<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;"><span style="color: #008040"><div style="text-align: center;">Tessa</div></span></span></span><br/><br/>Tessa had been looking down the river of lava trying to see if it eventually cooled the farther away from the source it got if so they'd be able to cross farther downstream. It seemed like a reasonable idea. She was about to suggest it to David when a voice behind them startled her. The man who had spoken was odd; Tessa couldn't quite place her finger on what was strange about him, but she definitely sensed he wasn't normal there was an energy about him she didn't understand.<br/><br/>“You wear the pants for you boyfriend?” The man asked.<br/><br/>"I don't have a boyfriend." Tessa was saying at the same time David spoke.<br/><br/>“Listen, son, you may not think my time is valuable, but I have two Goosknuckles bakin’ and I ‘aint got time to be standin’ here waitin’ for you to grow some,” a voice spoke softly in their heads [unable to translate into your target language], “and speak.”<br/><br/>“What was that?” David asked Tessa shrugged. The man looked about nervously as if he expected someone to jump out from a bush that didn't exist. David and the man had a few minutes of exchange, an exchange that made Tessa decide the man was a threat. She did not trust him.<br/><br/>“Now, let’s discuss payment. I’ll be needed a lock of hair from each of ya.” Tessa's heart squeezed and her hand rested on her right pocket.<br/><br/>"We cannot pay him in our hair." Tessa hissed out of the side her mouth at David. "Is there money or something in our bag?" Tessa asked David still whispering, her fingers at her pocket as if to check if something was still there. Her face was pinched in worry, she had no idea how to explain sympathetic magic to David. Tessa had read enough urban fantasy novels to know better than giving her full name or something like hair or blood to someone who could do magic, and this man had shown he could do magic. There was a chance he might not know how to use their hair against them, but that wasn't something she was willing to risk. "Or maybe the river cools further down and we can cross safely. This is a terrible idea."