“No problem, miss.” They head to the adjoining bathing chamber. Slowly, I cross one foot over my knee and painstakingly remove my socks. It takes so much effort, but if I keep my movements unhurried and smooth, it shouldn’t exacerbate my headache or dizziness. Kilkenny returns just moments later. He raises a brow at me as if to ask how things are going.
“I’m fine,” I tell him.
“Alright.”
Seren smiles at me, and I thank her once more before she leaves the room.
Kilkenny starts to head toward the door as well, but he pauses, turning to face me. “Do you… want to wait for Alys to help you? She’s out gathering herbs at the moment but?—”
“No, I’ll be alright.”
But as soon as I stand, everything seems to slowly rotate upside down. I reach back and grip the headboard, steadying myself.
Kilkenny is at my side in no time, his arm around me. “Are you certain?” he asks.
I’m not. I slowly inhale and then exhale. “I’m certain.”
“Alright, at least let me walk you there.”
There’s no point in declining his offer, so I agree, and we head toward the bathing chamber together. Each step is cumbersome, my limbs feeling oddly separate from my body. But with Kilkenny’s arm around me and my focus directly ahead, we make it to the room. It’s a simple bathing chamber with a levered commode and a rather large clawfoot tub.
For a moment, we both just stand there, staring at the water in the tub.
At last, Kilkenny turns to face me. “I can get Chiyoko if you’re comfortable with that. Or we can still wait for Alys, and I can get more hot water once she returns.”
“No, I don’t want to bother Chiyo. Or waste any water,” I object.
Kilkenny visibly battles his thoughts for a moment before saying, “I can help you in and leave you alone. I’ll be a respectful gentleman. Knight’s honor.” He salutes.
A small bubble of laughter slips past my lips, but I immediately rein it in; it’s wrong of me to even smile.
I untie the laces of my tunic with shaky hands. Removing it proves to be more exhausting than I expected, and by the time it’s off, my arms are like gelatin. I hug the tunic to my chest, covering up. Kilkenny keeps his focus on my face, not daring to let his gaze wander.
“My balance is even worse than usual,” I warn him. “I’m not sure how well…” I can’t even finish the sentence because it already sounds so pitiful and so foolish in my own head. I cannot even remove my own trousers or undergarments. Embarrassment burns in my chest.
“Are your episodes usually like this?” Kilkenny signs.
“This one is a little worse than usual.”
“I’m sorry.” His brows draw close. “Alright… Hold on to my shoulders. I’ll slide these off you and you’ll just have to step out of them.” He smiles gently before taking a knee.
My heart thuds. I don’t hold on to his shoulders; I keep the tunic hugged against my chest and shut my eyes against the dizziness that threatens to knock me over.
“I’ve got you,”Kilkenny says into my achy head, and I sway, caught off guard.
“Don’t do that mind-speak thing while I’m trying to balance.”
He smiles up at me. “Stop trying to balance and hang on to me, then,” he says calmly. He’s considerate enough to turn away from me as he settles his hands on my hips.
I sigh and drop my tunic to hold on to his strong shoulders. As he slides my trousers and undergarments down in one go, his fingersbrush against my skin and I shiver. The pleasant sensation that settles in my stomach takes me by surprise, and I stare at him wide-eyed.
Kilkenny glances up at me, a brow arched. “Everything alright?”
I clear my throat, tensing as I fling my arm across my breasts. “Yes.”
He straightens and offers me his hand. “Right, let’s get you into that water before it gets cold.”
Stepping into the tub is another challenge. But once the warmth of the water surrounds me, I release a blissful sigh and slowly lay my head back against the lip of the tub. My fingers grip the edges on either side, as I’m not completely comfortable with my balance even while I’m sitting.
