem to be very focused on me. Do I have something in my hair?”

  “Perhaps,” cam the enigmatic reply.

  Wearg laughed. “In that case, I will take my leave and find myself a mirror. If you’ll excuse me.” He bowed his head and slipped away.

  “A friendly king if one takes him at his word,” Yushir commented.

  Arian cocked her head to one side. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean that a man who fully indulges in such a wily nature should be watched,” the prince advised her.

  “Arian! Arian!” The shout came from the depths of the crowds and Jin popped out. He grinned at her. “There you are! I thought you were trampled in here!”

  My eyes lit up when I noticed the tiny creature perched on his shoulder. It was a tiny meilita.