Oh my. That won’t do. And actually, thinking about it, I haven’t taken care of my hair in ages. It should be a fizzy, bouncy, tangled mess by now. I don’t understand how I have got away with neglecting it for so long. But I need to wash it before my luck runs out.
My fingers go to the braid Selwyn gave me. I undo it and shake my hair free. Then I dunk under the water.
There is a shelf just above me, within easy reach, full of bottles of some sort of cosmetics. I pick up a bottle and sniff it. It smells good, and it looks like shampoo consistency. It should do.
I wash my hair, and then the rest of me. As I suspected, the clever fey plumbing takes the foamy suds away, leaving the water clear.
I leave the bath and find a pile of fluffy towels in an alcove. Look at me being all independent today.
I rub the fluffy towel over my hair. Oh wow! My hair is dry. That is a great practical use of fey magic. So very helpful and convenient.
I sling the towel around my waist, just as Peaony enters the bathroom. Perfect timing! I’m not entirely sure where my clean clothes are kept.
I give her a smile, but she stares at me with a wide-eyed look, then she turns and runs out.
Okay. My heart flutters. What have I done wrong now? Was I not supposed to wash myself? I thought I was being helpful by not bothering the staff.
My sigh echoes around the tiles.
I’m going to have to go to the dressing room in this towel and hope I can find my robes. And then hope I can figure out how to put them on. All while bracing myself for being told off.
The bathroom door slams open. I jump. Selwyn strides in with blazing eyes.
“Why have you unbound your hair?”
I stumble backwards. “I…I… To wash it.”
He stalks towards me. My back hits the tiled wall.
His eyes burn into me. Brown has turned into molten lava.
I draw in a stuttering breath.
He closes his bright eyes and inhales through his nose. “Humans,” hemutters.
His eyes are a lot calmer when he opens them again. His hot hand goes to my naked shoulder. He turns me around so my back is to him. His fingers glide through my hair, weaving a new braid.
He releases me. I turn back around.
He gives me one last long look. Then he turns on his heels and strides out.
Just on the other side of the door, he speaks. “Everything is well, Peaony. It was simply a meaningless human thing.”
My eyebrows rise. A vivid memory of our wedding springs to life. Selwyn gave me the braid as part of the ceremony.
Oh crap. Did I just accidentally divorce him?
Chapter sixteen
Peaony has helped me dress much more swiftly than usual, and she keeps biting her bottom lip, even though Selwyn reassured her that everything was alright as he strode out of the bathroom ten minutes ago.
She seems very worried. I really think undoing my hair was a huge social faux pas. A big deal to the fey. If it wasn’t divorcing Selwyn, it was definitely some sort of offense.
Oh crap. Why did I have to put my foot in it like this? Offending my new husband is a terrible disaster. Especially when our marriage is the lynchpin of an alliance that will keep so many people safe.
Mother will be furious.
My hands start to shake. Peony is just finishing the laces of my sleeve. She flashes me a concerned look but says nothing. She ties one final knot, steps back, drops a quick curtsy and hurries out of the dressing room.
