God of Discovery [high fantasy, slow build, mlm]

Keeping cool

D'Argen spent the next few weeks in Lilian's rooms. He would either sit on Lilian's bed or beside it with a pack of cards or a book. Abbot and Yaling came in every day, but only for a few hours. A few others visited as well, though Vain was the other most common face. Simeal dropped in to brew concoctions for Lilian to drink. When they were awake.

Lilian spent most of the time asleep. Sometimes it was due to the fatigue that took over their healing body, but more often it was due to the medicines Simeal was giving. A few times now, Lilian shot up from bed in anger, their mahee swirling, but the concoctions Simeal brewed made Lilian fall asleep quickly and silently.

Still, both of those were preferable to the rest of the time, when Lilian just lay still and stared at the wall opposite their bed. They barely moved, did not even acknowledge that D'Argen was in the room, and then their eyes slipped closed without any other movement.

When he was not in Lilian's rooms, D'Argen was sleeping in his own chambers or with Vah'mor.

Lilian's attack caused a stir in all Never Born. They all felt that pain in their mahee, so similar to the pain of one of their own dying, but Vah'mor must have felt something more. They never said what, exactly, but the first time they called D'Argen to their rooms just to keep them company, the two barely spoke. Vah'mor was the one to take out a board game with shiny metal pieces and without a word, prompted D'Argen into a few games.

It took almost three weeks for the finger-shaped bruises on D'Argen's forearm to fade away completely. Much longer than the cuts on his body from Lilian's mahee. He spent an entire night tracing Arehal's slim fingers imprinted onto his skin and then the following day he spent it tugging his sleeve down continuously, trying to hide the darkened splotches on his skin.

When they were finally gone, D'Argen decided against calling for a bath to be drawn up in his rooms and instead went into the communal baths underground. They were fed by the same river that spilled out of the castle and into the city, but the water was so hot that he was sweating before he was even in it.

A few others were already there and D'Argen acknowledged them with a smile and a nod. He had taken to quickly ignoring the other Never Born in the castle, those that tried to ambush him with questions about Lilian and the situation. Sitting, completely naked, in the corner of one of the large stone pools with hot water, he felt vulnerable.

A group of three Never Born were in the same pool as him, another five in the one beside them. The eight were leaning across the narrow walkway between the two pools and talking quietly. Every now and then, one of them would throw a glance his way.

D'Argen closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the stone carving. He heard the water sloshing and peeked an eye open. The group had finally chosen their representative to come over and start accosting him with questions. He narrowed his eyes at the woman but she continued with a steady stride through the shallow pool. That was until she reached the middle where her entire body stiffened and she made an abrupt turn. She walked to the stairs and then out of the bath, collecting a robe and then leaving the baths completely without a backwards glance.

D'Argen was confused and glanced at the others. Two more were pulling out of the baths, ignoring the stairs completely, and collecting their robes. The rest split apart. D'Argen closed his eyes and tried to relax.

Slowly, the hot water he was resting in turned warm then cool, and D'Argen shivered. These pools used Yelem's eternal flames to remain hot at all hours of the day. Unless someone specifically doused the flames, there would be no reason for the water to cool down. Only after that thought did he notice another presence in the pool, all the way to the side and out of his peripheral.