'Where’s Jak?' I ask.
He and Locke have a meeting with the Council now,' he says. ‘Jak was talking about going to the baths after that.'
I slide into a seat at the table wearily. I haven’t been to the baths yet. I’m not even sure where they are.
'How was today?' he asks, his eyes searching.
'It was fine,' I say, trying to smile as I think of it. 'Some bits were hard, but nothing like the pits.'
He gives my shoulder a light squeeze. 'I knew you’d be all right. But keep your eyes open when you’re with them. Never let your guard down.'
I give him a look. ‘As if I would.’
He gives me a grim smile and squeezes my shoulder gently once more.
We eat together, mostly in silence because I’m so tired, and Morgan seems content to watch me in the dim light from the fire. Afterward, he clears the plates away and takes his weapons out to polish them.
Again.
‘Shall I help you?’ I ask.
He shakes his head. 'Tomorrow will be harder. Sleep.'
I let out a sigh and almost retreat to my room, but then I turn.
‘Voss knows I’m not claimed properly yet,’ I say to him. ‘He said if it isn’t done soon, he’ll do as they threatened and lock me in his keep until I’m needed.’
MORGAN
I successfully keepfrom showing my anger, from flipping the table in front of me over, smashing the pieces against the floor, and bellowing like a beast, but only because Bryn is here.
'Fucking Voss,' I say quietly, hating that we're being forced into this before she's ready. 'Come.'
She shakes her head. 'Now? But I'm so tired. It's been such a long day.’
She looks exhausted, and I close my eyes for a moment, hating myself, Voss, and that cunt, Calder, for this entire situation. I’d hoped there would be more time for Jak to woo her, for her to come to terms with having to bed Locke.
'Come,' I say again. I take the cloak that I got for her off the hook and drape it around her shoulders.
'Where are we going?' she asks.
'You'll see.'
I take her down the way, out of the main part of the village toward the caves that are close to the boundary wards. I haven't shown her this yet, mostly because I wanted to be the one to bring her here, and I wanted it to be special. But thanks to fucking Voss, that's not going to happen.
Fucking tiny-pricked fuck.
I take her to the opening in the cliff face. Long, shallow steps curve down into the depths. She pulls back and swallows hard and I wince. Does this remind her of the pits?
'Do you trust me, my little human?' I ask.
She stares into my eyes, and then she nods, and my heart is filled with happiness. She is beginning to trust me, even after everything. Finally, my efforts are yielding results.
She lets me lead her down the steps. Wall sconces are carved into the rock, conjured by Dane to perpetually give out a calming light without lit torches. When we get to the bottom, Bryn looks around in awe at the great cavern bathed in a blue glow, at the luminous waters that seem to shimmer thanks to Dane's magick. Steam hovers over the surface of the clear, hot pool.
'What is this place?' she breathes.
'These are the baths,' I say.
