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Corayne sniffed at her loose shirt, stained by weeks on the road. “Can’t imagine why.”
The clothes weren’t much better, judging by Sorasa’s expression. She grabbed a dress by the collar, shaking it out with distaste.
“You should make sure they aren’t laced with poison,” Corayne said, smirking.
But Sorasa was already going over the fabric, running it between her fingers, sniffing gingerly at the folds of linen and wool.
“I was kidding,” Corayne said weakly. “Do people actually do that?”
“I have.” Sorasa forced an overwide smile, tossing a dress and linen underclothes onto the bed. “You bathe first.”
Corayne took the clothes gingerly, looking them over with some trepidation. The overgarment was plain wool, a pale bluecolor that must’ve been vibrant once. She ran a finger along the embroidery at the sleeves and neckline, feeling the craftsmanship. The dress was old but well made, perhaps for a lady or a princess in years gone by. White wolves ran through the embroidery, picked out in white and gold thread, weaving through a pattern of snowflakes.
The white wolf in a blizzard,Corayne thought, a chill running up her spine.
“Isadere saw this in their mirror,” she muttered.
Sorasa made a dismissive noise. “Let me know when Isadere manages to turn the fleets of Ibal against Erida. Then I’ll be impressed.”
Slowly, Corayne pulled off her old shirt and pants, shucking them to the floor. It was like shedding her skin, peeling away layers of dirt and grime.
The warm water of the small wooden tub felt even better than the bed. She blew out a sigh as she sank, dunking her head. When she emerged, wiping her eyes, the water was already cloudy.
She winced. “Should we call for a fresh bath for you?”
Sorasa didn’t bat an eye. “Just hurry up,” she said, testing the latch on the window.
There was a small corner of soap and Corayne scrubbed her body all over, her toes curling with every scratch over her skin. Part of her wanted to just forget the feast altogether and sit in the bath until the water turned to ice. She finished instead, working the soap along her scalp before rinsing one more time. The fire roared at her naked back, and she barely shivered as she stepped out of the water, wrapping herself up in a thick blanket.
Sorasa was already out of her clothes, her tunic, pants, and boots neatly set in the corner with her many blades. Before Corayne could even blink, she dunked under the water.
Corayne couldn’t help but notice Sorasa’s tattoos. She had never seen so many before, not even on a member of her mother’s crew. Sorasa had them almost everywhere. Up her legs, down her spine, across her ribs. A falcon, a spider, a constellation of stars.
“Which one is your favorite?” Corayne said when Sorasa’s head emerged.
The assassin blinked, her usual swipes of black eye powder trailing down her cheeks. She narrowed her gaze. “Which what?”
Heat flared in Corayne’s cheeks. “I’m sorry, that was rude.” She ducked her head, pulling the blanket tighter around her body.
“The tattoos?”
“I don’t mean to pry,” Corayne answered, looking away.
Sorasa didn’t blink. “But you always do.”
Her face went hotter. “Yes, I guess so,” she admitted. “I just—want to know. Everything. Always. If I know what’s around me, every little detail...” Her voice trailed off, her mind a spinning mess. “I guess it helps me feel a little more in control. A little bit stronger. More valuable. It used to, at least.”
Back home in Lemarta, knowledge had been her power. Knowing the tides, the trade routes, the passage of coin and gossip. All her information felt useless now, in the face of the ending of the world.
In the bath, Sorasa kept still, the water moving gently around her.Shewas the opposite of an open book. Corayne expected her to dunk her head and go silent again. Instead she swiped at her eyes, rubbing the black powder away, and grinned.
“These are my favorite,” she said, raising both her palms.
The sun and moon faced out, inked into the flesh of her hands, distorted only a little by calluses and the lines in her skin.
Corayne glanced between them, fascinated.
“What do they mean?”
