Michael could hear the noise of the public being worked up to a frenzy outside, some speaker, perhaps a doomsayer or politician was clearly inciting the crowd. The thought of so many people gathered closely together, coin purses practically begging to be lightened by one skilled enough to oblige them without alerting their current holder, was a tempting thought, but for now he was already busy relieving men from their gold.<br/><br/><em>Too many opportunities and not enough time</em>, Michael lamented internally as he laid down the winning hand. Groaning audibly the other men threw their cards on the table, one of which decided he had lost enough coin for the day and excused himself from the table.<br/><br/>Suppressing a grin, Michael collected his winnings and pulled the modest sized collection of coins across the table to him. Noting the blue painted coin mixed in with his stack of winnings, he shoved them quickly into his coin purse and told the others it was time to get home to the wife, lest she find him in the pub gambling away their life savings. No one objected, he’d taken enough of their money that they no doubt feared the same themselves.<br/><br/>As Michael made his way to Bakkheia he mused that the crowd gathered earlier seemed to have dispersed.<em>Another time</em>, he thought to himself.<br/><br/><br/><br/>“Sorry to keep you waiting. I had a date with a pretty girl.” Michael smirked as he walked in to see several others in the room with Daemus. Michael leaned against the wall and playfully rolled the painted blue coin down across his knuckles and back up again as he observed the others and waited for Daemus to speak.<br/>