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Orla’s head jerked toward me, and the tips of her fingers turned red. “You think that horrendous outfit you have on is what you should wear to meet the highest fae officials? Not even a Winter fae would wear that!”
“I’m not loving this outfit either. It reeks of beer, but if I could get a pair of jeans and a shirt, that would work great.” I preferred flare or boot-cut jeans over shorts. I could hide weapons better that way. At this point, I’d even take skinny-leg jeans as long as I didn’t have to wear that beautiful death trap.
Orla huffed. “It’s like I don’t even know you.”
Finally, someone was on the same page as me. “That’s because you’ve got the wrong person. I’m sure Alina is out there, looking for you and ready to wear that to meet the bougie fae.”
“Bougie?” Enid scratched her head.
“Fancy.” I hung my head. Though we were both speaking English, I wasn’t sure it was the same language.
Orla straightened and tightened her lips. She closed the distance between us and put her face in mine. “You will bathe, get yourself together, and wear that dress. Whatever little joke you’re playing is not funny. If you embarrass me in front of the High Court and the Winter King, there will be ice to pay.”
Though she’d lost me with that last part, her message was clear. I was her captive, at least for the moment, and I had to obey.
I needed to find my way downstairs and leave. “Fine.”
“Good.” She straightened her shoulders, and then wings exploded from her back. “I’ll see you downstairs at dinner.”
I gasped and blinked. Each time I did, her red-feathered wings sparked with hints of fire. My lungs seized. This had to be a wild dream. I’d wake up soon.
Still, her wings were gorgeous. I was transfixed as she walked out the door until Enid sighed noisily.
“Come along.” She made her way to the second door, the one Lilidh had used. “It’s time to take a bath.”
Bath.
That word alone had me obliging.
We stepped through the door, and I tried to take it all in. To the right was a closet holding so many clothes I couldn’t see an end to them. Everything hung from large thorns on tree branches. To the left was a gorgeous bathroom with a pearl-like tub in the middle and large windows surrounding it. There were whimsical pink fabric curtains for privacy, and the same flowers that decorated the chandelier grew around the tub and along the bottom of the windows.
A golden faucet was running, filling the tub with crystal-blue water, and the fragrance of flowers surrounded me.
“You have five minutes to get clean.” Enid went back to the wooden door and made to leave.
“Wait.” I spun around. “I need soap and shampoo.”
She tilted her head, staring at me.
“To get clean.” Her confusion was too genuine to be part of a prank, especially with the beautiful room and flowers. But if this wasn’t a prank, what did that mean?
“You don’t need anything. The water does it for you.” She left and shut the door, not wanting to answer any more questions.
Unable to think of anything else to do, I stripped off my onesie and hunted for somewhere to hide my knife, eventually settling on the plants under the windows. I gripped the wooden handle and stuffed it under the thickest section of flowers, then took a few steps back to see if the bronze blade glistened in the sun. Nothing happened.
Good. It was safe.
Satisfied, I slipped into the water. My skin tingled as I submerged my body, and suddenly, the faucet turned off.
None of this was normal.
Trying to enjoy the moment, I leaned my head back. I had to have been losing it because I could feel the water cleaning me. I’d never felt so refreshed. I held my breath and went under, and tingles prickled over my scalp. More strangely, I relaxed.
When I rose back up, Lilidh entered with the dress. “It’s time to get out.”
I crossed my legs and arms, covering my chest, then glanced around for a towel. “How do I dry off?”
“Just stand up, Your Highness.”
