Page 55 of Stars on Fire

‘My room is two doors away,’ he confirmed. ‘This is one of three guest rooms. You’ve your own bath chamber, just behind those doors.’

He pointed to a set of antique aged wooden doors to the far right of the room. They soared to the stone ceiling and were exquisitely carved with twisting vines, flowers and ancient emblems. Selene had noticed similar doors throughout the cave structure and recognised them as Paladian antiques, salvaged from the ancient cities that had dotted the lost empire’s planet. They were extremely rare and valuable, and the ones in Kainan’s home were warped and leaning from centuries of load bearing, splintered, cracked, and granular. Yet they shone and gleamed with polish, evidence of the care their owner placed on them.

Her host tossed her bag onto the end of the bed.

‘I’ll let you settle in,’ he said quietly. ‘Take your time, even a nap, if you need to.’

She was heading towards her bag when he half-turned to leave. ‘Can I get you anything else?’ he asked quietly.

‘No, please,’ she said with a slight wave of her hand. ‘I’ll be fine.’

He gave her a careful once-over. ‘Your room is more than comfortable. Inside, you’ll find everything you need. Drink some water too and maybe have something to eat. They’re some snacks on the credenza. I have a few more things to finalise. But I’ll be done soon and make us a meal in a few hours.’

She nodded, feeling a tad overwhelmed.

He unceremoniously stalked out of the room in his typical soundless fashion.

The door slid quietly shut.

Selene shook her head.Message sent and received.

It was clear Kainan was in no mood for chatter or pleasantries. No matter, for she, too, was barely holding on to civility.

There was only so much she could take of his presence without embarrassing herself.

She found a water cooler and exquisite crystal glasses on a carved sideboard. She thirstily drank her fill and then sighed as it cooled her insides. Beside it was a bowl of tempting fruits and snacks.

She couldn’t be bothered to eat now. All she needed was to bathe, lie down briefly, rest her mind and reorganise her wild thoughts.

She sighed and stretched her hands over her head, feeling the weariness leaking through her system. The nap during their flight from Eden II’s citadel hadn’t been long enough. Suddenly the thought of a long bath and an even longer nap seemed like a great idea.

It didn’t take her long to unpack her meagre bag and slip out of her stale clothes and boots. Sliding into a robe, she stepped towards the wooden doors, caressing the stunning wooden handles before flinging them open.

She gasped in delight. The bath chamber was more than just any old wash closet.

Mirrors covered the walls from floor to ceiling. Against one wall was a shelf with towels and robes. The other featured a stunning washbasin with brass tap-ware and every washing accoutrements.

That all faded into the background when Selene took in the oversized sunken bath in the middle of the room that glimmered with low underwater lights. It could easily fit four or five people. She grinned, eagerly shedding her robe and stepping into the lowered pool with adjustable air and water jets. She sunk into the warm water with a sigh.

She took a long leisurely bath, and with each minute spent soaking, her body felt heavier and heavier.

Much later, she dragged herself out of the water with a groan. Then, she walked naked into the bedchamber and fell onto the enveloping duvet.

She let her head roll back onto the sculpted pillow and closed her eyes. In moments, she was fast asleep.

Selene woke with a start. She sat up in the vast bed and rubbed her eyes.

How long had she been out?

Glancing around her new chamber, she couldn’t see any chrono or timepiece, and she sighed. Then her tummy rumbled, and she suddenly was overwhelmed with a ravenous desire for food.

She dressed in a loose lounge suit and slid her feet into the old comfortable leather slippers she always carried with her on her travels. Then, she slipped out of the impressive room and meandered into the vast living area.

It was empty, but she spied a covered platter on the kitchen counter.

Food, glorious food.She rushed to the marbled edifice and lifted the cover. It revealed a delicious array of olives, cheese, bread, pickled vegetables, sliced meats and tiny sausages. She danced with delight at the enticing sight.

Starved, she used her fingers to stuff her mouth. Occasionally she glanced outside, but the darkened view beyond the large windows gave little indication of time. But mainly, she concentrated on filling her growling stomach.

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