I turned toward her and found her bowing low in submission. Nose wrinkling in disgust, I reached for her.
"Don't do that," I said, gripping her shoulders and helping her gently back to her feet. I lowered my gaze to meet hers. "I've never been bowed to before. I don't intend to start now."
Her lips parted in surprise for a brief moment before they stretched into a grin.
"My lady—" she began.
"Adrian," I corrected, "please."
Her smile grew as she nodded.
"And yes," I told her. "I would really appreciate some help getting this thing off. I swear those lecherous blacksmiths made it skin tight for their own viewing pleasure."
She let out a surprised snort and I grinned down at her. Then she shuffled around until she found the clasps in the back. I let out an exaggerated breath when I was released from my metal prison. I'd complained nearly the whole way here about how uncomfortable the metal contraption was, even if I did internally marvel at the maneuverability of the armor at the same time. Gryfon had only grunted that if I preferred the discomfort of an arrowhead through my spine, that could be arranged.
I rubbed aching arms as the servant was careful with each piece she removed from me, placing it atop the nearby dresser in the order it was to go back on. When she reached for my undergarments, I assured her I could handle them myself, and so she went off to check the bath. I could see the steam pouring from the bathing chamber as she gathered the fluffiest towels I'd ever seen and set them gently on the edge of the tub. I inhaled the sweet scent of lilac and thought, if this is how humans unwind after a long day, I wouldn't mind working with them.
I thanked her before sliding into the tub. She hesitated only a moment to ask if I needed anything further before promising to return with lunch and scurrying out of the room. I heard theclick of the door behind her as she went but the distinct lack of a lock. So they weren't locking mein.Which only meant they suspected I'd have the urge to lock someoneout.
I ruminated on who that might be as I slipped further into the bath, moaning in ecstasy at the hot water scalding my skin and sloughing off days of windswept dirt and grime. I scrubbed at my skin with the coarse stone she'd left behind, musing about how these people seemed to use stones for everything.
I'd only just finished washing my hair, brushing out the tangles with pruned fingers, when I heard the click of the door again. Footsteps strode through the foyer. Realizing how hungry I was now that lunch was imminent, I rose from the bath, water dripping off of my body as I reached for the towel and shook it out.
"Thank you for drawing the bath. If you have a brush, I'd like to run it through my hair. I think—gods!"
I screamed, wrapping the towel quickly around my body and staring, wide eyed and slack jawed, at the general standing in the threshold. He didn't move a muscle but the corner of his lip quirked up and his ice blue eyes sparked with something indecipherable.
"You should consider locking your door," he drawled easily, clearly entirely unperturbed by my nudity. I, however, did not feel the same.
My cheeks burned hot as I stepped out of the tub, sloshing water over the edge as I stormed toward him. His grin only grew at my approach, clearly amused.
"Maybeyoushould fucking knock," I snarled.
"Relax, little Corruption. You have nothing I haven't seen before."
"I'm sure," I scoffed, slamming my shoulder into his intentionally as I stormed past him and into the bedroom.
His brow raised, lips falling back into that practiced scowl, as he turned to watch me.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, having the audacity to sound offended.
"I'm sure you've seen more than your fair share of naked women," I replied. "Hopefullythosetimes were all willingly consensual as, I assure you, this was not. Now, am I free to dress with some semblance of privacy or will you be standing there ogling me throughout that task as well?"
That damned smirk was back.
"Is ogling an option?" he drawled.
I crossed my arms, more to keep the towel from falling than anything else, but my irritation was obviously made clear by the movement all the same. He sighed, turning his back to me as I reached for the crisp buttoned shirt and soft wide-legged pants my unnamed servant had left for me. I really should ask her her name. I made a plan to do just that as I pulled off the towel and reached for some fresh undergarments lying on the bed.
"Does this unannounced visit have a purpose?" I asked, still annoyed. "Or are you just meandering down the hall, bursting into every woman's room to catch a glimpse of them in the bath? Should I warn Zya she's next?"
"Zya has nothing of interest to me."
I froze. What didthatmean? That I did? Or that neither of us did? I hesitated, the shirt halfway over my head, and wondered why it even mattered. It didn't, I decided, pulling the shirt on the rest of the way and straightening it out.
"That's well enough," I told him. "I imagine bursting into her room would only result in your having a few daggers in your neck anyway."
He sighed impatiently as thoughIwere the one wastinghistime.
