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I coughed again. And spat into the cup and lifted it up. “Unless you would like to taste him to confirm his future availability.”

The room stayed silent. I sank back into my seat and reached for the dice. I picked them up and felt them properly before I did anything else. Weighted on one side, dragging left.

I had been playing dice since I was twelve in the servants' quarters beneath the Baron’s estate, with kitchen hands who cheated as naturally as they breathed and assumed a girl had no head for numbers. In truth, I had an excellent head for numbers and a weighted die still lands true if you know how to compensate for the drag. I rolled.

The dice bounced twice. Stopped.

The room went quiet.

"Impossible," the red-faced creature said.

"She beat him," said another, with something that sounded almost like reluctant respect.

Groans rose around the table. One knocked his cup off the edge. The creature at the head stared at the dice. Then clicked his tongue. "A deal's a deal." He cut the ropes. The woman collapsed forward and began dragging herself toward the door, her remaining hand flat against the floor, breath coming sharp. Hope crossed her face.

Halfway there, something landed on her back.

She screamed once. Teeth sank into her neck. Blood spread across the floor. The room erupted into applause.

I stared at him. "You lied."

The creature chewing on her shoulder looked up. "We did."

The laughter returned.

I looked around the room slowly.

"You are all pathetic."

The laughter faltered.

"I have met undead with more honor."

Silence.

"I hope every one of you rots inside this shithole forever."

The chair beside me exploded backward. A hand closed around my throat and the red-faced creature slammed me across the table hard enough to scatter the dice. Wood cracked beneath me. His face hovered inches from mine.

"Listen carefully, Rathmor whore." His breath smelled of iron. “Our new king clearly can’t decide whether he wants to fuck you or kill you." His grip tightened. "He should do us all a favor and do both."

Cheers erupted.

"When he's finished," he looked around the room, "I'll take my turn."

More jeers.

I looked at him. “If you’re as terrible at fucking as you are at dice, I’d rather you not waste my time.”

The room exploded in laughter.

He lunged. I rolled off the table. Another reached for me and I ducked beneath his arm. A third charged and I drove my heel into his knee. He stumbled sideways into the creature beside him. For one glorious second I was genuinely proud of myself.

Then pain. White-hot. Something had buried its teeth in my shoulder. Blood ran down my arm. The creature grinned around the mouthful.

Then frowned. Released me. Clutched his throat. His knees hit the floor. I quickly realized what was happening and decided to capitalize on it. I wrapped my fingers around his neck and said “Because I already ate your comrade so recently, it is lucky for you I will grant you a merciful death and not have you explode into ash.” He gagged.

I let go of his neck and he fell to the floor. “What was that?” I asked.