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I put the mirror down.
“What… what happened to me?” None of this made sense. Not just what I looked like, or the illness, or the cabin. It was everything. How did I end up here? Who was this woman, and why was I here? And Demos… gods, Demos.
“None of that, child. Not today. Today,” she said, taking the mirror and setting it on the table, “we eat and rest. It’s going to be a good while until you’re well enough to walk without toppling over.”
She headed for the kitchen but paused when I asked, “Where’s Demos?”
“He’s occupied at the moment. I’m sure he’ll return in a few days.”
Something in her expression told me she wouldn’t offer more. In fact, her eyes—a deep green—hardened, brooking no argument. She turned around and set to work.
I figured she was the friend Demos had spoken of. How did he know her? Where in Titus were we?
And where were the Ongahri?
More eating, more sleeping. I spent the next three days alone for the most part, Auria only appearing when it was time for me to eat. On the fifth day, I woke up to the smell of roses. I opened my eyes and turned my head toward the center of the cabin, where a tub of steaming water had been set up.
A bath. Thank the gods. Did that mean Demos was here?
The cabin door was closed, and a quick look at the table and chairs showed no evidence that he’d been here. On the little bedside table was a steaming bowl of what looked like porridge, with raspberries sprinkled on top. My stomach growled, but the bath’s call was louder.
I sat up, took off my shift, and padded over to the tub. On the floor next to it were thick homespun towels, along with a comb made of bone, a jar of thick liquid that I assumed was for my hair, and a sponge for washing. I took my time scrubbing my skin, soaping my hair. The effort tired me but not as bad as it was the last time I’d had a bath, when Demos had so tenderly washed me.
My heart hurt at the thought of him. I missed him, more than I’d ever admit to anyone. His absence was too great for me to ignore, as if someone had removed my hands and feet. For however long I’d been here—had to be weeks, surely—he’d been there with me every moment, like breathing or the beating of my heart; steady, reliable, automatic.
I had so many questions for him. Auria had said he’d return in a few days, but what if he didn’t? The thought of never seeing him again cut me like a knife to the heart. My breath caught, dying in my chest, my stomach clenched, an ache like nothing I’d felt. Not even the ache of the last few days compared to the pain I felt inside.
“How’s the bath?” Auria asked.
I startled, water splashing out the sides of the tub.
“My apologies, child. I have been told I have a certain way of just appearing out of nowhere.” She laughed.
Since I was facing the window, the cabin door was at my back. I turned my head and smiled at her. “Good morning, Auria. Thank you for the bath. It’s wonderful.” I went to grab one of the towels, but she beat me to it.
She dried me off, wrapping my long, wet hair in a towel. “You must be tired of wearing shifts. I believe there may be a few gowns in those trunks. Let’s check, shall we?”
Indeed, there were. Simple frocks in pastel shades, nothing heavy or too warm. I chose a pale yellow one and dressed, then braided my hair while she tidied up the room and emptied the bath water, making several trips to the front door with a pitcher.
I took my bowl of porridge, now cool enough to eat, to the table and chairs, this time eating like a more civilized person instead of the invalid I had been for too long. The porridge was sweet and creamy, the raspberries tangy, filling my mouth with tartness and cream.
Birds chirped sweetly outside, and I stared out the window, taking in the scene of green and flowers and springtime. I remembered the foggy border of wherever we were, and tried to spot it now, but the landscape must have faced a different view from the cabin, because I saw a body of water, like a lake or river, with trees on the horizon. That was when I saw Demos and Argenis, further down on the bank. I could make out Demos’ white robes and his mount’s silver coat.
My body sang, coming alive for the first time since I’d seen him last.
“All finished?” Auria asked.
I turned to look at her, having forgotten she was there. “Oh. Yes. Thank you, that was delicious.” I went back to staring out the window, but not before I noticed she had as well.
“It is a lovely scene, isn’t it?”
I knew she meant the landscape, but my eyes were still on Demos. “It is.”
“Don’t confuse lust with love, my dear. They are two different things.”
Her words were like cold water splashing on my face, taking my breath away.
Shame, that’s what I felt, along with something I couldn’t name. Like I was a child wanting to play a game with the adults, whom I thought wanted me there, only to be told to go to my room because of my age. It hurt, gods did it hurt.
