The day has passed into evening. A cool breeze is blowing through the courtyard of the Great Library. Halse is heading towards the tavern along with many other small groups of daevas. Music drifts on the air and as we approach the tavern I can tell that it emanates from the tavern. Halse slaps me on the back, practically shoving me through the door into the tavern. I stumble in trying not to run into the people in front of me. Slipping sidewise, I attempt to hug the wall, but Halse grabs my shirt and drags me up to the bar.

Halse signals to the bartender for a round of drinks. A mug is placed in front of me. It smells awful and I'm sure I don't want to know what it is. "Drink up baby brother!" Halse extorts me. Grimacing, I take a sip. Ugh, it's as awful as I thought. "No, no, no, little brother!" "Not like that!" Laughing Halse picks up his mug and tosses it back. "Drink like a man, not like a pansy!" Grimacing again I pick up my mug. I take a swallow. Fire burns my mouth and my throat feels like it will explode. My stomach is rebelling and I hope, no pray, that I don't embarrass myself by throwing up.

Halse laughs at me again and slaps my back, hard enough to shove me into the bar. "Knock it off Halse!" I push away from the bar, turning to leave. Halse grabs my shirt. "Oh no no no little brother!" "You aren't going anywhere yet!" Glancing around I note that his friends have closed in around me making escape almost impossible unless I want to cause a scene. Smirking at me Halse turns back to the bar and orders more drinks for us. He knows I won't cause a scene. Sighing I pick up my mug again. When Halse gets like this there is no changing his mind. It's better just to go along, less chance of being injured that way. I really hate my brother.

I finish my drink determined not to throw up. Another drink appears in front of me. "Drink up baby brother; you are way behind the rest of us." Grimacing I pick up the mug, hoping it's something less vile. To my surprise, this one isn't too bad. There is a stir in the crowd and I turn away from the bar to see what is going on.

The lights have dimmed and a stage in the corner appears. A woman is standing on it smiling at the crowd. She is beautiful and I'm captivated by her. The loud noise in the tavern subsides and the woman begins to sing. Her voice is...well there are no words to describe it. She has the audience in the palm of her hand. Her voice flows around and through me and I feel like I might cry. Looking around me I notice that everyone else is just as enamored of her as I am. At last she finishes singing and the spell is broken. Conversation breaks out again all around me as the singer comes over to the bar for some water.

I realize that I have finished my mug plus a few more if the empties in front of me are any indication. How much have I had to drink? Halse is speaking to me, but I can't hear him. It is so loud in here and his mouth is moving and melting... The room is moving too, and I'm not sure if I am standing anymore. Perhaps I'm floating.

Pushing Halse out of the way I look around again for the singer. I can't find her at the bar anymore and that makes me incredibly sad. I need to find her...but I don't know why.

Halse smirks at his friends. "Look baby brother is drunk". "Better get him out of here. He doesn't look so good," one of them says. "Yea," Halse says. "We can't have him passing out or worse throwing up in here".

Something grabs me by the shirt again and I am dragged out of the tavern. The freezing cold hits me like a slap in the face. My head is going to explode and my stomach is not far behind it. Halse is yelling at me but I can't understand him. There is a roaring in my head. He continues to drag me, but I've had enough. I balk, pushing and swinging at him to let me go. Pushing me hard, he stalks off saying, "Fine baby brother, find your own way home!'

I am staring up at the sky. I can see pinpoints of light swirling above me. Then the lights fade away and it becomes dark. It is cold out, but I don't even notice it anymore. Its dark here, very, very, dark.