“Ah,” Seraphim said. “The royal messenger is here.”
Percy approached, tapping a scroll against his hand. He’d finally freed himself from the drab gray robes and sported his old, colorful sash. “I’d prefer to be the royal jester, honestly.” He smiled at me, holding out the parchment. “Letter for you, from the Lady Oracle herself.”
“A letter?” I asked, taking the scroll.
“Oh, the message was verbal at first, but I couldn’t rememberhalf of what she wanted to say.” Percy folded his arms. “Directions aren’t my forte.”
Chuckling, I unrolled the scroll.
In the hall between the fourth and fifth chambers, find a loose brick beneath a sconce. Pull it loose to reveal a hidden passage. It leads to natural underground hot springs. The water there will soothe your wounds.
I looked up. “Doesn’t she have more to worry about than me?”
Percy’s smile widened. “Apparently not.”
“You should go,” I suggested. “You need it more than I do.”
“I’ll go when you’re done. Ladies first, and all that.”
Seraphim pushed me off the wall. A hot spring did sound nice. Some time alone to think would be welcome.
“Alright, alright,” I muttered, rolling up the scroll and following its directions.
The sconce she’d spoken of rested alone in a quiet hall, and I tapped the brick beneath it. Hearing it budge, I pulled it toward me.
The wall shuddered. Lines appeared in the stone as a section of bricks separated and slid open, revealing a narrow passageway. Taking the lantern from the wall, I stepped inside and followed the path.
Warm air filled the chamber at its end. Brilliant blue water pooled in a recess, lit by a thin shaft of light descending from the ceiling, high above. Setting the lantern down on a rock, I peered into the spring, marveling at the vibrant green shades in its depths.
Carefully shrugging off my cloak, I peeled off my clothing, leaving only my small clothes. Tapping a toe into the water, I tested its temperature. Warm and inviting.
I slid down into the water, submerging myself up to my chest. Laying my broken arm in my lap, I leaned my head back and tried to think.
Silence hummed in my mind, and before long, I started drifting off.
A voice woke me from sleep. “Did I stumble upon a sleeping princess?”
Water splashed from the pond as I sat bolt upright, wrapping my good arm around my chest. Whirling around, I saw Seth sauntering toward me. He glanced down at my pile of clothes.
“You couldn’t knock?” I asked.
“This is my city,” he reminded me. “And I used to come here a lot.”
“It’s not your city quite yet.”
“Seraphim says confidence comes from believing that which has yet to happen.” Seth tucked his boot under my pile of clothes and kicked it away from me.
“You’re such an ass,” I said, exasperated. “What, do you want me to strut like a peacock, the way you did?”
“I can’t say I’d mind that,” Seth teased. “Can I join you?”
Biting my lip, I considered saying no. Instead, I spoke the first word that came to mind. “Sure.”
“Color me surprised; I thought for sure you’d say no.”
Turning around, I slipped back into a comfortable position. I heard him quickly undress before stepping in beside me, taking great care not to get his precious hair wet.
“Did we ruin everything,” I asked. “Or did we make the right choice?”
