But how can anyone be calm? I’m so jumpy after all the fighting and bloodshed I witnessed earlier. Thane said Maliek got away. What if he comes back to finish us all off? Not that I think Thane would allow it, but still. That man has magic, too. And he seems powerful.
I glance at Thane. He’s already looking at me, studying my face with slightly narrowed eyes, as if he’s trying to read my thoughts.
I look away, putting my focus on the fire instead, hoping it’ll rid my mind of all the worries.
…
After dinner, Rynthea and Penju heat up water from their well and fill the washbasins in each room being used for the night. I study the basin on the stand, the ewer below, and sigh. At least I get to clean myself up a bit. I’ve been dying to wash the grime of today away.
After dipping my hands in the water and washing my face, I remove my clothes, then grab one of the cloths from the armoire. There’s a small block of soap Rynthea left as well that smells like a mixture of spices and florals. It smells nice.
I wash with it while releasing a slow and steady breath. The water feels good on my skin. Refreshing.
As I dunk the cloth in the bowl again, I catch my reflection in the mirror connected to the washbasin stand and pause.
I look so…stressed.
All of my features are tense. And it’s now I realize how much my body aches. Every limb feels heavy and every joint tight. I notice my shoulders are a little too close to my ears, so I relax them. The action does nothing to ease my mind, though. How can I relax when I’m traveling across the world with a shadow assassin? One who’s being hunted by equally dangerous people?
Shaking my head, I finish washing, then strip out of my undergarments. There’s a clean ivory gown in the armoire that I assume the inn offers to guests. I put it on. It’s baggy and stops at my knees.
I go for my rucksack and take out my brush, then sit on a stool in front of the washbasin mirror to work through the kinks in my hair. The flames of candles in brass candelabras—one on a bedside table and the other on a windowsill—dance and sway, casting the room in a warm glow.
When I’m done, I put all my things away, then peruse the sparse bookshelf. I spot a book about minotaur origins and scoop it up so I can settle on the bed with it. It soothes me,hearing the pages flip. Feeling the paper under the pads of my fingers.
I’m about halfway through the book and yawning when I hear a knock at the door.
I freeze. It must be nearing midnight by now. Who could that be?
I blink at the door a few times. Maybe Rynthea wants to ask me something. Or Algar needs a word. Or we’re about to be under attack again and they’re trying to warn me as quietly as possible.
I climb off the bed, fully alert now as I head to the door.
My eyes widen when I crack it open and see…
“Thane?” I whisper.
His buffers are gone, and he’s swapped his black tunic for a fresher one without sleeves. The muscles of his arms ripple under his warm, brown skin as he reaches up to scratch the back of his head. He’s not even wearing his mask. He looks…normal. Almost mortal, really.
“Is everything okay? Are we in trouble again?” I ask, ready to gather all my stuff and run if so. We can hide in the bunker again.
“Everything’s fine,” he says, holding a hand up to calm me.
“Oh.” I wrap my fingers around the edge of the door, opening it a bit wider. “Do you need something?”
His throat bobs up and down as he sighs. “I’m really not good with this sort of stuff.”
“What sort of stuff?” I ask, and it’s now that I notice one of his hands is hiding behind his back.
“I just came to give you this.” He brings his hand around and offers something wrapped in a white cloth. I grab it, open it a bit, and a flood of warmth rushes through me. I can’t help but smile when I see what he’s given me.
“Honey loaf?” I look back up at him, tears springing to my eyes.
“I, uh…I asked Penju right after dinner if they sold any in Winstoft. He said they did, so I rode there to grab a slice. That was the last one their bakery had.” He shrugs a shoulder. “I thought it might cheer you up a little, since the maobi didn’t do the trick earlier.”
A soft laugh escapes me. “She helped a little.” I study the honey loaf again. It’s cold, but it looks soft and delicious. “You went all the way to Winstoft for this?”
“It wasn’t a long trek with Pearl.”
