Page 66 of Wrath of the Never Queen

“Oh.” I look him over. It was often low on the priority list to clean him up when he was suffering so greatly, and he usually waited until morning to wash. “I see. Shall I take you to the washroom?”

“Truthfully, I would like the castle baths. But I do not know if I can make it that far.” He glances at the door.

“Do not worry about that. I will help you,” I say, standing up. “The hot water may ease your pains also.”

He gives a heavy sigh and waves a hand weakly.

“Very well,” he says. “I trust your judgement.”

I give him a reassuring pat on the shoulder and stand. The baths are not far, only a few minutes’ walk away, but in Theo’s current state, it will likely feel like a lifetime for him. I scoop an arm under his upper back and lift, helping him onto his feet. He groans, gritting his teeth. I hope I am right about the hot water.

We inch through the halls, taking regularbreaks so Theo can catch his breath. I sense the guards eyeing us, but pay them no mind.

“Not much further,” I soothe him and recall a story I read in dragon text long ago to distract him. “Do you know the dragons of old built many communal baths?”

“Indeed?” he breathes. His face is pinched, but he cocks an eyebrow, intrigued.

“They believed the water had healing properties, as it was so vital to life,” I continue. “They carved great bathhouses out of the side of mountains, bathing in the hot water secretly buried there. Supposedly, there are still some that remain. It is said the hot water springs were the inspiration for dragon magic as they learned how to heal themselves through it. Healing turned to other forms of manipulation, which turned into shapeshifting.”

“Faeth,” Theo mumbles, putting the pieces together. I nod encouragingly.

“Faeth. The ability to change yourself through prayer.”

Theo ruminates on this quietly, some of the tension easing from his expression as the story distracts him.

I feel the warmth emanating from the castle baths before we reach it. Steam pours from between the gaps in the doors, swirling against the cooler air in the castle.

“We have arrived, Theo. You made it,” I tell him, but he is only able to give me a shaky half-smile.

We stumble into the baths, quickly closing the door behind us to keep the warmth in. The air is hot and humid, and the steam is thick. There is a marble runway around the entirety of the large room, shelving various bottles of soaps, shampoos and empty jugs, with steps descending into the baths. Candles, protected from the moisture, hang in glass boxes from the ceiling. The water looks inviting—clear and blue against the white marble—as the steam dances across the surface.

Theo is only wearing his drawers, roughly pulled onto him by the guards when he turned back, so we do not bother to undress him. I help him as he stumbles down the steps into the hot water. His legs nearly buckle beneath him, but I catch him in time, wrapping my free arm around his waist. He is heavy, but I am determined.

“M-My apologies,” he gasps, grimacing.

“I want to hear no apologies from you,” I tell him firmly. “Your only focus is healing.”

We reach the water and, using every muscle I can draw upon, I ease him slowly in. He inhales sharply through his teeth as the hot water touches his feet and then moves further up his legs until finally settling at his chest as he sits. Crimson swirls through the water like red paint as the blood is soaked from his skin. He tips his head back and sighs.

“Yes,” he says, eyes closed. “This is helping.Perhaps the dragons were onto something.”

Relieved, I sit on the step above him and submerge my feet and calves in the water. I wiggle my toes, savouring the sweet burn of the water.

The blood is gently sloughed from Theo under the water, but the part of him above the surface stays stubbornly stuck.

“Would you like me to help clean your face and neck?” I ask him. His eyes flutter open and find mine.

“If you would be so kind,” he replies, a hint of his spirited smile on his lips. “But you will need to come in with me.”

“I am fully clothed.” I laugh.

“In your nightgown.” He shrugs. “It will withstand some water.”

I roll my eyes good-humouredly.

“Very well.” I place my hands palm down on the step and push myself off, sliding into the water next to him.

It is hot but not uncomfortably so. After a second or two, I acclimate and the warmth seeps into my bones pleasantly. I turn to Theo and scoop water into my hands, pouring it over one of his shoulders.

---