Chapter Four
A soft knock on her hotel room door woke her from a dream starring the scarred stranger walking away from her while she cried. The intensity of the emotions reverberated through her body as she sat up.
“Sarah, are you awake?” Penny’s soft voice came through the door.
“Just a second.” She grabbed her cell phone, confused why her alarm was set to go off an hour ago but never did.
Not being a morning person, she dragged her feet to the door and opened it.
“Oh my god, what did you do to your hair?”
Confused, she reached up and gave her an equally perplexed look. Penny followed her as she rushed into the bathroom to check the mirror. She scowled as Penny continued to laugh at her. Tiny knots and braids took up every part of her head.
“How in the hell did this happen? She swore when she went to sleep last night her hair was not like this.
“Maybe the brownies and sprites didn’t like you coming back with chocolate breath and none for them?” She held her stomach as she gasped for air between howls of laughter.
“You did this, didn’t you? Did the Innkeeper let you in?”
Her hands flew up in a defensive pose. “Don’t look at me, I never came in here. Maybe you drank more than you thought at dinner last night? Let me tell Asald we need a few minutes.”
In utter shock and confusion, Sarah turned back to the mirror and attempted to start unraveling her hair, cursing at Penny for laughing her way out of my room.
“Good news, Asald said there is a hairdresser in town. If I remember correctly, you haven’t done anything besides a basic haircut in years. How about we let them take care of this rat’s nest and maybe throw some color in there too?”
“I don’t know how you did this but I will get you back.”
“I swear, I had nothing to do with this.”
“Riddle me this, if it was the brownies why didn’t they mess with you guys?”
“That’s easy, we left chocolate kisses on the dresser.” Penny winked at Sarah’s astonished face and tossed something at her. “Take this and meet me downstairs when you are dressed.” She caught the knit cap and laid it on the counter.
“Fine, you win, give me fifteen minutes.”
She stuck her tongue out at Penny’s retreating back while she contemplated retribution. She didn’t know why Penny couldn’t be like a normal friend and just tell her she looked like crap and needed a makeover.
***
“Seriously?” Sarah rolled her eyes as they stood outside the hair salon.
“Well, I guess it makes sense she would know a lot about hair.”
“This town is so weird.” She shook her head as they walked inside.
“Welcome to Medusa’s Locks, can I help you?”
“I had a little mishap last night and was hoping you could rescue me.”
“And she’d like some color added too.” Sarah gave Penny a side eye before smiling at the young girl wearing an aqua colored wrap around her head, the color made her eyes stand out, almost hypnotically large and beautiful.
“Come sit down and let me see what we have to work with.”
With a resigned sigh, Sarah sat down and pulled the cap off her head. She gave the girl credit, she didn’t laugh. “Oh, you poor thing, I suppose you are at the Inn. Didn’t they warn you to leave chocolates out?”
Sarah couldn’t help the exasperated look she gave the girl. “Yes, he did but I know it was a joke.”
“Of course, it was.” She smiled and got started on the back of her head. “Sit back and relax, this is going to take a while.