“Stay quiet,” Virelai hissed to Wisteria as she dragged her along after Ren. “You did well earlier, but this is not the time.”

  Faeries hurried to get out of Ren’s way as he plowed a path straight through them. All of them leaned away from him as though he smelled bad, which Virelai knew for a fact he did not. If anyone smelled, it was her. She swore the stench of horse would never come out.

  “I wasn’t going to do anything. I was just going to thank the Summer King for having us in his beautiful court. Everyone likes to be complimented.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Virelai said darkly. “Come on, before we lose Ren.”

  They hurried after him before the faeries could close the gap again. When they reached the edge of the courtyard, the creepy fae girl from earlier materialized as if out of nowhere.

  “Hello again. Allow me to show you to rooms where you may rest while you wait for your companions.”

  Wisteria opened her mouth, but Virelai elbowed her in the side before she could get a word out. “Thank you,” Virelai said. “We would love rooms.”

  A room might mean a place to bathe. It could also mean a trap, but she couldn’t resist the lure of finally being clean again.

  “And how will we know when our companions are done with the Summer King?” Ren asked.

  “They will have rooms, of course,” the faery girl said. She blinked up at Ren with those eyes that reminded Virelai of the snakes that were sometimes found slithering around the rocks at the base of the cliff outside Nyrene.

  She was definitely not to be trusted.

  But a bath.

  “Follow, follow.”

  Virelai brushed past Ren to do just that, but he caught her wrist. “Are you sure this is wise?”

  “I’m not sure anything about this visit was wise, but I don’t feel like standing around here, so if you will excuse me.” She tugged her wrist free. “Feel free to stay here if you want, but I’m going.”

  “Me too,” Wisteria said. Then she lowered her voice and added, “Those dancing faeries are kind of creepy.”

  “Fine,” Ren said and stalked off after the faery.

  They were led into one of the less decayed looking buildings and shown to separate bedrooms.

  Ren immediately disappeared into his and shut the door.

  Fine by her. Now if only she could get Wisteria to leave. Then she might have some privacy.

  “This is nice,” Wisteria said, following Virelai into her assigned room.

  It was only about a quarter of the size of her rooms back in Nyrene, but she would not complain because she had spotted an attached bathing room.

  “You know, you can go look at your own room,” Virelai said, peeking around the corner of the bathing room and spotting a large silver tub. It, of course, wasn’t as nice as what she was accustomed to, but it was better than nothing.

  “Do you think this is a faery prison?” Wisteria asked, ignoring her hint. She plopped herself on the end of the bed. “I don’t think I would mind if it were. This is way better than the servants’ rooms in Nyrene. Look at all this space.” She threw out her arms to encompass the room.

  The bed Wisteria was perched on was only a single bed, pushed against the far wall with a blue and green patterned rug made of some type of plant fibers at its foot. A tiny window only slightly larger than Virelai’s face showed a view of the neighboring building and did absolutely nothing for the lighting. Instead, this was taken care of by a pair of glowing light orbs floating on either side of the bed.

  Virelai crossed the room and pulled the blanket back on the bed, inspecting the linens. They weren’t as finely woven as hers back home, but at least she didn’t see any fleas.

  And she wouldn’t have to share the space with Ren.

  As though summoned by her thought, Ren opened her door and stepped inside.

  “Can I help you?” she asked. At the way things were looking, she was never going to get that bath.

  “I thought it best if we wait together,” Ren said, striding over to the tiny window and looking out.

  “Oh, that’s a good idea,” Wisteria said. “Does your room have a window too?”

  “It does not. Virelai must have gotten a special one.”

  “I haven’t checked mine yet, but this one is nice. Although, it must not be up to your standards,” Wisteria said, giving Virelai a pointed look. “I never went inside your rooms in Nyrene, but I can’t imagine a pretty princess like you, with only a bedroom and a bathing chamber.”

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  She was right, but Virelai decided not to encourage her by saying that she’d technically had six different rooms to call her own. There was the receiving room, the study, the dining area, the bedroom, the dressing room, and the bathing chamber. She’d also had a balcony.

  Virelai left the bed sheets alone and returned to the bathing chamber. There was no door between it and the main bedroom. However, she spotted a waterspout on the wall, so perhaps if she turned it on, the others would take the hint and leave.

  And if they didn’t leave, well, it wasn’t as if she hadn’t bathed around servants before—not that the necromancer was anything like her servants.

  Virelai turned on the spout, and hot water poured into the tub. She plucked a bottle off the nearby stand and sniffed it. Something floral, but nothing she recognized. It must have been local to the area. Either way, it was better than horse.

  She liberally dumped it into the bath and watched the bubbles foam up.

  “Oh, there’s a whole bath in here?” Wisteria said, popping her head in the doorway. “I should see if my room has one. It would be so nice after all that riding we did.”

  “Yes, you should go see.”

  Wisteria disappeared, and Virelai heard the door open and shut.

  Finally. Now she could enjoy her bath in peace.

  The tub was already halfway full, so she undid the laces on her dress and dropped it on the floor. She was about to pull off her shift when someone cleared their throat behind her. Virelai froze. She’d thought he’d left with Wisteria.

  “What are you doing?” Ren asked.

  Virelai glanced over her shoulder to find him leaning in the doorway. “What does it look like? This is a bathing chamber, so I am taking a bath. Do you mind?”

  “Is this really the best time for that?”

  “Why not? It’s not like we are doing anything while waiting for Kai and his pet seer.”

  “We could be leaving at any moment.”

  “Exactly. Who knows when my next chance will be? You weren’t willing to share your soap, if you recall. Now, either leave or turn around.”

  Ren pivoted but didn’t leave.

  Virelai quickly pulled off her shift and stepped into the water. It was a little on the hot side, but she ignored it as she lowered herself in.

  “If you’re so concerned about safety, maybe you should go watch Wisteria. She is the one who could get us in trouble with all that babbling of hers.”

  “I think you are perfectly capable of causing more.”

  “Fine. If you’re going to be here, hand me that wash cloth.” She pointed at the cloth draped over the far side of the stand. She could have reached it herself if she was willing to lean out of the tub.

  Ren averted his eyes as he picked up the cloth and passed it to her. It wasn’t as though he could see anything anyway with all the bubbles, but she still appreciated the consideration. She’d appreciate it even more if he left her alone, but apparently that wasn’t going to happen.

  “Why do you think the Summer King asked us to leave?” she asked, dipping the cloth in the water and scrubbing at her skin. It was going to feel so good to be clean again.

  “Do you really not know? I thought it was obvious.”

  “Obvious that those two are the easiest ones to manipulate? Yes.”

  “That isn’t what I meant.” Ren had returned to leaning on the door with his back to her.

  “Right. Your crime is being a necromancer, and mine is being born to the wrong father. Not sure what Wisteria’s is, but perhaps the faery girl told him she talks too much and isn’t worth dealing with.”

  “I don’t think it’s our crimes. I think it’s that we have nothing to offer him. Seraiah can offer the future, and Kai is a prince.”

  “Was a prince,” Virelai corrected. “He doesn’t have a kingdom any more, and it’s not like he has any control over his sister. That’s the whole reason we are here.” She ducked her head under the water and scrubbed at her hair. When she resurfaced, she said, “He’s really no better than either of us. The only one with something to offer is the seer.”

  There was a knock on Virelai’s door. It must have been Wisteria returning.

  “Come in,” Ren called, not bothering to move from the doorway.

  “This is my room. You can’t just go inviting whoever you want inside.”

  Ren looked at her over his shoulder. “Are you going to stop me?”

  She sent a burst of air in his direction that did little more than ruffle his hair. “If I wanted to, I could steal the breath from your lungs without leaving this tub.”

  Ren smirked at her and then turned to whoever had entered the room. “Do we have answers?” he asked.

  “Unfortunately, not good ones,” Virelai heard Kai say from the other room. “Are the others in their rooms?”

  “This is my room!”

  “Wisteria went to her own room, but as you heard, Virelai is here,” Ren said. “Where’s Seraiah?”

  “She’s still with the Summer King. He answered my questions and then sent me off to bargain with her alone.”

  “I see.”

  “What did you ask him?” Virelai called. She wanted to get out of the tub and properly join the conversation, but realized that would require putting her dirty clothes back on.

  “I asked him for three things,” Kai said.

  She and Ren listened as Kai explained what he’d asked for and how the Summer King had answered.

  “So he doesn’t know how to remove the shadows, but he was going to tell me something about mine,” Ren said. “My guess is it would be something I already know, and it would have been a waste to pay for it.”

  “Most likely.”

  “Did he say what he wanted to bargain with Seraiah for?” Ren asked.

  “Not straight out, but I believe he wants her to give him visions of his sister. Much like we want to keep an eye on Sterling, I think he wants to keep an eye on the Winter Queen.”

  “I suppose at least Seraiah will get what she wants then, so this trip won’t be a total waste,” Virelai said.

  “I don’t like it.” Kai said.

  “Neither do I,” Ren said. “We should tell her not to make the bargain.”

  “The two of you don’t get to make that choice,” Virelai said, leaning her head back against the lip of the tub. The water had started to cool and it wouldn’t be long now before it was room temperature. “Besides, you were the one who suggested it, Kaimana.” She may not have been able to see him, but she could imagine the face he’d be pulling right now.

  Another knock sounded on the door.

  “This is where you all are,” Seraiah said.

  “When did my room become the meeting place?” Virelai grumbled. Only Ren was close enough to hear.

  “Is everything all right?” Kai asked. “What bargain did he offer?”

  “We’ve been invited to stay at the Seelie Court for as long as I need,” Seraiah said.

  The smile dropped off Ren’s face and he pushed off the door frame, moving out of Virelai’s line of sight.

  “What did you agree to?” Kai asked. There was a pleading note in his voice.

  “I will have my visions, and in exchange, I must stay here and report them to the Summer King. He wants to know the Winter Queen’s plans. The rest of you are free to leave any time you please,” she added.

  “Thank the gods for that,” Virelai said. Although if this was to be the only place she had access to a proper bath, maybe she’d stay after all.

  “We aren’t leaving you here alone,” Kai said.

  “Well, then you are invited to the feast the Summer King is throwing in honor of his new guests. The faeries will be by with something appropriate for us to wear.”

  Virelai smiled. That meant she’d be getting fresh clothes. It turned out there was good news from this trip, after all.