“Of course. I was doing some research on your kind and had Dravik help to prepare abathroomfor this moment.” Nyx taps Rhune’s arm, signaling him to let go. Reluctantly, he does so, and Rhune jumps to his feet, holding out a hand to help me up.
“Thank you,” I say, placing my palm in his. Electricity thrums between our skin, and when he finally lets go, I’m left feeling hollow and wanting.
Get it together, Willow. Remember the objective.
“So… the bathroom?”
Rhune clears his throat. “Right. I’ll show you where it is.”
I follow him out of his bedroom and down the familiar darkened tunnel, Nyx following at our heels like a shadow. Rhune stops in front of one of those hide-covered doorways, andI have to bite my lip to stifle my gasp when I notice the symbol painted on the front.
It literally looks like a poop emoji—minus the eyes and mouth, of course.
I just… I can’t.
“Nyx has been doing lots of research on your species. We repurposed this room for your… erm… necessities.” His arm stretches out, and he gestures for me to head inside. “Look around. See if it is up to your standards.”
I move inside the room, blinking heavily as my eyes adjust to the dim lighting. There are only one or two roots in these walls, so there’s not much light, but once my eyes adjust, I’m able to maneuver without any issue.
In the corner, there is a literal human bidet in the far corner—though it’s made of the same material as the walls and floor. There’s also a small waste bin and what looks to be a sink filled with the same magical water that fills the bathing chamber.
I’m not sure how the whole thing functions, and I don’t particularly want to know, but if Rhune and Nyx say it works, it’s good enough for me.
Speaking of Rhune and Nyx….
They’re currently standing just over my shoulder, their eyes wide with anxious expectation.
“Do you like it?” They ask in tandem.
Smiling, I nod. “It’s perfect. Thank you both so much.” When they don’t retreat, I clear my throat. “I don’t mean to be rude, but… do you mind waiting for me back in Rhune’s room? This is kind of a private matter.”
“You promise not to get lost on your way back?” Nyx asks with a teasing smirk.
“I promise,” I say. “Now shoo.”
Nyx backs away, turning gracefully and stalking back toward Rhune’s room. With a soft whine, Rhune follows his brother,casting several longing looks over his shoulder before he disappears from sight.
Unable to ignore my bladder for another moment, I rush into the bathroom to do my business. When I’m finished, I wash my hands in the basin of magical water, smiling as the magic reaches out to tickle my skin. With a happy sigh, I dry my hands on my makeshift dress and slip out of the room. I gaze left and right, but the demons are nowhere to be seen.
Guess they took me seriously…
I’m about to head back toward Rhune’s bedroom when a faint pulsing light catches my attention. It’s at the far end of the tunnel, in the opposite direction of the way I should be walking.But…
I gasp, my eyes widening as the tugging in my chest grows stronger. It wants me to walk to the light. To investigate.
Unwittingly, I begin walking toward it, my steps slow and silent on the cool floor. I blink, and I’m standing in front of the covered doorway. The blue light is pulsing from the gap at the bottom, soothing and steady, and it calls to me in a primal way I don’t understand.
Carefully, I brush the hide aside and step inside, blinking to adjust to the brightness of the space. The light I noticed appears to be coming from the wall at the far back of the room. It’s completely covered in those strange blue roots I saw in Rhune’s bedroom, but these seem… angrier. They overlap each other in gnarled mats, spreading out from the rock into the room like a tumor.
Shivering, I force my gaze from the wall, and my breath gets caught in my throat.
Oh my God…
The room is absolutelyfilledwith beautifully carved sculptures. Some are half-finished, others are concealed by large, pale-colored hides, but most are laid bare for me to enjoy.In addition to the carvings, there are a half dozen work tables spread around the room haphazardly, as if they’re making space for the art, not the other way around.
I take a step deeper into the space, feeling like a child in a candy store. I want to explore, to look at everything. Art was my escape back home, the one outlet that let me truly feel seen. Here, I could pretend I’m at a museum, browsing through the halls and picking out my favorite installation. For a moment, I can just take in the beauty of this strange place.
Only, before I move another inch, the roots at the back wall pulse with a dark red light, and an icy chill spreads through the air. The hair at the back of my neck rises as a shiver trails down my spine, my body reacting far before my mind has time to make sense of what is happening.
