Page 15 of Royal Captive
Away we went.
Five
EVE
Shyllon took me down into the basement, which was the opposite of what I expected. There were no dark cells, nor iron bars that kept everyone in, like in the king’s palace. Instead, it was white and bright—I squinted—and filled with water coming from the walls and ceilings. The room was massive, and I couldn’t help but gawk as streams of water poured down from the stone ceiling like rainfall, allowing many people to bathe quickly while standing up together. How was such a feat possible? I couldn’t take my eyes off it.
And the naked people—lots of naked people. They were all women, and it was likely Anne was somewhere in the multitude, but still. They were all strangers, bathing together, naked.
My grip around him tightened on instinct. I’d never been naked in front of anyone before, not even my maid! I supposed someone had to have bathed me when I was younger, but that didn’t count. Not really. The only other person who’d even seen me in any state of undress was currently in parts unknown, pretending I didn’t exist. And Gregory, I suppose. Though had Iever been truly naked with him? Our stolen moments in the barn had been more about shoving articles of clothing up or down rather than removing them.
“Horse girl. You have to let go.”
Shyllon was trying to pry me from his shoulder and set me down.
“My name is Eve,” I protested back as if that had anything to do with the situation at all.
His expression shifted from annoyed to sympathetic. “Eve. Let go, please. You need to bathe and join the others for their examination.”
Ha. Fat chance of that. With Ellis abandoning me, Shyllon was the only steady figure I could hold on to.
I’d let go only after being knocked unconscious, and I told him so.
Dark brows furrowed at me, those thick lips parting in exasperation. “Eve, let go. You’re filthy. You must get clean. Surely, you won’t refuse to take care of yourself?”
Tears gathered at the corners of my eyes. Horror and embarrassment flooded me. Why? What was there to be so upset about? I’d survived a rebellion, death games, being carted to another realm, and justnowI was breaking down? Over showing some skin?
Shyllon sighed, but tightened his hold on me, looking around. The brown-haired fae from earlier (Alm?) saw us and frowned, marching over and asking a question in the smooth fae language. Shyllon shot another look down at me, sighed, and replied.
What were they saying?
Alm rolled his eyes but waved his hands at us in what was a clear dismissal. Shyllon turned and carried me out into the corridor and down a long hallway. More of their blasted ramps took us up before we entered a very utilitarian looking room.Before I could protest or ask what he was doing, he stepped into a side room off our new room, one with a large clawfoot tub.
My feet met the cold slate floor moments later, and Shyllon turned to me with a fierce look before I could part my lips.
“No questions. Use the knobs on the tub to get water and use the soaps to clean yourself. You have five minutes. That’s all I can spare before it’s likely someone finds out. I suggest we not let anyone find out you received special treatment. Alm owed me a favor, and it won’t be good for either of us if anyone else finds out I’m here with you. I’m supposed to be at the palace at the moment.”
Oh, well,excuse me.
Indignation parted my lips, but I barely stopped the argument from spouting out of my mouth. He’d neatly answered all of my questions. For now.
Besides, a new problem had presented itself. Surely, he didn’t expect me to bathe right in front of him, did he?
As if reading my thoughts, he sighed. “It’s either me or the room full of humans and their guards.”
Well, when he put it that way … and he was trying to be nice, in his own way. He certainly hadn’t needed to go out of his way for me, or risk getting either of us in trouble. I snorted. Who was I kidding? The only one likely to get in trouble here was me, not him.
Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I threw my dirty clothes off and tried to ignore the fact that this gorgeous, huge fae warrior only stood a few feet away from me, his back to me. Goosebumps erupted over my flesh as the cool air hit it, and I nearly broke my neck trying to step into the tub too quickly.
With dismay, I stared at the knobs and levels, hugging my arms to my body as if I could shield myself from this strange new world.Turn the knobs,he’d said.
“I could help you, if you like. If you’re not careful, you could scald yourself. You must mix them properly.”
I had no clue what he was on about. An awkward pause descended between us, and he turned to face me. When I didn’t scream at him he took a hesitant step toward me. I cringed and tried to curl more into a ball to hide myself.
His silver eyes had a hint of indigo in them, though he quickly shifted his gaze to the tub and turned the handles.
“Move back. At first it’ll be—”
