Chapter Nine
Joy
The steaming tub looked so inviting, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to strip naked and be at my most vulnerable. The thought of that made my stomach twist.
What if someone burst in?
What if this was some kind of trap?
Brynn, standing silently by the edge of the tub, glanced up as if sensing my hesitation. Her expression was calm, carefully blank, but there was something softer in her pale eyes. “Milady,” she said gently, her voice low and even. “There is no danger here. You’ll feel better once you bathe.”
I folded my arms across my chest, suddenly feeling like a stubborn teenager. “Easy for you to say. You’re not the one stripping down in a strange place.”
A ghost of a smile touched her crimson lips. “I assure you, there’s nothing you have that I haven’t seen before. I will guard the door while you bathe.” Her tone was quiet, but there was a subtle strength beneath it, like a promise she fully intended to keep.
Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease creeping up my spine, especially since I couldn’t use my shadows right now. Being naked and defenseless in a tub while servants moved around me—it felt too exposed, too vulnerable. “Maybe if you could get me some new clothes first,” I said, hoping to buy myself time.
Brynn dipped her head in a graceful nod. “As you wish.”
For the briefest second, her fingers tightened around the hem of her apron before she turned toward the door.
“I will return shortly. Do not open the door for anyone but me.”
Dread pooled in my gut. Someone would try to come in here when I was in the tub. I didn’t trust Brynn—didn’t trust anyone in this twisted realm. They all served the queen, and the queen wanted me as her pet.
I snagged a towel and put it near the tub.
My pulse quickened. Brynn might act kind, but she served the queen. Everyone here did. I couldn’t trust anyone here. If I bathed quickly enough, I’d be done before she came back. Safer that way.
But god, I was filthy. Days of smoke, ash, blood, and sweat clung to my skin. The promise of being clean—even for a few minutes—overrode every other concern. I’d be fast. In and out.
I peeled off my torn red sundress—the fabric practically disintegrating in my hands after everything it had endured. My underwear followed, just as ruined and filthy.
I tested the water with one tentative toe. The temperature was perfect—hot enough to ease the ache in my muscles but not scalding. I stepped one foot, then the other into the oversized tub and slowly sank down into the fragrant water.
The relief was immediate and overwhelming. Days of grime, sweat, and fear began to dissolve away. I wanted to close my eyes, to sink deeper and let the warmth take me, but I kept mygaze on the door. Quick. I had to be quick. After a few deep breaths, I let myself pretend I was back at Crescent Manor in Enzo’s oversized bathtub, safe in his arms.
But then I heard a noise outside the door and jumped, my heart thundering.
Oh, shit. I tensed, remembering Brynn’s warning.
Don’t let anyone in but me.
I was too far away from the door to lock it. But my shadows... I reached for them instinctively, feeling them stir in response. Dark tendrils rose from the water around me, coiling protectively. If someone came through that door, they'd regret it.
The door burst open and I relaxed, sinking back into the tub. Brynn stepped inside carrying some clothes and shoes, and she smiled. “I’m glad you decided to indulge in this simple pleasure.” There was an edge to her voice I couldn’t quite place, but I relaxed, sinking back into the tub.
“This should fit you. It’s simple, but it matches your eyes and hair.” She held up a brown taffeta gown embroidered with delicate white flowers and tiny glass beads that caught the light. The pump shoes were the same shade of brown and had glass beads in the shape of a rose.
If that was simple, I wondered what elaborate looked like. I’d never owned anything so beautiful. I was more of a T-shirt and jeans kind of girl.
“It’s gorgeous. Are you sure I should wear something so nice?” What I really wanted to ask was whether I could run in it—in case I got a chance to escape.
“Absolutely.” She placed the undergarments on the counter and hung the gown on the shower rod. Then she knelt down beside the tub. “Now let’s do something with that hair of yours.”
I leaned forward protectively. “I can wash it myself.”
“Nonsense, dear. Let me take care of you.” She picked up a clear bottle filled with glowing liquid on a glass shelf thenpoured some into her palm. It smelled like the ocean—clean and salty, with a hint of something sharper beneath it that I couldn’t quite place.
