“Some human knight had it before,” Khay says, leading me up narrow, steep stairs to a tower where my bedroom is supposed to be. “He died when we took the castle. Now let me see about a hot bath while you make yourself at home, my lady. You’ll sleep with me tonight.”
With that, he leaves my room, locking it from the outside. I’m trapped.
VIII Maid
At least there’s a window. It’s the only thing that keeps the terror of being locked somewhere at bay—that and Khay’s promise to be back with a bath soon.
I take in the tower room. It’s not as spacious as my bedroom back home, but it’s sizable enough to contain a large bed with a headboard carved from pale basswood, an old-fashioned wardrobe, a dresser with a basin and jug of water, and a writing desk by the narrow window. I sit down on the padded bench at the desk and bury my head in my arms, allowing myself a single sob.
This roomlocks, and the window is too narrow for me to jump out of, even if I managed to break the thick, colored glass. Why, oh why, must Khay sleep with me? After a day of being pressed up against Magnar and getting poked, I hoped for at least a little time to myself.
I desperately need to sort through my thoughts and feelings, because right now, my world is chaotic. Time and again, things turn out to be drastically different from what I expect.
And yes, I’ve never had much time to myself. I used to be surrounded by servants, teachers, and courtiers almost all the time back in my old life, but at least, the nights were mine. If my father felt the need to come and look at me when I slept, he did so discreetly. I only know about this habit of his because I woke up a few times whenhe was breathing hard, hidden in a shadowy nook of my room.
He explained he wanted to make sure his prize was safe and apologized for waking me.
I look around again, wonderingwhereKhay will sleep. There is one bed. I suppose he might lie on the floor—he’s probably used to it after sleeping in a tent.
Last night, I fell asleep while he was in my room, rocking back and forth in the chair at the foot of my bed. I don’t know where he slept then, if he did at all.
The key scrapes in the lock, and Khay comes in, holding the door open. Two Agnidari soldiers heave in a large copper tub. Water sloshes over the lip as they put it in the middle of the room. It’s steaming hot, and I sigh in relief that at least I’ll be able to wash off the sweat and discomfort of today. The heat might help my aching muscles, too.
The soldiers leave without a word. Khay lights a few candles, dispersing the thickening darkness, and leans his back against the door.
I look between him and the tub, impatient to start washing.
“Oh, not this again,” he shakes his head with exasperation. “Look, there are no females in this castle to help you, and I am your knight. It’s fine.”
I blink at him, uncomprehending. “What do you mean? What… Knights don’t help with bathing.”
“Yes, we do,” he says, folding his arms on his chest. “Agnidari knights have a special bond with their king and queen. We are the most trusted. And yes, you might get a female maid or two after a long vetting process if that’s what you want, but right now, Magnar won’t trust anyone but me and the other knights with your safety. It’s better if you get used to it sooner rather than later.”
I swear my head is about to burst from the absurdity of his words. “But you’re a man!” I explode, jumping to my feet. “Youcan’thelp with my bath! It’s ridiculous!”
Khay looks up at the ceiling and heaves a long, frustrated sigh. “Not to an Agnidari. I am your knight, and it trumps everything, because my loyalty is absolute. Who would you rather help you bathe, your knight whom you know and trust, or a random woman who might cut your throat while you’re naked and vulnerable?”
“I neither know nor trust you,” I say through clenched teeth, thwarting the anger building in my chest. “Please, leave. I’ll be fine on my own.”
He watches me, his lips obstinately pursed. Finally, he gives me a sharp nod.
“I’ll be just outside. Call me when you need your back scrubbed.”
The door closes with a soft click, and I study it with rising panic. There is no way to lock it from the inside since I don’t have a key. Anyone could walk in while I bathe. Khay may very well change his mind and barge in without invitation.
I consider going to sleep in my riding clothes without washing up, and my skin crawls. I am grimy, sweaty, and exhausted. The water looks hot and inviting.
Finally giving in, I pull the padded bench to the door to block it, knowing it won’t stop an Agnidari if one chooses to come in. It does give me a semblance of comfort, though, so I leave it there and strip as fast as I can, undoing the many hooks and ribbons holding my outfit in place. The torn petticoats are clean enough, but my chemise reeks of sweat. Good thing Khay brought my bag with traveling necessities.
I tug off Magnar’s underthings without giving them a single glance. Ignoring them is the only way not to remember the way his calloused hands felt on my inner thighs, and hownotentirely unpleasant it was.
When I get in the bath, I instantly forget all my troubles. The hotwater unknots my aching thighs and washes off my worries, and I sigh and tilt my head back, leaning it against the lip of the tub. I could do with a soft towel to support my neck, but even without one, it’s amazing. The tub is just big enough to lie back with my knees bent. I could submerge completely if I curled up.
I suppose it’s one advantage of riding with the Agnidari. There’s no way human servants could have carried such a large tub filled with water up the stairs.
There’s a bar of soap in a wicker basket hanging on the outer side, and I gingerly bring it to my nose. It smells like foreign spices, sweet with a tang of sharpness, and a bit like fruit. I sigh in bliss and leisurely wash my skin, breathing in deeply. I’d love to wash my hair, but I don’t think I can rinse it out properly without help.
It’s quiet outside, no sounds carrying up to my tower. The candles sizzle, and dusk deepens beyond the window, turning into night. The first moon, the knight, rises over the horizon, bright and beautiful. A dark silhouette of an owl flies across the moonlit sky.
