Page 11 of The Gargoyle's Glade
As the water filled the tub, wonderfully hot straight from the tap, I gathered my supplies. A pitcher for my hair, the shampoo and soap, an unbelievably plush towel. Unable to stand the wait, I stripped down and climbed in before it was even halfway filled.
Back home, we had a bath of course, but nothing like this. This basin was so large and deep, my knees wouldn’t even be above the water if I sank down enough to put my head under. The water was always either scalding or barely warm depending on how impatient I was with boiling pots on the stove that day, and I never had any soaps or shampoos of such high quality. I looked at the door, which I’d closed out of habit. At any given time, someone at home would have been knocking to make me hurry or rushed in to use the toilet. That wouldn’t happen here. I could have left it open.
Guilt pressed in, uninvited and unwelcome, demanding to know how I dared to revel in such luxury knowing full well what little my mother and siblings had back in Ravenglen. I frowned, grappling with the emotion. They were housed, fed, clothed. There would be more to go around now that I wasn’t there, in fact. Life wasn’t always easy, but there was joy. Mother worked, and Mattias would be of age to start at the market soon, or maybe the stables, so that would help. I planned to send somemoney every month once I found work. I’d left behind what I could, as well. It wasn’t like I’d just up and abandoned them with nothing. They could always come to Revalia too.
Before it could take hold again, I shook off the guilt and wave of homesickness that threatened. The heavy feeling in my chest eased, and I sank into the water on a sigh. The bath was everything my body needed after the incident with the owl and the disorienting trip through the portal. I soaked until the water started to cool, then washed in earnest. By the time I moved to get out, I was as relaxed as could be and blinking heavy.
At least, until I reached for my towel and a small, furry creature launched itself at me.
Chapter 6
Coltor
Ifound myself standing in front of the little cabin instead of my own hut.
I’d been lost in my thoughts as I followed the path from the portal through the glade, but I hadn’t beenthatdistracted.
All the young stone kin working on the other new dwellings had already left for the day, half a hut and a partial cabin completed for their day’s labor. I was glad to see they’d heeded my warnings to stick to the paths, sparing the grass and other foliage, but the evidence of their presence still left me feeling oddly intruded upon. The ruins had been mine and only mine so long, having that many people in and out was beyond comprehension. Frowning, I decided to do a thorough inspection of the area during my nightly patrol.
I stared at the cabin, feet planted as though stuck in the mud. I had no reason to be here, yet here I stood.
It was still bright enough out none of the lamps were lit in the windows, and it was too warm yet to need a fire, so there was no smoke coming from the chimney. Signs of life were few, and she very well could have gone with Seir and Hailon to their place, but I got the distinct feeling Merry was inside. After several long moments of internal debate, I decided not to knock on the door—I had nothing to say to her, after all. I did, however, do a quick sweep around the property to be sure everything was in order. It would not do at all for a new guest’s security to be left up in the air.
The windows were all open, which made me curious what life had been like in Ravenglen. I wrestled with a flash of anger, reminding myself that there was nowhere safer than here to do such a thing, after all. This was not a city where someone with ill-intent would accept such a thing as an invitation. And as far as I could tell, nothing seemed out of place or suspicious. Besides that, I could trust my kin. I shook my head, frustrated with my tangled thoughts as I headed back toward the path that would lead to my hut.
But I stopped cold at the sound of her scream.
The sound cut jaggedly through me, and before I had time to breathe through the rush of emotions it evoked, it came again but louder, full of terror. Pulse pounding, I spun, limbs pumping. It seemed I’d barely taken a step at all and was already rushing up the few porch steps and through the front door. The main rooms were dark, which was momentarily disorienting. The shrieking noise came again, then a bang, both from behind the closed bathroom door.
My throat was locked up tight with a cocktail of fear and the instinct to destroy whatever had Merry making that sound. Blade drawn and blood up, ready for battle, I threw open the door.
After stepping through the frame, I froze, utterly unprepared for what I found inside the room.
Merry was barely on the outside of the draining tub, dripping wet and clutching a towel to the front of her body. One slight movement, and every last one of her curves would be on full display. I struggled desperately to tear my focus from her glistening skin as I evaluated the situation.
There was a mix of water and tea splashed on the floor, a teacup broken near her feet and an upended pot slowly leaking its contents out into a puddle. Merry defensively held out one of her arms toward a very angry, very wet squirrel perched on its hind legs on the rim of the tub. It chattered and squeaked, cheeks full and tiny chest heaving. They’d both startled at my sudden entrance, but neither moved.
Her eyes darted to me and she tried to adjust the towel to cover more of her body without lowering her arm. “Saints and devils, what areyoudoing here? Do you just walk in anywhere you please?”
“Of course not! You screamed. I came to help. Your door wasn’t locked.”
She huffed. “Well, as you can see, I’m fine. This little thief scared me is all. He decided to invite himself into my bathroom without permission.” She raked her eyes over me. “Seems the pair of you have that in common.” The squirrel’s gaze darted between us, finally settling on Merry. “He was helping himself to my snack. Startled me when I reached for my towel. We’re still having some difficulties figuring out who’s going to leave and how. When I move, he moves, and usually in a way that seems like he might jump on me. Again.” She scowled at the little rodent, eyes drifting to some scratches on her arm.
“Stay still. There’s a broken cup—” I shifted my weight forward and the little creature scampered across the rim of the bath. Clearly panicked, it seemed to be weighing which of us might be the bigger threat. After giving a squeak, he leapt for the window, claws rasping against the wood as he scrambled onto the sill and out the open pane.
Relief flooded her features. “Thank the saints, he’s gone. If you don’t mind?” Her glare at me was vicious, the towel now wrapped snugly around her frame, one hand holding it togetherabove her breasts. “Coltor, you should leave. Turn around at least.”
“Your feet are bare, you can’t?—”
“I’m fine, I’ll just go around—” the length of her thigh was exposed as she attempted to take a step, but found more porcelain shards where she tried to plant her foot.
I rubbed my fist against my thigh, teeth gritted firmly together. Frustration boiled within me, my chest hot and achy, everything in my soul screaming that I need to fly, to fight … to fuck. For obvious reasons, none of that was possible at the moment.
On fire from the inside out, I stepped forward, avoiding as much of the mess and glass as possible and grabbed her up against me.
“Coltor! Put me down!”
“It’s dangerous.”
