”So," asked Ari, as they headed out of the back alleys,"just what *were* you doing in the sewers?"

Suddenly reminded of her failure, Fai's radiant smile sunk into an embarrassed pout. "Well... I thought it might be a good place to train up. And then I stepped in that stupid snare. Thank the gods for that engineer that came through the tunnel or I'd have been dog food."

"Kobolds... And that engineer guy wouldn't happen to be a dwarf, would he?"

"Uh, yeah. Why?"

Ari just smiled, and said, "Heh. He was working for Tess. He said he found some elf girl tied up down there, but I didn't know he meant you..." She chuckled. "Okay, I can see why you needed to train up. Tomorrow, we finish what you started."

"Ugh..."

They headed to another inn to prep and crash for the night. This one was “The Whole Hog”, known for it’s roast pork, and good mead. The man behind the bar, stopped rubbing it with his cloth for a moment when they walked in, gave the girls an appreciative look, then nodded to the serving wench, who came over and showed them to a table. “Will you be staying or just here for dinner?”

“Staying,” said Fei, and pulled two gold pieces out of her pouch. “Use this to cover the room and anything we order.”

“Yes, ma’am!” she said as her green eyes went wide, “Would you like to go to your room before supper and freshen up?”

“Sure,” interjected Ari, nodding to Fei. “Let’s go get a nap before dinner.”

“Sounds good. Take us to the room please,” Fai said to the brunette barmaid.

“Right away, ma’am.”

She showed them to their room, a nice, comfortable space with two feather beds. She pointed to a crystal affixed to the wall near the door. “Just touch the crystal if you need anything - we’ll hear the chime.”

“Ooh… classy,” Ari said, smirking. “Catch you later.” She then took a flying leap onto the bed to the right. “Calling it. This one’s mine. You can have the other one.”

Fai stretched, yawned, and said, “Fine. Man, getting a new look can take it out of you.”

“It’s cause she used your own mana to complete the spell so her magic wouldn’t show up on you… nothing a good nap won’t fix.”

“Ah. Ok, that makes sense. She dropped her gear in the corner, laid down, and wes fast asleep in a few minutes.

She had some strange dreams… someone stole her face, and left her with another, and no one believed she was who she said she was… it was a bit disturbing, but eventually the dreams stopped and she got some real rest.

A few hours later, Fai awoke to the smell of roast pork and fried potatoes… and right now, it smelled heavenly. The elf stood, stretched, and walked over to the table where Arisa was already digging in.

“Mmmm sho good… yough rilly neeg to trygh ghish stuf.”

“Didn’t anyone ever teach you not to talk with your mouth full?”

She swallowed loudly, “Yep. Didn’t care.”

Fai shook her head. “Where have manners gone?”

“In my tummy with the fooooood!”

Fai put her palm over her face and shook her head. But after a moment, she filled her own plate and was amazed by the flavor… she thought she detected a few fairly exotic spices, but couldn’t place which they were… But whatever they were, they were good. Damned good. She made a mental note to thank the chef later.

Bellies full of good food and good mead, the women planned their assault on the sewers… They would need to use their skills well, for the Kobolds had been aparently entrenched down there for months beneath Lunk, But together, with Ari’s trap-finding and lockpick skills, and Fai’s ranged combat and casting… they felt pretty hopeful they could manage to clear the sewers.

They’d get what’s coming to them for ensnaring her like that. She’d make sure of it.