Amusement gave me a quick nudge, and I found myself turning a smile on Mesfido. The two of them were a couple, and I had just stepped into some kind of quarrel between the two. It dawned on me that no matter what I did, this would be an awkward situation to get out of, even for someone as slippery as an eel. I was no eel.

"I understand completely."

Only when my hand was on the door and it was halfway open did I look over my shoulder at him, a glint in my little eye, and say, "Sometimes, it's better to let them have their way. Keep it in mind."

Deciduous leaves crunched underfoot when I stepped through, instantly transported to a forest I had probably never been in before. The girl had not gone far, and I could still see her red hair as she flounced her way out ahead of me. She was obviously anything but apologetic about her rudeness, but it would be better not to bring that up in conversation. She had her reasons, and they were good ones. I was going with her anyway.

My decision took long enough that I had to lengthen my stride to catch up with her. The forest did not seem to be ending, and we seemed to be alone, so I gave none of my thoughts to concern over whether some traveler might wonder why a large man with a sword would be trying to catch a rather small woman. The fact that she was pretty would have made the situation more complicated. When my mind closed around that idea, I cursed under my breath and jogged the rest of the way to catch her. I had no intention of getting into a fight over following someone I had been sent to protect.

"Your boyfriend never did mention your name," I commented, plucking a leaf from a low branch and fingering it gently. "Feel like filling in the gaps for me?"

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[Graphics by Me.]

[The signature links to Aleksandr Sokoll.]
["I believe in sleeping." ~ Bruce Lee]