It struck Arcturus as rather odd that the owner of an establishment as busy as this one would pay any particular attention to a customer who didn't stay long. Especially as he'd had his fee already. Arcturus tried to imagine what his brother would do in this situation, but it hardly helped, because Cygnus might have been older, but he was far more reckless than Arcturus had ever been.
It was a drink. He could sit at the bar and not have to look at any of the improper goings-on.
'I really cannot stay,' the young wizard protested. 'I have to meet with someone soon.' Then, more decisively, 'One beer, then, as I want to see the quality of it. I'll see how it matches up to the standards of Everdale.' He hoped that he was managing to hide his discomfort with the situation.