Chapter 32
Raithe
I liftedmy hand to the doorknob of the royal chambers, hovering a beat longer than necessary. While Felaf prepared herself for our journey to retrieve Rahzlyn’s grandparents, I prepared to face Rahzlyn.
We were going against protocol, at Maryn’s behest, by leaving her without a guardian’s protection for a few hours. There was no reason for Felaf to accompany me, even though two Pegasi would technically be easier than one to transport the grandparents. Either Maryn didn’t trust me, or she had another reason for demanding we go together.
I listened, piecing together where Rahzlyn was in her room.
Of courseshe was in the bath when I needed to inform her of our departure.
I never knew how things would start with her—or how they’d end. I loathed the lack of control, yet I thrived on the tension. Would it simmer until we wounded the other with our sharp tongues, or would she disarm me with softness?
Contrary to Felaf’s plea, it wasn’t that I didn’t respect her. Where Maryn was cold and secretive and controlling, Rahzlynwas warm and vibrant and vulnerably expressive—everything I didn’t know how to be.
My instincts warned me to be wary of her still. Such displays of emotion couldn’t possibly be genuine, even though a suppressed part of me envied her ability to feel things so openly.
Rahzlyn’s heartbeat quickened from within, recapturing my attention. Amidst the stillness of water trickling, muffled gurgles followed.
As though she were underwater.
Drowning.
I darted into her room and burst into the bathing chamber. All was quiet on the surface of the circular, sunken bath. I leapt into the steaming water, grasping for her body beneath mounds of bubbles. The water was deepest in the center, rising to nearly my chest.
I lifted Rahzlyn by her arms. She gasped for air and peeled her hair from her face. She frowned when she recognized me. Droplets clung to her fluttering lashes as she demanded, “What are you doing in here?”
“Saving your life—again. I’ve lost track of how many times that is now.” It was an exaggeration, if only to prove a point.
She shrugged my hands away. “I didn’t need saving.”
“You were drowning.”
“I wasn’t drowning, I waspracticing.”
“Practicing drowning?”
“Holding my breath,” she clarified. “For my trial, remember?” She folded her arms across her chest. “Frankly, I’m insulted that you think a bathtub could fell me.”
“Plenty of nefarious things can happen in a bath.”
“Spoken from personal experience?” she quipped suggestively.
I stared at her for a beat. “How long did you last?” When she looked away, I scoffed. “You weren’t even counting?”
“Could you please just leave and let me bathe in peace?”
“I’m not sure you understand the meaning of the word.”
She planted her hands on her flaring hips. My thoughts came to a screeching halt as water sluiced over a black cloth wrapped around her breasts, clinging transparently to her skin. Mycommunicadangled from a delicate gold chain, tucked into the crevice of her chest.
I quickly fixated on the hole in the ceiling, likely designed to line up with the moon when full.
“What?” Rahzlyn mocked. “Never seen a naked woman before?”
“You’re not naked.” I had to imagine a matching piece covered her lower parts, otherwise the idea of us being this close…
I jerked back and hopped out of the bath. Soapy water dripped from my soaked uniform, pooling around my boots.
