“What are you waiting for?” he asked, looking my way. “Let’s go.”
“I—I normally wash myself before leaving the stable,” I replied, pointing at the trough.
“You can use my chamber.”
My eyes grew. “What? No. I—I mustn’t. I’m not even allowed to use the servants’ chamber, let alone a prince’s bath.”
“But you’re allowed to bathe in the water trough?”
I lifted my eyes from my fidgeting fingers and answered wearing a sheepish gaze. “No.”
“Do you see where this is going?”
“Yes,” I murmured, reaching for my bag.
“You may stay here,” Aegir said. He opened the door to his room and gestured for me to enter. “I’ll come back after dawn.”
“But I’m expected downstairs.”
“No, you’re not.”
“What do you mean?”
“What I mean is, I cleared your schedule. You can stay here instead.”
“What did you do?” I breathed, concern lacing my voice.
“You ask as if you’d rather scrub clothes than stay here.”
“What? No. I obviously prefer staying here,” I assured him. My slight apprehension came from knowing that Mounir would later make me pay for it.
“That settles it, then.”
“But what will I do?”
“I don’t know,” he said, with a shrug. “Whatever you want.”
I was about to say something, but Aegir motioned with his head and urged, “Go on, I’ll see you tonight. Eldric will be joining us for dinner.”
“Us?” I hushed to myself the second he closed the door behind him.
I had been in this room a thousand times before, yet I still found myself circling on my heels, unsure what to do. Knowing that I was supposed to be three floors down in a laundry dungeon made me feel stomach-settling relief mixed with a lingering sensation that I was doing something wrong.
Bathing in his chamber similarly gave me opposing feelings.
I opened the wardrobe and took out every piece of his clothing, forming a mountain of clothes on his bed. Then I put aside every item that needed some sort of mending.
I grabbed one of Aegir’s daggers and moved towards the door. I wasn’t sure if I was both locked in and out, but when I reached for the handle and pushed down, it turned cool and opened. I slid the dagger beneath the door and hurried my way downstairs.
My chest tightened the instant I came face-to-face with Farah.Shit. I made an effort not to stiffen before her. But how could I not?
“You!” she barked. “How could you keep such a thing from me?” Her tone and facial features were mismatched. Mine tensed.
“I—I don’t…Lord Hailin said—”
“Oh, I know what Lord Hailin said. I just can’t believe you told him, yet kept it a secret from us. All these years. AndIwas the one who interviewed you.”
“Secret? I—what secret?” And I thanked the gods that it came out as awhatand not awhich.
