“Deal.”
With that, Isla led me in another direction, away from me new home. We walked for what seemed liked miles, me feet heavy and tired from working all day at the hotel. Several blocks past the street leading to where we’d both previously worked, Isla turned us onto a dimly lit street where we made our way into what she called a hair ‘salon.’
I was seated quickly. As the woman behind me snipped away at me long, dark hair, I kept me eyes focused upon the floor. I dinna want to see me reflection in the mirror, each snap of her scissors causing me heart to beat a little faster.
After cutting what I was sure was every hair off the top of me head, she took out a large and frightening object that shot out warm air that she blew onto me wet strands. Once all of them were dry, she continued to mess and spray odd potions into me hair as I sat nervously in the seat. By the time she finished, the city was engulfed in darkness, small street lamps the only visible light outside the window.
“Are ye ready?” They were the first words the woman had spoken to me. With me mouth dry I simply nodded, keeping me eyes squeezed shut as she turned me to face the mirror. “Open yer eyes, dear. If ye doona like it, it’s only hair. It’ll grow back.”
Her argument was sound and slowly I opened my eyes, unable to stop the wide smile that spread across me features as I took in me glorious reflection.
While I was certain I was going to find meself without hair, she’d actually kept a good amount. With the ends lightly curled around me shoulders, each strand of hair seemed to find new life, no longer weighted down.
“I love it.” I smiled and stood, hesitantly reaching a hand out to pat the woman on the shoulder. Twas a gesture that seemed acceptable in this time, and now that me hair seemed to fit, I thought I could at least make an effort to make my behaviors fit as well.
“Great. Now, on to make up and piercing.” Isla stood, extending money toward the hairdresser before motioning that I follow her out of the shop.
The next place we found one block further down and located on a street even more dimly lit than the last. Situated in between two stores on either side, which claimed to draw pictures on people’s skin, we made our way inside the frightening looking shop.
Once again, I was thrust into a seat and handled as the man working obeyed Isla’s orders and held different shapes and sizes of objects up to my ear. Once Isla found one that satisfied her, I was told to sit back and not move as there would soon be a prick.
I relaxed, certain that a prick would be no worse than being stuck by a pin whilst being fitted for a dress. As the man squeezed his fingers together over a foreign contraption, and I felt the rod of the object pierce my skin, I let out a howl I was sure the Conalls could hear all the way back in 1646.
Chapter 6
Conall Castle
1646
“Are ye sure that ye wanna go through with it? I will no be able to sleep a wink while ye are both away. I think ye are being foolish, but ye never wish to listen to me.” Mary fluttered nervously around the spell room, rambling as she listed reasons why Eoin and Bri should not try and go forward to retrieve Blaire, only stopping when she was interrupted by Adelle, who stood anxiously in the doorway.
“She’s right. I miss Blaire, but I’d rather the two of you didn’t risk your own lives to go look for her.”
The two women continued to rant back and forth, talking more to each other than to Eoin or Bri, each doing their best to proclaim themselves as alpha among the mother and mother-figure duo.
Bri looked over her shoulder at Eoin, who had his arms wrapped around her to hold her close. “They aren’t going to stop until we are gone, you know that, right? It’s best that we get going. It will take us a few hours to walk to the inn, and we are going to have some explaining to do about your clothing if we run into anyone at the castle or along the road.”
“Aye lass, I suppose ye are right. What are we to tell them again?”
Eoin squeezed Bri tightly, and she sighed in response to the comfort of his warm arms around her before responding. “Well, let’s hope that we don’t bump into anyone who works at the castle, like a tour guide. If we do, we will just tell them that you wanted to dress up to get into the spirit of things. They will think you’re crazy, but any girl that sees you is just going to be so pleased they had the opportunity to gaze upon you shirtless. I doubt they will care much about your sanity.”
Bri smiled as he chuckled deeply into her ear. “I doona think that is so, lass. I’m no so uncommon looking.”
“Pfff…yeah, whatever.” She paused to twist and give him a swift kiss on the lips. “Let’s shut these two yappers up and get out of here. You ready?”