"Do you think you can tell me what to do?" Squint-Eye's face distorted, he looked at Lis hatefully. "I see you think you're the boss here and I'm a loser!"
"Yes, exactly," Lis looked at him defiantly. "I respect myself unlike others who follow Nikto like a dog begging him for drugs!"
Squint-Eye started shaking. "Who are you talking about?"
Lis bared his teeth. "About you, you, don't worry, just sit and shut up."
"Lis, why are you treating me like that?" Squint-Eye was barely controlling himself.
"Ah, I've hurt your feelings! Go and cut your arms then, you like to do it! Go, go, you'll feel better!"
Squint-Eye practically went grey with rage.
"Lis, shut your mouth!" Orel yelled.
Enriki wrapped his arm around Squint-Eye's shoulders. "Bert, calm down, don't mind him. Lis is just upset. We all are," he said.
Squint-Eye lifted his hands and squeezed Enriki's fingers.
"It's all right, Rik, I'm in control."
"Where is your ring?" Lis said to Orel suddenly.
"Lis, leave me alone. Go away, all of you! Go!"
"Where is your ring?" Lis raised his voice. "If you don't tell me now, I'll punch your other eye, you know I have a heavy hand!"
"Just try," Tol interfered. "If you touch him, I'll knock out both of your eyes."
"What are you doing?" Enriki cried out in exasperation. "Let's keep at least some decency!"
"Nikto beat Orel up and took his 'royal' ring! And you talk about decency!" Lis was in rage.
"You also beat Orel up and more than once, I know!" Tol stood by Nikto.
"Only when he was begging for it!"
"Nikto didn't beat me up!" Orel yelled. "And I gave him my ring!"
Everyone stared at him.
"Are you complete mad?" Lis asked.
"I'm not going to explain anything! It's my ring, I can do whatever I want to it, got it?"
"I got it," Lis nodded. "You paid Nikto with your ring. You couldn't come up with anything better. I'm disappointed."
"Yes, I couldn't come up with anything better," Orel said quietly. "And I couldn't do anything else, I needed him, I was ready to pay any price, anything to be with him."
"So why isn't he with you now? Why did he take the ring and run?"
"He didn't run. He'll come and heal me! I believe him, do you hear?"
"Wait," Tol interfere. "Wait! I don't understand anything. What does it mean pay Nikto with the ring? Isn't he already with us?"