The building was easy to find; he simply asked someone at the port, as there was nothing unusual about a young man looking for a brothel. However, now, standing before it, he would have been lying if he claimed he didn't feel any discomfort. His lifestyle was what it was: taverns and willing women, but since his adoptive father had bought him, he hadn't set foot inside a brothel.

He didn't allow himself the luxury of sentimentality or dwelling too much on memories. Leaning against the wall of the building opposite, he observed the wooden facade and the crooked roof tiles. A group of girls emerged from the door—seven or eight, surrounded by three bodyguards in brown clothing. Zevran waited until they'd cleared the street.

Then, pushing off from the wall, he sauntered toward the building with a wickedly charming smile. He didn't go near the front door. In a careless moment, he climbed up the gutter and swung himself onto the balcony with a leg lift. From there, he crawled along the awning, making his way to the centre of the building, where he found an open window through which sounds of moving and packing filtered out, accompanied by a man and a woman's voices. Zevran leaned against the wall to listen.

"...I hate these things! Why are we even keeping them?"

"And where would we throw them away, or drop them off? You think the scrap dealer would just take them?"

"What the hell are..."

Zevran peeked sharply through the window. In the hallway, a guard was carrying colourful boxes out of storage.

"Be careful, don't throw them around, you'll blow the whole place up with that!"

"Can it really explode?"

"How would I know...! Harod would know better. He bought it when he went east, from some distant people who use these all the time."

"And what are they for?"

"Outside, they make a nice explosion. Indoors... well, who knows... but they're dangerous."

Zevran had heard enough and returned to the balcony with a few nimble leaps. From there, he could hear two women's voices, one of whom was the same he'd overheard earlier.

"...sweet fellow. Needs a bit of coaxing, but he'll do. Now he's asleep."

"And how is he in bed?"

"Hmm, nothing special, tolerable. The main thing is he talks non-stop, especially after a few drinks."

The deeper-voiced woman laughed.

"He said the thád a pher one is looking for the little wench."

Zevran's eyebrow shot up, and his sharp ears perked up even more. But then the deep-voiced woman changed the subject, and they discussed something entirely trivial. Zevran climbed down from the balcony, hanging from the railing before dropping to the ground, patting his hands, and walked inside casually, as if he had just happened to pass by. Only his eyes moved, taking in the surroundings.

At the sound of the door, Siss soon appeared, pulling a ribbon from her flaming red hair and smiling broadly at Zevran. Ebony followed her, her eyes glinting as she surveyed the man, seating herself with her legs crossed and blinking at him suggestively. He watched the black panther-bodied woman's graceful movement and sent her an approving glance from the corner of his eye.

"Oh, sir! I'm glad you stopped by!" Siss greeted him warmly. "You've come to the best place."

"Yes, I think so too," Zevran agreed with a sly, mischievous smile.

"Too bad we're not at full staff right now," Siss said with feigned regret, shifting her hips to one side.

"That is indeed a pity," Zevran replied, joining the game. He glanced at Ebony, who was still smiling seductively, slowly running her tongue along her upper teeth as she looked him over. "I'll take this desert rose for one. But I came to test myself: I'd like another as well, simultaneously. Someone younger."

Ebony immediately stood up, pressing herself against Zevran, who wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, turning to Siss.

The redhead seemed to be in quite a bind. "Unfortunately, there are only the two of us in the house at the moment..."

"Good heavens, and where are the others?" Zevran asked smoothly as Ebony breathed into his neck.

"I wouldn't want to keep you waiting until they return from the inn. I'll offer myself as the third."

"Hmm, I heard there's a thád a pher gained girl living here. Is that true?"

Siss's smile broadened, and she leaned in closer to him. "That would be me."

Ebony caressed his stomach just above his belt.

"Really? I also heard the girl was an elf." Zevran made a theatrical gesture, examining Siss's ear first, then pushed Ebony's shoulder back slightly to get a good look at her ear too, then shook his head questioningly at Siss.

"Oh, you mean... Actually, two thád a pher gained courtesans used to live in this house. The other one, unfortunately, is no longer with us."

Without looking at her, Zevran squeezed Ebony's backside. "Hmm... really... what a shame. But how did she die? Wasn't she supposed to be looked after?"

"A regrettable event... yes..." sighed Siss. "But I wouldn't want to keep you waiting any longer. What should I mark, then?"

"Where's the handler I need to pay?"

"There's no handler here. I have always been the madam of this house from the beginning."

Zevran smiled openly into Siss's eyes, remembering clearly that Dina had always mentioned a man's name. Dina is just as dead, isn't she?

"Hmm, I don't know...," he mused, keeping his gaze on Ebony. "I'm definitely taking her. Have you ever been told you're exceptionally..."?

The dark-skinned woman waited with her chin raised, anticipating a compliment. "What, sir...?"

"...reckless?"

With a sudden yank, Zevran spun her as if they were dancing, then in a fraction of a second, pulled her back toward him, and Ebony shrieked as a blade pressed against her neck.

"Where is Dina?!" Zevran shouted, his light brown eyes blazing with anger.

Siss stepped back in fear, and a guard appeared at the top of the stairs but stopped upon seeing the weapon at Ebony's throat. "Whoever you are, drop the sword!"

"Where. Is. Dina?!"

"Sir, this is a misunderstanding, we nev—" Ebony stammered in her own defence.

"Of course, you never housed a girl by that name, right? She only spent two weeks here, but you've already forgotten? And yet, the thád a pher was probably quite profitable for you. So where is she?"

"She's not here! I told you, she's dead!" Siss shouted back.

Zevran tightened his grip on the black woman's waist. "Your friend doesn't seem to value your life much..."

"Put down the weapon, and we'll talk!" the guard barked.

"Don't take me for a fool, idiot!" Zevran knew that with the guard, he'd have to speak the language of force, a conversation he'd likely lose. Zevran needed to use his wit and agility. "I know you know where Dina is, just as you knew I was looking for her!"

"The thád a pher guest... you're Zevran!" Siss sneered.

"Here in the flesh, my lady!" he grinned. "Pleased to meet you! I know it wasn't my blade your friend was expecting to penetrate her body, but today's just one of those days, sorry. So, if you want to save her, start singing; I'm listening to the choir, high and low voices alike!" he said, glancing at Siss and the guard on the stairs.

The silence stretched. They all stood motionless. Finally, Zevran clicked his tongue in frustration. "Beautiful blackbird, will you sing to me...? For your own life, if not for others to save you, hmm?"

Ebony's head turned cautiously toward him, slowly, to avoid slicing her own throat with a sudden movement. Her fingers reached his hair, gently pulling his head closer, and whispered in his ear.

"Sir, please, don't kill me..."

"Let's skip that line, move along."

"The guard...! I saw them, one night he secretly took the girl you're looking for. It must have been them!" she pointed toward the stairs.

Siss looked up at the man in annoyance, then at the black-skinned girl, uncertain who she hated more.

The guard at the landing, however, knew well, glaring furiously at Ebony. "She's lying!"

As a thank-you, Zevran planted a big kiss on her cheek before pushing her away, Ebony didn't mind the shove one bit, scrambling off to the corner.

Zevran grinned as he looked at the guard, who slowly, with his massive frame, began descending the stairs.

"Come on, bear, let's play tag!"

A faint fire burned in the fireplace, and Zevran ran over, grabbed a half-burnt stick, and disappeared down a corridor with a mischievous laugh.

Siss watched him go with fear, and the guard hurried down the stairs, turning down the hallway, but Zevran was already nowhere to be found.

"Where...? Where did he go?" Siss shrieked hysterically.

The hulking guard thundered down the ground-floor corridor, flinging open doors one by one, but Zevran was nowhere to be found.

"Did he vanish into thin air?! Capture him!" Siss's commands weren't doing the brawny man's nerves any favours. He barked back, "Shut up! Ebony and you stay behind me—and keep close!" Drawing a dagger from his boot, he gripped it tightly and moved forward cautiously.

On the upper corridor, Zevran leaned back against the wall, appearing to play idly with a piece of wood, tossing it in the air and catching the unburnt end again and again. When he saw them, he grimaced reproachfully. "Finally! Took you long enough to get here. Seriously, don't you live here?"

Behind him stood boxes piled high with fireworks rockets.

At the end of the corridor, Siss and Ebony peeked out fearfully over the guard's shoulder and arm.

"Sir...! That could kill all of us...!" Ebony murmured.

"Really?" Zevran didn't appear to take the advice seriously as he walked towards the boxes, juggling the stick above them a bit more. "I wasn't planning to stay long. Thought I'd just leave this here and be on my way." He leaned down towards the boxes slowly.

"Stop, stop!" The guard shouted, reaching towards him with splayed fingers, but he dared not step closer.

"Don't like the idea? Well then, I'm still listening. So, where is Dina? Don't tell me you're hiding her here somewhere?"

"She's not here!"

"Well then...?" The flame inched dangerously closer to the boxes.

Zevran could see the guard's face contorting, teetering on the edge of giving in and speaking up, even with the current head of the brothel standing right behind him. The tattooed curve on Zevran's face stretched into a smile, his ears pricking in anticipation of information. The guard knew he had no other choice.

But then, unexpectedly, a door opened between the three of them and Zevran. A drowsy, all-too-familiar voice...

"What's all this racket? I thought I heard shouting, don't—"

The man's words trailed off when he looked at Zevran, who had frozen mid-motion. In an instant, the playful smugness vanished from the elf's face. The two men stared at each other in silence.

"Alistair...?"

It wasn't a question; Zevran's tone was coloured purely by shock.

Alistair tried to muster a smile. "Zevran? What are you doing here?"

"Me?!" Zevran ruthlessly tossed the question back at him. The knight glanced about uncertainly, perhaps hoping for help from Siss.

The silence dragged on too long, and Zevran realised the answer.

"You bloody traitor."

Alistair's eyes and mouth opened wide.

"You abandoned Morrighan and the others!"

"As if I was the one who left them first!" Alistair snapped back.

"The red lady knew I was searching for Dina!" Zevran flung the burning stick towards Siss, who shielded herself and retreated. "How long would you have kept gossiping behind my back until you let something truly important slip, eh?" Zevran's mind raced with countless ways to end Alistair's life at that moment, none of them particularly pleasant.

"Were you loyal to me and my cause?"

"I was! Though now I regret it. You're not worthy of being a ruler."

Zevran took a deep breath, the wood in his hand now almost entirely burnt. He sighed, looked at the guard and the two women, and even smiled.

"Sir, I'll await you at Tharoden's Inn! If you don't show up, I'll be forced to visit this fine establishment again! Ladies, my thanks as well; to the lovely black-haired lady in particular for her assistance! This has been the most thrilling brothel visit I've ever had! Farewell!" He was about to turn away, but looked back once more. "Oh, and one more thing. You, Alistair... well... I don't even know, maybe... go fuck yourself."

With that, he plunged the stick, flame-side down, into the topmost box, took off down the corridor, heading for the balcony in the room overlooking the street.

He could still hear Siss shrieking for water and someone frantically stomping down the stairs as Zevran leapt out onto the balcony, back onto the half-storey rooftop, then down to the darkening street below.

Two rockets burst through the roof of the brothel as Zevran leapt gracefully aside from the falling tiles. The onlookers stared in awe and fear at the spectacle, while Zevran strutted away with a cocky grin, counting the sound of the explosions as he went.