Obliged or not, the head start does get Byerly to the door before the bartender, rather than either mercenary, grabs Athessa by the arm and hauls her back a step.

"Oi!" Is his opener. "You ain't paid fer that!"

"I did, though," Athessa counters, coolly. "I paid the same amount you charge everybody else. Saw you counting the coin myself."

"Price's diff'rent fer knife-ears. Or ain't they teach ya that in yer alienage no more?"