Chapter 10: roads part
The rest of our trip passed in peace. I finished the next batch of potions, nearly making up for everything we'd used after the battle, and then spent the evening walking beside the cart, darting off whenever I spotted some herb worth gathering. By the time we stopped, I'd built up a respectable little stockpile.
Our campsite was much quieter that evening. Instead of sitting around a fire, we all slept beneath the wagons for the bit of extra protection they offered. I was exempt from the watch rotation, but when I woke early, I stayed up with the people who weren't sleeping, helping with breakfast and tending to the horses. It was my first real experience with the animals, so I learned more than I actually contributed, but I think the effort was appreciated. I'd always been curious about riding, and getting to handle them at all felt like a small step toward it.
I'd learned a few things that evening, too. The first was that my sword was utterly ruined. I had planned to do some maintenance on my weapons, but when I found it, the blade was bent, and the tip had snapped off. When the second monster tumbled with it still impaled, that had been the end of it. I hadn't noticed when I tore it free in the chaos of the fight.
That led me to another realization. It had been a terrible weapon for fighting monsters larger than a man. The side sword was compact and light, and it had served me well in the forest, but its thin blade was never meant for the kind of damage needed against massive creatures. Out here, a more versatile weapon would be necessary.
When I raised the issue, Thane was more than happy to help. He talked me through several weapon styles and then took the time to show me how to handle his greatsword. The blade was a couple of inches taller than I was, but that mattered far less once he began demonstrating the movements.
I already had a solid foundation in fencing, a discipline that wove multiple weapon traditions into a single, structured practice. One of those was the bastard sword, which shared many of the same fundamentals, though the greatsword leaned far more heavily into wide, sweeping motions meant for crowd control and large opponents. I picked it up much faster than I expected, to the surprise of the entire group, and I found the weight and momentum of the weapon oddly satisfying. By the end of the lesson, I wanted one.
That led to the next thing I learned that evening. As much as I wanted one of those weapons, they were expensive, and I did not have a single coin to my name. Or so I thought.
Saros corrected me with a grin. First, I would be getting paid for the trip. That included an allowance for my damaged gear, which would cover a good portion of the cost of a new sword and replacing my ruined dress. Beyond that, three-quarters of the potions I made were to be purchased by the merchants if they were not needed along the way. That alone would be a decent sum, enough to keep me supplied for some time. But the monsters were the real prize.
They had been a mutated, advanced evolution of a creature called a barghest. I recognized the name. I had read about the giant, black, dog-shaped monsters before, but I would never have placed what we fought in the same category. These might even be a new variant. We had their heads and several sketches to turn in at the Adventurers' Guild when we reached our destination.
There would be a standing bounty for barghests in this region, but these two were dangerous enough to possibly have a special reward attached to them. Even if they did not, the confirmed discovery of a new strain would be worth a separate payment. In the best-case scenario, I might have enough when all was done to buy a proper sword and perhaps a few pieces of armor to go with it.
I hadn't cared much for money until recently. I had never needed it, and I had only been focused on finding my way home. But I still had a long distance to travel, and the problems of having none were becoming more apparent.
I didn't need money to make the trip. I could keep traveling as I had been, feeding on people and monsters along the way if necessary. But I was enjoying traveling like this. Once I returned to the Dark Forest, I would return to that old way of living as well. This felt like an opportunity to see the world through different eyes.
I had no doubt I could make it work. Even with my small, portable alchemy lab, I could likely pay my way across the country. Still, more money would make the journey faster and vastly more enjoyable. I also knew that money would help me blend in once I reached the Cathedral of Valoria. If I had any chance of beating the clock on obtaining my class, that would be paramount.
Our second day of travel was just as peaceful as the first, and I knew we were nearing civilization again as we began passing small farms, crossroads, and other travelers. I spent most of that time listening to stories of adventure from the others, going through the basics of how money worked in the kingdom with a very suspicious Lina, and occasionally hopping down to collect new herbs and reagents.
By the end of the trip, my collection had grown so large that my rucksack and alchemy bag were stuffed to the brim. I tried to solve that problem by brewing a few extra potions for myself, using anything I had ingredients for. That was how I missed our approach to Merrywood Crossroad.
From its name, I expected a crossroads town, perhaps with an inn and a few houses. Instead, when the cart stopped and I hopped down to see what was happening, I found we were being inspected at the gates of a small, walled town. I was ushered back into my seat and waited patiently while travel papers were examined and fees exchanged. When we finally stopped for the evening, it was to unload the wagons at a merchant guild warehouse and settle accounts.
I earned fifteen gold coins for my share of the caravan's work, and the merchants agreed to pay one hundred and twenty gold for my ruined sword, but only if I surrendered the blade and its ornate scabbard. Thane assured me it was a fair price, so I accepted. In place of payment for my damaged dress, I negotiated for a waterproof satchel with many compartments, intending to use it to store my alchemy reagents.
By the time I finished, everyone else was already waiting for me, and Saros finalized the sale of the potions, earning me another two hundred and seventy gold.
As we walked down the main road toward an inn, Saros said, "Mirela, you're welcome to stay with us tonight. I'll ask around in the morning and see if I can find any promising groups heading toward Valoria. I'm sure plenty of people will be traveling that way, maybe even someone we know."
"I would appreciate that. Thank you, Saros." The words came out as polite and cheerful as I could manage, but I knew I hadn't quite gotten it right.
Kael wrapped me in a brief one-arm side hug, causing me to stiffen slightly. "Don't look so down. We'll see each other again."
I nodded. "Yes, I know. Don't worry. I am fine. I enjoyed the company, that's all. Time marches on."
Lina laughed. "Well, we enjoyed having you, too. Aside from the small incident with the monsters, everything was very smooth."
I looked around at them. "Will I really see you all again?" I wasn't sure why it mattered so much, but the thought had been sitting in the back of my mind since my talk with Lina about friendship.
Saros answered for the group. "I'm certain we'll meet again. One day, we'll head toward Angelshade and make sure to visit you."
Lightening the mood, Saros began to tell me about the town as we walked through it, pointing out different places and sharing bits of history or stories from times the group had visited before. Soon, we were walking up the steps to a large building with a sign hanging above the door: The Traveler's Respite.
"Lina, why don't you and Mirela take care of things here? We'll swing by the Adventurers' Guild and get everything sorted."
Lina nodded. "Sure thing," she said, then tilted her head toward the inn.
I moved to follow her, and we stepped through the double swinging doors. The common room was warm and inviting. A low hum of conversation filled the air, and more than half the tables were occupied. The smell of food was overwhelming in the best way, and I caught myself staring a little too long at the handful of meals being carried past. We came to the bar, where a proprietress younger than I had expected waited for us with a smile.
"Welcome! What can I do for you fine young ladies today?"
I couldn't help the twitch on the corners of my lips at her tone, especially since she looked to be Lina's age. Lina grinned back. "Hello, Erin. Do you have any rooms available for the night?"
Erin's face lit up in a way that told me she was familiar with the party. She nodded toward Lina. "You bet. I've got three rooms, so you'll have to double up if the whole team's here. I'm guessing she's with you?"
"Yes. Erin, meet Mirela. Mirela, this is Erin. She's the most trustworthy innkeeper in the county."
Erin held out a hand, which I shook. "She's right!" she told me with absolute confidence.
Their mood was infectious, and I felt a smile creep onto my face. "It's very nice to meet you."
Lina got straight to business. "How much do we owe you?"
"I've only got the big rooms tonight, so five gold each. Meals are included."
That didn't sound like much to me, but Lina coughed, and I saw her wide eyes at the cost. I took out fifteen coins and set them on the counter. "I'll cover it. As thanks for you helping me so much on the way here."
"Mirela, we should all be splitting the cost," Lina chided. I understood why. She had just spent most of the journey teaching me how money worked.
I shook my head. "No, this one is mine. I learned a lot from you all on the way here. This is fair."
She sighed, exasperated, but didn't argue. Erin slid three pairs of keys across the counter.
"Here you go. If things are calm tonight, I'll try to come out and visit for a bit!"
I took the keys with a smile and a word of thanks, and we found a table while we waited for the others. We didn't have to wait long. Just as they came through the door, a serving girl began setting down plates of food and drinks, already knowing where everyone would sit and what they liked.
My plate was set in front of me, a little larger than the others, with a sample of nearly everything on the menu. Venison, herb-crusted chicken, and a bowl of wild game stew. There were sides as well: root vegetables, bread, mashed potatoes, and greens. I had no idea what any of it was until Lina pointed to each dish without being asked and explained them to me. This was a favorite place for them, and she was excited to share it with me.
We ate while they talked about people they had run into at the Adventurers' Guild, all names and stories that went straight over my head, until Saros said something that caught my attention.
"Mirela, about tomorrow. I ran into Sir Cedric Brightshield. He was one of my instructors and a very trustworthy knight. He's traveling with a group escorting the younger Ashford boy to Valoria for the festival. I asked him if you could join their party. He is going to discuss it with his lord and his minders. If they agree, we couldn't have asked for a better group for you to travel with. They may want to meet you tonight."
That was far faster than I expected, but I relaxed my wide eyes and nodded, "Thank you, Saros. I hadn't expected things to go so quickly, but I will be ready."
I thought about it while sampling the food and trying to finish as much of my plate as I could. I was glad when the others helped themselves to what I couldn't eat. It had been far too much for me alone. When we finished, and the conversation began to fade, Saros stood, and we followed his lead.
"Let's go upstairs. We can talk through a few more things and sort out the rooms for the night."
The three rooms we had were the largest in the inn. They weren't extravagant, but each had two large, clean beds, chairs, baths, and writing desks. We went into the first room together and stood in a small circle.
"First things first," Saros began. "There was a bounty on those two. A thousand gold each. Mirela killed one on her own, and she helped kill the other. We should take that into consideration for the split."
I interrupted him at once. "No. I'd rather have an even split. I was late to the fight, and everyone risked their lives. Besides, I'm going to start having trouble carrying that much money."
Everyone laughed, and Saros said, "If that's what you want. But if you're worried about transporting it, you should stop at the Adventurers' Guild and open an account. Or change some of it into bars or platinum to save on space. All right. Four hundred each."
He began pulling small gold bars from his bag and passed four to each of us.
"Next, rooms. Kael and Thane, I'm sure you two are fine sharing a room. Lina…"
"I'll stay with Mirela tonight," she cut in.
He nodded. "Then it's settled. For the morning, I've arranged for us to take another job on the way home. We'll be meeting to discuss details after noon, so we can sleep in. Mirela, I'm still waiting to hear back from the other group. I've also asked some friends to listen for more options."
"If that's everything," Lina said, already shooing the men toward the door, "you can take your keys so Mirela and I can wash the road dust off."
I wasn't particularly dusty, having stayed in the wagon for most of the trip, but my hair was in terrible shape. It had been rinsed after the battle while I was unconscious, but it felt dry and tangled, and I would have appreciated a bath even without that. I didn't sweat the way most people seemed to, but I still didn't feel clean.
I handed out the keys and smiled as Lina herded the boys out of the room. The moment the door shut, she rushed to the tub and twisted a pair of pipes. Water began pouring in. I didn't sense any magic and leaned closer to inspect it.
"It's too expensive to have enchanted water stones in every room," she said when she caught my interest. "Especially hot ones. So they keep them in one place and pipe the water to the rooms that need it. Kitchen, baths, that sort of thing."
"Would you like to go first?" I asked.
She shook her head immediately. "No. You first, and you'd better hurry. You wouldn't want to disappoint at your little interview with the princeling."
"Princeling?" I asked, starting to undress.
Lina grinned. "The Ashford boy is a count's son. Not really a prince, but close enough that I'd avoid him."
"Then why are you sending me with them?" I asked. "Shouldn't I avoid them too?"
She snorted. "You'll be fine. Besides, it's only a few days of travel. Now get in before the water gets cold."
I sighed at her tone but climbed into the tub. I leaned back, soaking my hair and letting the dust rinse away. She came over and added scented oil to the water.
"Soak for a minute," she said. "I'll wash your hair. You've got enough of it to drown someone."
I laid back with only my face above the water and hummed my thanks. After so long away from home, the simple act of resting in a bath felt divine. I must have stayed there longer than I realized, because eventually Lina lost patience and poked me in the nose. She grabbed my hair and started working through it as soon as I sat up.
"I hung your dress up next to the cleansing stone," she said. "It's not the same as washing it, but it'll make any dust fall away. It smelled fine, but I sprayed it with a little perfume to be safe."
I couldn't help but chuckle. "You're taking this very seriously. If they don't like me, I'll just walk on my own."
She scoffed. "Maybe you will, but you should take it seriously anyway. They might be your golden ticket into that cathedral."
"That… is an excellent point," I admitted reluctantly.
She nodded, fingers massaging my scalp. "Besides, it's obvious you need to network more if you don't even know who he is. All you noble sorts are supposed to know each other."
"Hey! I do know who his family is. I just don't know him specifically! And I'm not a noble."
"Of course," she said dryly. "And I'm sure that's why you almost forgot to deny it that time. What's your family name, anyway?"
"Beaumont, which I'm sure you'll recognize, is not a noble family in Aranthor."
Lina burst out laughing. "I knew it. Nice try. I've been to Lysandra! Don't you know commoners don't have family names? We just use our professions."
I had known that, but I knew little about Lysandra. The Republic of Lysandra had strict laws about adventurers staying out of the Dark Forest, and Father disliked talking about the place. Of course, I'd learned about it, but nowhere near as deeply as I knew Aranthor. I was about to ask what she meant by bringing up Lysandra when there was a knock at the door.
"Hold that thought," Lina said quickly drying her hands and moving to the door. She opened the door a crack, only enough to see who'd knocked, and straightened in surprise. "Sir Cedric! I didn't expect you to come yourself. Lady Mirela is in the bath. She will be finished soon. Will you wait in the common room?"
A weathered, mature voice responded, "Of course. Lady Mirela, is it? I'll be sure to pass that along."
I heard him turn and begin to walk, and the moment the door shut behind him, I sputtered, "Lina, what are you doing? You can't tell him that!"
"I can't not tell him that, either. Let's get your hair rinsed out and get you dressed."
Annoyed, I thought I understood her meaning. If I were a lady traveling with another noble, they might be more inclined to accept me. I sighed and dunked my head under the water as she grabbed a pitcher and began rinsing the oils from my hair.
Soon, I was out of the bath. There wasn't enough time to let my hair fully dry, so Lina squeezed the worst of the water from it and pinned it up in a style that at least made me look presentable. My dress was perfectly clean again and smelled faintly sweet. I was fairly certain I did as well. I had grown very fond of the scented oils and soaps.
I made my way downstairs. Lina walked me as far as the stairs before turning back to claim her own bath. At the table below, I spotted the newcomers. I hadn't met them before, but somehow, I knew exactly who they were.
Sir Cedric Brightshield still wore his gambeson, a surcoat laid neatly over it, and he stood close beside his charge. He was a tall, broad-shouldered man with short, wavy brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He looked to be in his forties, yet his strong jawline still held beneath a neatly trimmed beard.
Laurent Ashford was dressed simply, though in clothing of the finest quality. He seemed to be near my age and radiated a youthful, determined energy. He stood as I entered the room, and I took in his tousled golden-brown hair, bright green eyes, and athletic build. It was not what I had expected when I pictured a high noble. Every movement he made felt full of optimism and excitement. I found that I liked him at once, and I had no idea why.
As I stepped forward, he offered a slight bow, holding my gaze. I returned the curtsy, maintaining eye contact in turn.
"It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Laurent Ashford. I heard you are in need of an escort to Valoria." Even his voice was warm and confident.
I smiled despite myself. "I am honored to make your acquaintance. Please call me Mirela."
He seemed to relax somewhat at that. "You are very kind. Then, please call me Laurent."
Sir Cedrick wasn't as content to let my sidestep slide. "I'm sorry, my lady. Your maid did not give us your family name."
I looked at him in confusion, "Lina? She's not my maid. She is an adventurer I have been traveling with."
"Then perhaps you would enlighten us?" he pressed.
I gave a slow shake of my head. "I apologize, but no, I will not. For my safety, I would rather not say."
Laurent stepped in smoothly. "You are traveling with adventurers and no attendants?"
"I was traveling with adventurers to this town," I corrected. "From here, I will find another group or travel alone."
Laurent grinned. "I imagine there is an interesting story behind that."
I hummed thoughtfully, then decided there was little harm in telling him. I would just keep it simple and vague.
"It has been more interesting than I expected, yes. I was kidnapped near Angelshade, outside the Dark Forest, by pirates. They poisoned me, and I woke on their ship. After a few days of starving in a cage, sea monsters attacked during a storm, and the ship was grounded. I escaped to shore with the last survivor of the crew, who died there. I followed the shoreline until I found a town, where I met these adventurers. They agreed to let me travel with them because of my healing and alchemy skills. Now we are parting ways, and I am going to Valoria, where I intend to get assistance with unlocking my class before I continue home."
"And where is that?" Cedrick asked, much to my annoyance.
I gave him a pointed look, "I'd rather not say."
He held my gaze and shook his head. "I'm sorry, my lady. That isn't good enough. We need to know who we're traveling with."
"I see. Well then, thank you for your time. I'm going to go back upstairs and finish drying my hair." I added a small curtsy and turned to leave.
"Wait." Laurent cut in, then turned to Cedrick. "We can't let a lady roam the countryside alone. She doesn't even have a class. What does the stone say?"
With an irritated sigh, Cedrick let a crystal on a chain drop into his hand. It glowed with a bright green inner light. "It says she speaks the truth. That hardly means she's safe to travel with."
"Did you not say she was recommended by one of your students?" Laurent asked, lifting a brow.
"Yes. And like all men, he could be mistaken. Don't let a pretty face sway your judgment."
Laurent looked back at me and grinned before quickly schooling his expression. "That has nothing to do with it."
I tilted my head. "You think I'm pretty?"
He laughed, but Cedrick's expression only tightened. His constant judgment had already begun to wear thin, and it drained the humor from the moment.
I glanced at his truth stone and then met his eyes. "I am no danger to Laurent, or to anyone I choose to travel with who treats me with basic courtesy. I cannot imagine a situation in which I would bring him or your party more danger than already exists, short of whoever hired my kidnappers deciding to come after me again. That seems unlikely. I doubt they even know their first attempt failed, and even if they did, they would have no way of knowing where I am."
I let the words settle before continuing, my voice colder. "But if traveling with your group means enduring your constant insinuations, scrutiny, and insults, I would rather walk alone."
Silence stretched between us before Laurent cleared his throat. "Well… that was very direct."
"It should have been direct from the beginning." I inclined my head slightly. "Good luck on your journey. I hope you have a pleasant evening."
Then I turned and went back upstairs.
I heard them talking as I left, but I tuned them out. I was done with that situation. I had expected them to want to talk and get to know me, but I hadn't expected the unwarranted insults. I knew I was being prideful, but I refused to be treated like that. I would find my own way.
I stepped back into the room, closed the door, and turned to see an expectant Lina staring at me from the bath.
"So. How did it go?"
"They didn't like me very much. At least, Sir Cedric does not. I didn't like him much, either. I won't be traveling with them." I walked past her, took my hair down, and went to sit near the window.
"That is… unfortunate. But that's okay. There are a lot of people traveling that way. I'm certain we can find someone."
I looked at her for a moment but shook my head. "It's not a concern. I can take care of myself."
In truth, I was tired of the situation. An opportunity had presented itself, but I hadn't gone looking for it, and having it not work out wasn't exactly a burden. Besides, I could likely afford to rent space with someone traveling in the same direction now.
I cracked open the shutters to let the breeze in and pulled my bags over to unload my herbs, sorting them carefully into the new satchel. A few minutes later, Lina got out of the bath and dried off before coming to kneel across from me. She watched for a few seconds and began to help once she understood what I was doing.
"I'm sorry if that was my fault."
I looked up to her, "It wasn't. That knight would have been overprotective no matter who went down there." She nodded, and we started sorting, but a tension I wasn't used to made me aware I was still feeling a little upset about the situation. "You told me you'd keep my secrets. You thought you'd figured one out, and then you told a stranger. I know you were trying to help, but it wasn't okay to do that without talking to me first."
She nodded without looking away from her sorting. "That was not my finest moment. I'm sorry. But you have to understand how intimidating these people are to commoners. What if he found out and then came after me for lying?"
I snorted and then laughed at how much it sounded like her. "Lina, if you're afraid of a knight coming after you, what exactly do you think will happen with 'Lady Mirela' being angry at you? I eat knights for breakfast,"—which was true. I'd definitely eaten a few knights. Her face went blank, and she paled slightly, but I only laughed again. "Don't worry. I think I've decided not to eat my friends."
"I find your phrasing more than a little disturbing, my lady."
I glared at her, "Don't start that nonsense."
She looked up with a grin, and we laughed, but a knock at the door interrupted us. She rolled her eyes and said, "I'll get it."
"Just as my maid should," I called after her, barely hiding my grin.
I shook my head and returned to sorting.
She opened the door, and I heard Laurent's voice. "I'm sorry to interrupt. May I come in?"
I looked up to see her stepping aside with a nervous curtsey. He stepped in, and I smirked at him.
"So you do think I'm pretty."
He let out a quiet breath that might have been a laugh. "I hope you will forgive Sir Cedric. It has been his duty to guard me since I was an infant. He takes it too seriously." His gaze shifted toward the spread on the floor. "What is all of this?"
I waved a hand over my herbs and berries as if presenting something priceless. "We spent the trip gathering supplies for my alchemy. It was a good season for it."
"You're an alchemist, then?" he asked, lowering himself to kneel where Lina had been.
I shrugged. "Not exactly. I have the skill. I haven't unlocked a class yet. I was hoping to get help with that in Valoria."
"You as well?" he asked, and at my look of confusion, he added, "I mean… I'm in the same position. I'm one of the rare few who can only unlock their class on their eighteenth birthday."
The words hit me like a hammer. "You are? I've never heard of that before. Please, tell me more."
He inclined his head slightly. "The Oracle foretold it. I've trained for years toward the paladin path, but I'm meant to wait."
He said it as if it hardly mattered. As if I hadn't spent my entire life training toward multiple paths, grinding myself thin just for a chance to choose. How had the Oracle told him? Had he visited her often? Why had no one ever mentioned this was possible? It was difficult to believe it could have been overlooked, not with the resources waiting for me back home.
I must have been quiet for too long because he asked, "Are you alright, Mirela?"
I focused on him again at his words, "Yes, of course. I am just curious why no one told me this was a possibility. I have been training hard my entire life to meet the requirements for so many classes."
He laughed, "Really?" I shot him a look, and he held his hands up, "Sorry, I shouldn't laugh. That must have been rough."
I shook my head. "No, it wasn't. It was challenging, but I enjoyed it. That doesn't mean worrying about failing to obtain a class hasn't weighed on me."
"I think I understand that," he said. "Well, perhaps we can go to the Cathedral together. That's why I came up here. The final say is mine. I would like to invite you to travel with us. I think you were being reasonable, even if Cedric is… paranoid."
I stopped working and looked him in the eye. "I do not like scrutiny. My secrets are my own. If you are willing to guarantee that I will not be harassed, I will travel with you and use my alchemy and healing where needed."
He studied me in silence for a moment, as though weighing something.
Then he said lightly, "I can't decide if you're difficult on purpose or just the sort of girl people underestimate. Back where I'm from, we'd have called someone like that a… tsundere. Or maybe the girl next door type."
His words were spoken carefully, like he was tasting the words. They didn't make sense. They shouldn't have. They weren't even from a language I knew. And yet something about them slid into place in the back of my mind. I understood them without understanding why.
He didn't smile. Didn't laugh. He only watched, waiting for my reaction.
"You have a very unique way of speaking," was the only reply I gave him, letting my voice stay perfectly neutral.
After a moment, he nodded. "I see. I will ensure that no one harasses you. But don't expect anyone to treat you as a commoner, disguised or not. You may not wish people to know your name, but no one will mistake you for Mirela Tailor or Mirela Stover."
"I'm sure either of those would be fine noble names." I sighed, but then made up my mind and gave a curt nod. "Thank you for coming to speak with me, Laurent. I accept."
He smiled, "That's good. We'll be leaving tomorrow near noon. Will you meet us at the south gate?"
I returned his smile, "That should be enough time for me to run my errands. I'm looking forward to it. I think this will be fun."
He left soon after, and as Lina closed the door behind him, she gave me a devilish grin.
"Well, you two get along. He even looks your age. Do you think you'll keep traveling with him past Valoria?"
I began putting my sorted herbs into the satchel to make room for the rest. "Yes, we do seem to get along. I like him so far, but I doubt we will be going in the same direction after Valoria."
Failing to take her bait didn't dampen her mood at all. "So, this means my mistake earlier is forgiven?" she asked, returning to her seat.
"Of course. I never intended to hold it against you. It was only a mistake."
"Good. Then while you finish this, I'll brush your hair out, if you'll do the same for me. Our hair isn't going to dry before bed otherwise."
TO BE CONTINUED...