The party passes by me to say their goodbye's. Hadrian gives me a pat on the back, thanking me for the excellent service, and gives me the signal to meet him at the appointed time, early tomorrow morning. I bow my head in acknowledgement and respect.

Returning to the dining room, I see that Dia has already begun to clear away the remnants of the dinner. She seems tired, which makes her more determined to finish up what needs to be done. I admit I like the girl, so even though my job is done for the evening, I begin helping her to clean up.

"Thank you, Achillas," she says, "but you do not have to help with this."

"Don't be silly. It is my pleasure to help you. The sooner this is done, the sooner we both can get some rest."