Book 3 Chapter 40: Uptown Was Exhausting
Jacopo stood on one side of a small hill in Uptown, holding the saber that had been provided to him for the duel. He tested the edge against the flat of his thumb, and found it to be quite dull. Someone trying to tip the duel in the consort’s favor? It didn’t matter. Just another of a long line of annoyances. All of the underhanded nonsense in Uptown was exhausting.
Vampa was in the center of the hill negotiating with the consorts second, another young man who seemed to want to throw his life away as much as his friend did based on how he was yelling in Vampa’s face. Jacopo had wanted to kill the man, but Vampa had insisted that negotiating was the proper thing to do before blood was drawn. He didn’t particularly care if Jacopo did kill the man, but he wanted to make sure it wouldn’t hurt his standing. The fact that the killing wouldn’t hurt his standing as much as ignoring the rules and traditions of a duel was just another thing to add to the long list of absurdities among the Two-Legs.
Eventually Vampa and the other man broke away. Vampa shrugged lazily as he reached him. “Just make it quick. The fool is determined.”
“I’m assuming his lady explained to him that we didn’t sleep together?”
“She did, but you were going to be the latest in a long line.” Vampa shook his head. “Peacocks always think the lady picks them out of love and their own feathers will never lose their luster.”
“Peacock?”
“Big bright bird.”
“Tasty?”
“Depends on how they're cooked.”