That would be good. Preferable even. But his stomach still felt twisted and empty.
He kept his back to her while she readied herself for bed. A wadded up blanket landed at his feet and a pillow followed soon after.
He spread the blanket next to the door. He waited until she blew out the candle before he allowed himself to finally lie down and relax.
As he laid his head down on the pillow, it felt as though his head fell straight through the floor. His body was firm on the ground, but his mind kept falling in a loop.
He closed his eyes, but the sensation grew worse. It reminded him of being back on the ship, gently rising and falling with each wave. That was likely the cause of it, just readjusting to sleeping on solid ground again.
He did not recall experiencing this after he sailed from Istroya, but he had felt many more unpleasant things on that trip. Perhaps they’d overpowered the odd sensation in his mind.
He wondered if Meena was experiencing the same thing. He hoped it was not upsetting her.
He could check in with her and ask. When he tried to open his mouth, his tongue seemed to swell, stuck in place. She was likely already asleep and didn’t want to be disturbed.
Chapter 22
Sol was not in their room when Meena awoke the next morning. She struggled into one of her fancier gowns, unsure what the activities of the day would entail. As she fumbled with the laces behind her back, the door creaked open with a light knock.
“My lady sent me to see if you needed anything?” a bright voice said.
With her hands awkwardly pulled over her shoulders, Meena shuffled around to face the door.
The lady’s maid appeared to be a handful of years older than Meena. Her dress was well made and looked new. “Let me help you with that,” she said immediately.
“Thank you,” Meena replied. “I seem to have tied myself into knots.”
“Of course you have,” the maid took the laces from Meena’s hands and deftly worked them where they were supposed to be.
“What’s your name?” Meena asked after a moment of silence.
“Laila, my lady,” the maid responded. She offered nothing more.
“You arrived at the perfect moment,” Meena said, smiling politely, though the woman behind her back could not see it.
Laila said nothing, but she grunted as she tied the laces closed. “Would you like me to help with your hair?”
“Please,” Meena responded. She moved forward to sit at a small table against the wall.
Laila followed behind her and immediately started undoing the thick braid in Meena’s hair.
Meena relaxed into the maid’s touch. She’d been solely responsible for her hair maintenance since she’d left Iseldis, and it was luxurious to leave the laborious task to someone else.
Having removed the braid, Laila carefully used her fingers to separate out any large knots in Meena’s hair. Though the occasional tug pulled on Meena’s scalp, the maid did her task gently and thoroughly.
“Did you come from Chendas with the Captain and his wife, or are you from Falqri?” Meena asked, trying to think of something they could talk about. While she was used to having help while getting dressed and ready, she was not used to doing so in silence.
“I’ve never set foot outside of Falqri,” Laila responded. Her words were crisp and quick. She kept her eyes firmly on her hands as she worked.
Meena bit her lower lip. This table had a small mirror, just like the one at home. It was tilted back so Meena could see her own face and that of Laila’s behind her. She was used to using the mirror to chat and connect with whomever was doing her hair. She preferred to dress herself when she did not have to wear something elaborate, but occasionally she would ask for help from one of the palace maids. Or occasionally her mother stepped in so they could have some time together in the morning, just the two of them.
Meena didn’t need to talk—and she wasn’t going to force someone else to speak with her—but it felt so uncomfortable to have a complete stranger working on her hair and touching her head.
Laila had switched to a wooden comb and was slowly running it down the length of Meena’s waist-long hair. The gentle pressure of the comb felt relaxing on her scalp.Although, when she wasn’t tugging at a knot, it felt so relaxing.
A knock sounded on the door, and this time the newcomer waited until Meena answered before entering the room.
“Come in!” Meena looked up, watching in the mirror as Sol entered the room. “Good morning!” She’d forgotten why they were upset at each other the night before. She was so relieved to see a familiar face that she welcomed him enthusiastically.
