“Nish,” Haxil growled. “Enough for you too.”
Nish waved an angry hand toward me. “She disrespected our prince.”
Haxil nodded. “As I’m aware.”
Nish’s lip curled. “If the prince didn’t want her, I’d—”
“Enough!” Haxil roared.
Sandus crossed his arms, and though he remained quiet, he gave me a surly expression, as if I was to blame for the discontent growing within their group.
Ignoring both of them, I followed Haxil to the bar.
Haxil drummed his fingers on the bar top. “Milis? She’s ready to turn in for the night. Can you show me which room is hers?”
Milis gave an overly bright smile. “Of course, follow me.”
She led us toward the stairs, then up to the second floor. A long hallway waited, and my eyes immediately darted about, wondering what room the prince had disappeared into.
Milis’s small wings fluttered slightly, and she lifted inches from the floor before flying slowly down the hallway. Only Solis with small wings could maneuver such tight quarters within buildings. The prince and his guards certainly wouldn’t be able to.
Milis led us to a room several doors down, then inserted a key in a lock.
“Here? Really?” Haxil asked.
Milis shrugged. “That’s what he said.”
She opened the door to a large sleeping quarter. A huge bed, which could easily sleep two adult fae with their wings slightly extended, sat near the wall. Beside it was a glass table with a fairy light hovering above it, and across from it, a small living area complete with a couch and two chairs.
“Blessed, this is so—” I didn’t even know what to say. It was by far the nicest room I’d ever seen. My entire home could fit into this one chamber. “It’s wonderful. Thank you.” I rubbed my arms, trying to ward off the chill. Frost iced the windowpanes.
Milis gestured toward the windows. “The hearth below will warm this room through the night, but it will still be cool. At this time of the season, as you know, winter starts creeping in.”
“It’s fine, truly. Thank you,” I said again because it was. This lodge room was warmer than my home by at least twenty degrees. Last winter, Cailis and I had nearly frozen to death since we hadn’t been able to afford the firewood needed to keep our hearth going around the clock.
Haxil prowled the room, checking the wardrobe and attached latrine. “Are the wards the same as always?”
Milis’s wings stopped fluttering as she drifted to the floor. “Yes, Haxil. Without being granted the key or allowed entry by me or the room’s recipient, visitors are not allowed to step over the threshold. The magic forbids it. Your guest shall be safe.”
Haxil grunted, apparently satisfied with that answer.
Milis returned her attention to me. Her expression was painfully polite, and I couldn’t help but wonder what her features would be morphing into if the prince hadn’t warned her that I was his guest.
She surveyed my worn, dirty clothes. “There are bathing pools here on the second floor if you’d like to clean up before bed.”
After the long day’s flight, I was covered in a fine layer of dust, so I nodded. “That would be nice, if it’s not too much of a burden,” I added hastily.
“Not at all. The prince has asked that I supply you with fresh clothes. I’ll show you to the bathing pools and will have clean clothing waiting on your bed when you return.”
“Really?” I couldn’t help my stunned question. I would have never suspected that the prince had thought of my comfort. I’d thought for certain that I would be wearing my field clothes to bed and for the foreseeable future.
“Indeed. Follow me. I’ll show you the way.” Milis lifted into the air and flew from my room down the hall and around the corner. She led Haxil and me to a set of exterior double doors. My breath caught when she opened them. Steamy mist wafted into my face from outside.
When it finally cleared enough for me to see, my surprise grew. The doors opened to the outdoors, to the mountainside resplendent with snow and moonlit pools.
A trickling waterfall cascaded from the mountaintop and fell into the pools’ multiple bodies of water. Plants and vines wove throughout the natural rock formations, their lush foliage and colorful leaves in complete contradiction to the pines that I’d seen upon landing near here. Steam rose from the water, letting me know this area was either heated from magic or that they were naturally hot springs. Whatever the case, that warmth also explained the diverse plant life.
A smile parted my lips, and I stroked one of the leaves nearest us. “How hot is the water?”
“Quite hot,” Milis replied. “But also very enjoyable. It soothes one’s muscles after a long day’s flight.” She coughed abruptly, as if realizing I’d never known what wing muscles felt like after a day in the sky.
But I’d received such comments all my life, so I simply ignored her and waved a hand through the steam. I itched to take my clothes off and submerge into the crystal-clear liquid. It was beckoning me with its promised heat and tranquil atmosphere.
“Do you need to stay?” I asked Haxil.
While I didn’t relish stripping my clothes with him watching, the thought of getting into the pool outweighed that. I’d never been in a body of water like this before, and there was no way I was turning it down.
The guard’s eyes shifted to the waterfall, then back to me. He shook his head. “No, I shall leave you here to bathe at your leisure.”
My eyebrows rose since that definitely didn’t align with the prince’s earlier command that he guard me, but I didn’t argue.
“There are bathing soaps and cloths right over there.” Milis pointed to the opposite side of the pool. “Enjoy.”
She and Haxil sauntered back inside, leaving me alone at the pool’s edge. I lifted my chin, a smile parting my lips at the plethora of stars and the three moons that shone above.
Glancing around, I searched to see if anyone else was lurking about, but I didn’t see a soul. Not wasting any time, I took off one layer of clothing after another until I stood naked in the moonlight. The cold air chilled my skin, and my long hair brushed my waist. Goosebumps sprouted along my limbs, and my nipples peaked in the frosty temperature. My ribs were apparent as were my jutting hip bones, but even that didn’t bother me as it usually did.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been naked outside. Most likely when Cailis, Tormesh, and I were children and had run from our mother when she was trying to bathe us before bed, but even thinking of my siblings wasn’t enough to dampen my mood at the thought of submerging in the pool.
I dipped a toe in, and my smile spread into a grin when the pool’s heat kissed my skin.
Stairs had been cut into the natural rock, and with each step down, I shivered in glee. When I was finally fully submerged, I moaned in absolute delight.
Back home, we usually used a small wash basin to clean up each night. Rarely, we would lug out the tub to do a proper wash, but even that wasn’t large. I would have to sit with my knees drawn to my chest while Cailis dumped water over my head.
But this . . . this was what luxury felt like.
I swam to the side of the pool, near the area where Milis had said bathing soaps lay. Sure enough, there was a large dish of scented mixtures. I picked one up and took a small whiff. Sandalwood. Too masculine for my taste. I tried another, then another, until I settled on a floral elixir that smelled of freshly cut jasmine and a hint of mint.