Dragon's Fury

Chapter One

A sudden hush from the patrons in the Third Eye Tavern drew Trilina’s attention. It could only mean one thing—a newcomer.

Getting up from her mahogany desk where she’d been finishing the books for the month, she wandered over to the door. The entrance to her office afforded her a good view down into the main area. Both her sisters were working down there: Frilina behind the bar and Brilina taking drinks and food to tables.

Swaggering up to the bar was a young man she’d never seen before. He made a beeline for the bar stool nearest Frilina.

“What’ll you have, stranger?” Frilina asked.

“My name’s Denton, and I’d like not to be a stranger.”

“Well, darling, er, Denton, my name is Frilina, and that’s my sister Brilina, and we’re delighted to meet you… friend.”

Brilina wandered up behind him, leaned in close and said, “Who is our new friend, Sis?”

He took a look at her, then he looked back at Frilina, and for a moment didn’t move. They had that effect on people. “Hi, I’m Denton,” he said again.

“Have you tried our brandy?” Brilina asked, winking at her sister.

“I would love to try the brandy. I’ve never met such lovely twins.”

“We’re not twins,” they replied together, stating the fact without malice or annoyance.

Denton looked at them both for a long time, his expression a mix of confused and quizzical. “Are you fooling with me?”

Brilina leaned in, bringing her mouth to his ear. Despite not being able to hear, Trilina knew what she was saying. It always happened. They offered the stranger a bet about them being twins—their version of fun.

“You look identical to me,” he replied. “What sort of bet?”

Frilina put her elbows on the bar, resting her face in her hands and said, “It’s simple, you’ll tell us you believe we’re not twins. If we can convince you to admit you were wrong, we win, if not, well, you’ll make a fair bit.”

He reached for his coin purse and said, “You’re going to convince me. All I have to do is remain unconvinced, and I win?”

A hush settled over the bar. Everyone knew what was coming next.

“Yes,” Frilina said, voicing that thought.

“How are you going to convince me?”

“It’s simple, we put this blindfold on you, and kiss you three times. I think you’ll find that our kisses are so vastly different that you’ll know we couldn’t possibly be twins.”

“How much?”

“How much do you have?”

Denton pulled out his coin purse and dropped it on the bar.

Brilina said, “That sounds like one hundred twelve coins, and from the tone, I’d say they were gold.”

“Well, you’ve got a good ear, and yes, it’s exactly one twelve,” Denton said with a smile.

Frilina said, “We don’t want to take your last ducat, so let’s say a hundred?”

“Done.”

With the ringing of a bell, the bar went still.

“We have a wager,” Frilina announced and pulled a silk scarf out. She handed it to her sister who put it across his eyes and spun him around on the stool.

The whole bar yelled “One!” This was Trilina’s cue to join them. Fighting back a grin at the familiar game she padded silently down the stairs.

She watched as Brilina took his face in her hand and gave him a long wet kiss. When she stepped away, he swayed.

Frilina had walked around the bar by then.

The locals all yelled, “Two!”

She wrapped her arms around him and, with gentleness, she pressed her lips against his.

Denton said in a low voice, “Wow, but I’m not convinced.”

No longer hiding her grin, Trilina placed a hand on his shoulder. As she moved around him, she ran her fingers through her hair.

“Three!” everyone called.

Her turn. Trilina let her cheek brush against his before she followed her sisters and kissed him. This time he almost fell off his stool.

“Yes, that was different, but your considerable prowess in the ways of kissing doesn’t make me believe...” he trailed off as he took off the blindfold.

Before him, Brilina, Frilina, and Trilina stood, side by side.

“I’m Trilina,” she said. “Although most people call me the Third Twin.”

Denton didn’t say a word.

He opened the pouch, counted out twelve coins, and set them on the bar. The rest of the bag he handed to Trilina and said one thing, “I’ve never lost a bet and felt like I had won, before. Now, I’ll take that brandy.”

The bar erupted.

He was now a local.

Trilina gave him a peck on the cheek and returned to her office.