𝔸 ℂ𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕎𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕙 (Book 2)

Fifty-five

The warm water of the tub seeped into my aching muscles, washing away my worries for a moment as steam sifted from the water and through the room. I'd set the water to near boiling, so hot it burned when I dipped my foot in. Somehow the burn was oddly calming.

I sunk deeper into the water until my head was submerged. All sound ceased to exist for a moment. There were no people. No worries. Just me and my thoughts. My heart beat in my ears steadily, almost centering. I came to the surface again, sucking in a breath as air filled my lungs once more. Once again the world returned in full.

My mind had been a muddle of thoughts since I'd left the dining room, wondering if I'd been wrong to blow up on Nesta—she was right, this was her house, her livelihood we were threatening. But it was also my life. I'd put myself on the line thousands of times for them. I'd killed for them. And we'd barely managed to keep from starving because they refused to leave our house.

And yet I'm the monster? I'm the one who's in the wrong because I died? No. I'm not. I'm only asking for their help in this to save their lives.

And if Nesta can't accept that because I'm a different "species" now and I "lie", then so be it.

I stood from the hot water, my peaceful bath now ruined with thoughts about what was to come. I reached for a towel, drying myself off before wrapping the towel around my body. I walked to the sink in the corner of the bathroom. I turned the nob to as cold as I could before I splashed it onto my face.

Glass stood in front of me. Fogged up with steam. It was a mirror.

I could just barely see my silhouette through the murky film: white hair, pale skin, and nothing else. It was odd to see myself, even if I barely could. I'd forgotten my own reflection after a time. It had been months since I'd dared to look in a mirror.

I bit the inside of my cheek for a moment, silently debating. Slowly, I raised a hesitant hand before I wiped a small line across the glass. Only big enough to see my eyes. The fog cleared as I peered at that small bit of myself through the mirror.

But my eyes...

They were different somehow. When I was human they had been a vibrant green, light with a dark ring of emerald around the edge. And now...not only were my eyes somehow enhanced in their color, almost crystal-like with the way they near glowed. But there was a ring around my pupil as well. It was as though it was lined with silver fire, I could have sworn it burned had I not blinked and it went away.

I sucked in a small breath before I turned away. That was new.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts, immediately reaching to grab my clothes from the side of the sink and change. Only to find nothing but air.

Lovely. Just lovely.

I must have gone into the bathroom so quickly that I'd forgotten my clothes—nope, scratch that, I'd left Velaris so quickly that I'd forgotten to pack clothes. I sighed, running a hand along my face, I'd have to ask Rhys for clothes now.

I fucked up. I could hear his smile now—somehow.

I rolled my eyes, gripping the towel around me before I swiftly swung open the bathroom door to reveal said person. Rhys was laying on my bed for whatever reason, probably to be as annoying as possible. He didn't bother to look up as his eyes eagerly ran across the page of his book. He was so immersed in whatever he was reading that I didn't think he'd even noticed I was there.

He reads? Of course, he does. Of course.

I cleared my throat looking around to avoid whatever I was doing, but my traitorous eyes found him again. His head had tilted toward me but his eyes had yet to leave the book. It was oddly picturesque. If I'd had my sister's hand with the arts I would have painted it.