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More sweet-smelling steam wafted out of this room, and inside was so dark that the only source of light was a sea of candles perched on every available surface. It was a decadent space, with a pool of water in the very center with little, red petals floating on the surface. Steam rose from the water, probably fueled by some kind of fae magic.
Haelo and Riven were naked and stepping into the steaming water, while Cadoc disregarded my presence entirely, stripping off his leather riding clothes and tossing them to the floor by my feet. I couldn’t help the way my eyes tracked him, admiring the way the warm light of the candles flickered off of his dark skin.
Silvery scars decorated his back, covered mostly by his massive wings that he stretched out to the sides, shaking out the spotted feathers. Faeries were unnaturally fast healers, so the fact that he was able to scar that much was a testament to his violent past. I shivered, thinking about what his enemy must have looked like in the end.
Stationed around the room were nine servants, both male and female and some unidentifiable, all dressed in similar sheer-lilac clothing with vine collars around their necks. Some of them held metallic pitchers, as if they’d only just poured fragrant oils into the water and were awaiting more demands. Others waited, holding fluffy towels, silky garments, or glass pitchers of wine to refill what they drank from the tables. None of them even glanced at me, they simply stared forward and waited patiently.
Were they slaves, too? How had they ended up here? Perhaps they’d bargained with the Wild Hunt, too. Who knew how long any of them had been here, and what they’d been forced to endure.
“You may go,” Riven’s deep voice rang out, and immediately, every servant in the room turned on their heel and headed for the door. I rocked back on my heels as if to follow, but he stopped me. “Where do you think you’re going, pet?”
I paused, heart lodged in my throat as the three princes stared at me. Cadoc was stepping into the water while the other two reclined against the edges with their arms spread wide on either side.
“Are you ready for your first task?” Riven asked, his voice filled with mocking disdain. “Come here. I need a good washing after our hunt. I’m afraid this last bounty was particularly difficult to dispatch. I might have made a bit of a mess of myself.” He gestured to his body, half submerged in water.
I raised a single brow. “You want me to…wash you?” As in touch their naked bodies? My fingers twitched and my mouth dried up as images of tanned and taut muscles flooded my mind. As insufferable as they were, I wasn’t immune to their beauty and allure.
Riven’s golden eyes narrowed. “What did I say about asking questions? Unless you’re having second thoughts, in which case we’d be happy to take back the gift we’ve given you in exchange for your promise.”
The threat hung between us. Would they really take away Drystan’s cure? Would they release me if they did? I had the feeling the answer was no. He was taunting me, messing with my head and making me question things.
So, I made my way toward the three smug, yet enticing, males, each of them wearing a satisfied smirk on their faces at my compliance. The only one who remained clothed was Erix, who simply headed to the far side of the room where a steaming basin waited. He rolled up his sleeves and proceeded to wash off his arms, scrubbing with soaps over those glowing blue tattoos.
Next to the pool was a clawfoot table laden with sponges, wash rags, brushes, and an assortment of cleansing oils and soaps. I eyed Riven, noting that his body was remarkably clean for someone who’d only seconds ago insinuated that he was filthy.
Looking closer as I dunked a sponge into the sudsy water, I spied small flecks of reddish black scattered over his upper torso and arms—blood. A lot of blood. His golden tattoos were duller than they were days ago without magic flowing through them. I moved closer and knelt beside the pool, bringing the sponge to his right arm.
“Good,” Riven said with a relaxed sigh as he reclined backwards, scooting farther into the water and letting his head rest against the edge of the pool. His eyes fell closed. “Don’t be afraid to scrub down into those hard to reach places.”
I dragged the sponge along Riven’s arm. Biting my tongue hard enough to draw blood, I tried to focus on anything but the soft feel of his muscles as they seemed to flex under my every touch. His skin was perfectly tanned, glittering as water dripped down in small rivulets over each curve and dip.
Maybe I didn’t mind this so much. Perhaps this wasn’t going to be the torture I’d dreaded for so long. I could handle bathing three beautiful faeries every day if it meant Drystan was safe.
Riven groaned as I placed the sponge aside after making sure every drop of blood was wiped clean. I grabbed a vial of soap and emptied a few drops into my palm. It was warm to the touch, and smelled like mint. I rubbed it into the tight muscles of his shoulders and the sides of his neck.
His head dropped back further as his shoulders finally relaxed. “Fuck…” The word fell from his parted lips and had warmth blooming in my belly. I kneaded out the knots and aches as well as I could, wanting to show this prince that I was willing to fulfill my part of the bargain. Fair was fair after all. I picked the sponge up again, moving to clean off the slippery oil.
All was well until something twanged in my spine, causing my breath to catch sharply, and the pain had me dropping a sponge in the water with an audible splash in the silence. Gritting my teeth, I cringed. Did they do something to me, or was I actually that damn clumsy? Riven’s eyes popped open with glare my way.
“I’m sorry!” I pulled back to reach for the second sponge on the table.
In a smooth, quick movement, Riven reached out, latching onto my wrist and holding tight. I froze. “Let's not be wasteful now. Go ahead and retrieve the sponge.” His eyes flashed with golden light, amusement dancing in them.
My insides fluttered as I looked down at the water that was only halfway filled with bubbles, but it was quickly becoming clear again. If I looked hard enough, I’d be able to see every single inch of his body, but I refused to let him see me gape so openly at his beauty. That was exactly what he wanted, and I couldn’t give that to him.
“Don’t be shy,” said Haelo. I stiffened as I felt the backs of his strong fingers drag down the length of my spine, but when I glanced over my shoulder, he wasn’t even close to me. Magic then. “You’re doing such a good job already.”
Ignoring his teasing, I held my breath as I dipped my hand into the hot water, feeling around for the sponge. My mouth dried up as my fingers touched Riven’s muscled thigh. I could feel his eyes on my face and I tried not to look at him, sweat beading on my forehead.
He chuckled. “You’re making me blush, Princess. I’m sure it would save you a great deal of time if you just looked for yourself.” The other princes laughed, and my cheeks heated in embarrassment.
I cast a glare at Riven and found him grinning wickedly. “You’re really enjoying my torment, aren’t you?”
“Immensely,” he said without hesitation.
I was done playing his games. Peering into the water, I scanned the stone bench that rimmed the pool and found the sponge lying right between his long powerful legs, right next to his impressively thick cock. To my complete awe, it appeared as if that, too, was covered in golden tattoos that glinted under the water.
Groaning internally, I made a show of grappling for the sponge. My fingers groped around with unnecessary flourish, and I heard Riven suck in a sharp breath. My lips threatened to pull up into a satisfied smirk, but I managed to refrain. Instead, I sensually curved my fingers around his thigh, taking my time so that he felt every caress, every squeeze.
