The next day, Barns is hard at work again in the pool practicing his breathing exercises. The moment he wakes up, he sprints from the top of his tower wearing nothing but skimpy briefs, and cannonballs into the pool.
It seems like everyone in the kingdom of Dimartino knows that this is Barns' life now, and so he rarely gets an opportunity to be alone.
"And like, maybe I'm just projecting," Eldrie says as Barns surfaces from the water. He'd been monologing, but Barns has hardly heard any of it.
"You don't say," Barns says, slicking his drenched hair out of his face.
Eldrie adjusts himself. He's sitting on a beach chair at the side of the pool, pouring his soul out. Even if Barns isn't listening, it feels good for him to get some things off his chest - maybe even better since Barns isn't an active listener. He can say anything without fear of being judged, as long as Barns is underwater.
"What do you think I should do?"
