I wasRameli, for gods’ sake.
I stood. Water spattered and dripped. And I didn’t care if he could or could not see. I slightly arched my back, my spine forming a gentle curve, and I tilted my head back. I grabbed my hip-length brown hair, twisting it into a high ponytail, then ran my clenched fist along its length. Splashing sounds filled the room as the water that left my hair met the water in the bath.
The floor felt warm against my soles. The contrasting temperature formed a cloud of steam all over my body, just like the mist that sometimes formed with Aegir’s breath. I wrapped a towel around me and took my time braiding my hair, weaving twin braids—one on each side of my head—then gathered the rest of it in a low bun.
My bag was empty. I’d forgotten that my dress was still hanging in the wardrobe. I reached for my underdress.
Aegir, I noticed, was risking soiling the white bedsheets with ink as he wrote what I presumed was a letter. As I removed my dress from the hanger, I accidentally dislodged Aegir’s vest from its own, causing something to fall out of its side pocket. It made a thud against the carpeted floor. I spun around to see what had fallen—a book, sprawled on its back, its pages splayed open. I went to reach for it, but Aegir was already there, picking it up himself. He closed the book and extended his hand.
“I forgot to give you this yesterday,” he said. I immediately recognised its light blue cover and its shimmering silver title—Against the Tide. “The woman at the market stall asked me to give it to you.”
I reached for the book with both hands, and as I took hold of it, my eyes remained fixed on the title, not daring to meet his.
“Get dressed and pack your belongings. We’ll have breakfast downstairs, then start our journey back.”
I nodded. I had assumed we were leaving that morning, which was why I had already stashed all the remaining vials of lavender oil in my bag. I hoped that Aegir wouldn’t notice the petty theft. But what I hoped for more was that Cinnamon was all right. As I waited for him by the door, my fingers made their way to my hidden necklace. I closed my eyes.I’ll be home soon, sweetest one. And then you’ll have all the food in the world.
“Eyy!” Joel shouted by way of greeting. “How are you feeling after yesterday’s fun, girl?” he asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
“I’m all right. Though I must admit, my head felt like it was spinning on itself this morning.”
Joel chuckled. “Lucky us Fae don’t get that same aftereffect. I think our bodies just burn away the alcohol.”
“Lucky indeed. It makes you immortal, too,” I mumbled.
“That too,” he replied, with a sheepish smirk.
“Ale and breakfast for everyone,” Darius ordered.
“Water for me,” I told the waitress who, for some reason, I despised.
“Have a seat, boys,” the heavy-breasted waitress ordered in her men-eating tone.
We made our way to the long table and I took a seat on the farthest chair, next to Joel. The waitress served our drinks, thenmoved back behind the bar right in front of where Aegir stood. My eyes scanned her every movement. When Aegir handed her what seemed to be several gold coins, she leaned forward—her exposed belly grazing against the bar top—and playfully moved her fingers along his forearm before grabbing his coin-filled palm. She whispered something in his ear that I couldn’t hear from where I was seated. I envied Fae ears, as her face gave nothing away when Aegir whispered something to her in return. She tucked away the coins, then returned to the bar with two tankards of water. Aegir took them outside. I presumed they were for Georgious and Alarik, who were out in the sun finishing the preparations.
I was sipping on my water when Joel leaned closer and told me, “Don’t you worry, lady, he told her he wasn’t interested in whatever she offered him.”
My face blushed. “I wasn’t worrying and—and what he does is none of my business,” I replied, my voice coming out slightly higher than I intended.
Joel snorted a chuckle. “Sure.”
Aegir took the empty seat opposite mine and downed his ale.
The waitress returned, holding a piled tray so large she had to carry it with both hands. I noticed that she stretched herself very close to Aegir’s side, and when she extended her arms to place the tray in the middle of the table, her full breasts rested on Aegir’s hand. She did it as if it were a mere accident, but I knew it was nothing of the sort. I lowered my head lest my eyes betray me.
Aegir placed his hand on his lap when she returned with the second tray bearing plates and utensils. We filled ourselves with eggs, meat, cheese, and fruit. I wasn’t sure how I was ever going back to stale bread and stolen fruit after all this, and so I filled myself a little bit more.
We went outside.
The instant shock wave of furnace-grade heat engulfed me whole—it immediately made me crave that ice bath I’d taken earlier. The horses, I noticed, were already saddled and prepared for mounting.
“We have enough food and supplies to get us back and then some. All weapons are counted and secured—we are good to go,” Georgious announced, nodding at Aegir.
I went to open the carriage door, but Georgious came out of nowhere and slammed his palm against it. “I spent the whole morning stacking. The carriage is full, lady.”
And so I found myself pacing towards Aegir’s horse.
“There is no space in the carriage,” I said, brushing his horse’s neck.
