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“Who is it?” Kelia asked.
“Me.”
She opened, and to my delightful surprise she wore a silky black robe. “Come in.”
I followed her inside, kicking the door shut on my way. “I think they gave you the bigger room.”
“I’m taking a bath. Why are you here?” With her back to me, she dropped the robe and I had to hold in a groan and remember why I had come.
“I need to check the room.” I started by the bed, under it, near the dressers, searching for any scent of magic. Needing to keep things light, I glanced back while I ran my fingers along the walls, searching for any grooves. “I do remember you saying that if we were to bathe, it would be in front of each other.”
She stepped into the tub and settled beneath the water. “You don’t need to worry. My barrier will keep away her assassins. Remember who you travel with. Bring me wine.”
I dragged a chair over to the tub, grabbing the wine and two glasses off the serving tray. “Shadow magic is powerful and her—”
“I know about her shadowwalkers and I’m prepared to deal with them just as I was prepared to deal with you.”
The scent of vanilla and rose wafted off the water, making me more tense. She should not be this relaxed. “It doesn’t matter what you read in your history books. You can’t port out of here with any magic when things get dangerous unless you plan on stealing one of the dark fae’s transporter rods and I know you’re smarter than that.”
White petals floated on the water’s surface, mixed with other oils, the varying smells making my sensitive nose tickle. Kelia sat up, twisting to meet my gaze. Bubbles clung to her skin, covering the best parts of her. “Why do you think out of all the magi, the council sent me?”
When I didn’t answer, she continued, her expression hard. “My magic is a unique mutation, unlike anything else, a mixture of light and force.”
“Wait,” I said, my mind reeling. “You’re a light bearer?”
She shook her head. “Not exactly, but almost as powerful. The shadows cower to me, not the other way around.”
Sliding back into the tub, she leaned her head against the rim of the ivory tub and sighed. “It’s been weeks since I had a proper bath.”
I poured her a glass of wine, unsure of what else to do, my shoulders tensed and my mind raced with this new information. “Maybe I should join you?”
“I bathe alone.” She held out her hand and I gave her the glass.
If one of Kelia’s elements was light and force, she would certainly have an upper hand against the shadowwalkers and possibly even the queen, though I’d seen the queen pop someone’s skull like a grape. Her strength terrified me just as much as her affection.
I leaned back in the chair, breathing, and trying to make sense of this situation. “Our entire journey here you refused to let me out of your sight, and you seemed fine to let me go to my own room. What’s changed?”
She sipped the wine and met my gaze. “The city is under siege, and you need me alive if you want your freedom. I don’t know why the queen requested your release, but she doesn’t seem very fond of you.”
I tipped my glass at her. “You have a point.”
Once she finished her drink, she held the glass out to me.
“Another?” I asked, taking it from her.
“Just pour.” She grabbed a sponge from the tray attached to the other side of the tub.
Watching her drag that soapy sponge seemed to ease some of the tension rumbling through me. Here we were in one of the more dangerous places in Saol and she was relaxing in a bath. I placed the drinks down on the floor, eager to have a distraction, even if for only a moment. “Ready for another lesson?”
“No.”
“But we haven’t gotten to the good part.”
“Unless you are going to wipe my scent off your skin, I’m not interested.” She peeked over at me. “No more touching.”
Pretending that didn’t break my dark heart, I leaned back in the chair. “That’s fair. The queen and I have a difficult past.”
Kelia’s gaze narrowed and she frowned. “She seemed . . . territorial of you. If you expect us to survive, I need to know what I’m up against.”
