Page 7 of Twisted Bonds

Bobble chirps and glances over at Sunder, who is amid a heated argument with the burly innkeeper. I maneuver my way through the bustling crowd until I’m standing directly behind him.

Sunder stands with his chest puffed out, clearly feeling offended. His booming voice drowns the noise of the common room out as he bellows, “…ridiculous. Do you know who I…”

Oh no.

The last thing we want is for Sunder to reveal our identities to the entire town. While we are not necessarily fugitives, we have caused some fatalities recently. And there’s still Malicryn to consider.

I try to draw attention away from the tense atmosphere by exclaiming, “Oh, there you are!” The innkeeper looks up at me with relief evident on his face. Sunder, however, remains indignant.

“Mir…my woman,” he mutters irritably, clearly receiving my message about anonymity.

“I think you should come with me.”

He frowns. “I’m trying to secure lodging.”

“Yes and you’re doing a great job.” I look over at the innkeeper. “Thanks anyway. We appreciate it. Have a great night!”

I grab Sunder’s hand, pulling him back toward where Bobble is tucked in the corner.

“Mira, what is the meaning…”

“Bobble found something.”

We both glance down at the orange cat. Bobble stands up, his tail flicking back and forth in excitement. He trots over to a side door, and I trail behind him. Sunder grumbles, but still follows us.

“The innkeeper was clear. There is no room…”

Bobble pushes open a small door on the side and leads us up a flight of stairs. The noise from the bustling common room fades away, and our steps are the only sound on the quiet staircase. At last, we reach an ornate door that catches Sunder’s attention with its grandeur.

“This is the royal room. Innkeepers in towns of certain sizes are always meant to keep one for traveling royalty. The High Elves haven’t come here in an age though,” he murmurs.

A grating noise captures my attention. I bend down and see Bobble playfully pawing at something metallic. A key. “Here,” I say, turning to give it to Sunder. “Will you do the honors?” He looks at me, then at Bobble, and finally cracks one of his rare smiles.

“I suppose I will.”

As I ease into the luxurious bathtub, contentment washes over me, and I let out a satisfied sigh. I settle in between Sunder’s legs, my back pressing into his chest. The steam envelops my body, relaxing my tense muscles in the warmth. The fragrant lavender oils in the water soothe my aches with each deep breath.

“Normally, I’d say that it’s a terrible business practice to maintain a room that only a couple of people will use once a year,” I say as I relax into the enormous bathtub. “However, in this case, I think it’s pretty fucking great.”

Behind me, Sunder hums a soft agreement that reverberates in my chest. I lean into him, his soapy skin sliding easily across mine. “Good thing Bobble and I are royal.”

“Were,” Bobble purrs from his seat beside the tub. Water, it appears, is not his favorite even as a man. He prefers to shower, then sit outside of the bath as Sunder and I soak.

Sunder shifts as he shrugs behind me. “We are still royal. We are still Dan’thiel.”

Bobble looks skeptical, so I hop in. “Well. I appreciate that we’re not really breaking the rules then.”

Wordlessly, Sunder runs his strong fingers in my hair, massaging a lathering shampoo through it. I moan softly as he works each part of my scalp, closing my eyes to bask in his care. “Lord, that feels so good.”

“I am your Lord. Very nice, Mira,” he growls against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.

“It’s a human expression. Hey, speaking of that,” I wait for Sunder to rinse the soap from my hair before I sit up. “Did either of you notice the amount of earth-made goods that were downstairs?”

Sunder frowns. “That is impossible. The portal to earth is sealed. Only the High Elves can access it.”

“Well. Someone clearly sold out. The lights? The children playing on their game consoles?”

Bobble nods. “I noticed. It appears that human devices are infiltrating Illuemera. But how?”

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