“Meaning we told them she has multiple branches of magic, but not how proficient she is in any of them. We told them about the weapons we have—and therefore know she has—but nothing about her runes beyond that. Like Enoch said, we didn’t leave her vulnerable,” Kallan snaps, and then he gets up and storms off into his room.
We all watch him leave. No one speaks for a couple beats as the tension in the room settles a bit.
“So what did you all end up doing today? Find any answers?” Nash asks innocently.
And now it’s my time to get up and storm off into my room.
“What happened?” I hear Torrez ask as I shut the door on that question and on this day. I stare at the mattresses on the ground for a minute, longing for the oblivion of sleep, but I’m too wired. A bath it is.
19
The steam soaks into my pores, the heat both cleansing and just on the cusp of overwhelming. I rest my hands on the lip of the tub that is built into the floor of the bathroom and let the coolness of the stone soak into my limbs to combat the heat of the water.
I rest my head back and close my eyes. I try to settle into the relaxation I know I should feel, but my fight with Getta keeps playing on the inside of my closed eyelids like they’re a movie screen. Her question of whether I’m worthy is like some fucked up soundtrack to the whole thing, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t find an off or a mute button.
I slip under the hot water and sit at the bottom of the deep tub, hoping it will somehow drown my memories of Getta and being bested. It doesn’t. The day still plays on a loop, like my mind is going allGroundhog Dayuntil I see whatever the fuck it’s trying to show me.
I focus on my brief conversation with Tawv, ruminating on what I learned about my mother instead of honing in on my epic fuck up. Enoch said that Suryn’s mom was the Sovereign before her sister stepped in. So was she who was in charge when my mom was sent out on a mission for new blood? Or did she rule after?
Something about that feels important to me. Maybe it’s just that this place wasn’t always so anti-stranger or maybe it’s something else, but I file that away in my mind as something worth taking note of. A part of me chimes in with the thought that I must still have family here. Tawv said the people from where Grier came from were still holding out hope that she was alive. So someone here obviously still cared for her.
My lungs burn, and reluctantly I push up from the bottom of the tub. I break the surface and gasp to pull air into my angry lungs. I roundhouse all thoughts of Sentinel family away, because even if it’s true they exist, it doesn’t mean shit for me. They cared about Grier, but I’m not her. I wipe water from my face and jump when Valen’s deep voice fills the bathroom.
“I wondered for a second if I was going to have to pull you out,” he tells me, and I track his voice to where he’s leaning against a far wall.
“Well, you’ll look for any excuse to give me mouth to mouth, so I’m sure you wouldn’t have been too put out,” I joke, but it sounds hollow.
The corner of Valen’s full lips turns up slightly, but if I want one of his mind numbing smiles, I’ll need to do better than that.
“May I join you, or were you hoping to continue waterboarding yourself alone?” he asks with a cheeky grin, and I snort.
I don’t say anything, but I gesture toward the water in clear invitation. I sit back on the bench seat that circles the entire interior of the tub. Valen watches me for a second like he’s gauging what’s the right move here, then he pulls his shirt up over his head. He unwraps the hair tie from his hair, the thick waves falling around his shoulders as he brushes his fingers through them.
“Your striptease game is on point,” I observe as I lean back and enjoy the show.
“Thank you, I’ve been practicing,” Valen deadpans, and I chuckle.
“Like in the mirror? Or are you and the guys starting an all-male review and just haven’t told me?” I ask amused.
“We were waiting for the routine to be perfect,” he tells me casually as he slowly unlaces his black armored pants. “Well, that and for the bedazzled thongs we ordered to come in.”
Valen gives me a roll of his hips, and I snort out a laugh.
“Do you guys do spirit fingers, because nothing gets me going like well executed spirit fingers.”
“Well then, you’re in luck, my love, because we give reallygoooodspirit fingers, and our shimmies will have you screaming for more.”
Valen slips into the water, and I watch greedily as, inch-by-inch, his incredible body is swallowed up by the bath.
My nipples go hard as he dips all the way under, wetting his hair. He comes back up dripping of water and sex, and I lick my lips and drink him in with my eyes.
“Shimmies, you say?” I ask him, humor and lust dripping from every word.
“And just wait until we get to the hair flips, Vinna, you are going to soak your panties.”
I give an overexaggerated moan. “Youdoknow how to get me all hot and bothered.”
Valen chortles and gives me a wink, but his playful gaze suddenly turns a little sad. “I’ve noticed a lot of bothered lately, and I hate that. Need to talk it out, fuck it out, fight it out...all of the above?” he asks, his hazel gaze studying mine.
