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I sighed. “Will you be alright by yourself?”
She nodded bravely and I kissed the top of her nose gently before getting up with a small groan. Vra, the edge of the bathtub really wasn’t a comfortable spot to rest.
“I’ll be right back, I promise.”
“I’m fine,” she assured me.
With a final look at her, I made my way through my bedroom to the living room. “This better be good,” I ground out when I saw my two advisors standing in the middle of the room.
I watched Daryus leave and sank lower into the bathtub. The water was heavenly. Warm and gentle and just what my aching body needed.
Small vials with what I assumed to be soaps stood on a ledge by the wall and I shifted myself to open and sniff each one, finally deciding on a florally citrus scent to begin to wash the grime, sweat, and dirt from me. I worried the bathwater would turn brown from all the dirt from the last couple of days—even after the quick shower at Gitgo’s—but amazingly it stayed clear.
I dunked my head and scrubbed my body and hair, relishing being free and safe. The last two days didn’t exactly fall from my mind, but gradually I was able to disengage enough to appreciate it being behind me. Some tendrils of fear remained, especially since I didn’t know who ordered my abduction, but Daryus’s assurance that I would stay with him for now helped. If there was any safe place for me, it was here, under the emperor’s guards’ watchful eyes.
It was still hard to fathom that Serthia, of all people, came to my rescue. The girl had surprised me. Or maybe not, maybe she had just stayed true to herself, seeing an opportunity to better her own situation, rather than helping me. Which strangely made more sense to me.
A servant entered bowing, her arms loaded with clothing, and put them on one of the many counters on the other side of the room, before wordlessly retreating again.
One worry down, I twisted my hair to wring most of the water out, and carefully stepped out of the tub, looking for the drying station, which I finally figured was integrated into the shower.
It was tempting to take another rinse, but one last look at the bathwater assured me that it still wasn’t brown like I had imagined, and I simply turned on the drying cycle, which I knew from experience would dry me from head to toe within seconds, even my hair.
The clothes the servant brought were all new to me, none of them looked like the ones Lady Natoi bought for me, and yet they fit perfectly. Had Daryus ordered these? When?
I chose a light brown dress with flowing sleeves and a wide, long skirt. Clothing on Pandrax reminded me a little of medieval times, except the quality of the material was much better.
Before, on Earth, I had mostly been a pants girl, but after a few years in college and landing my first job as an intern to an ambassador, I had quickly learned the value of dressing up—and keeping the traditions of whoever I was going to meet in mind—when choosing my wardrobe, which had made the transition here a lot easier.
A quick glimpse into the holographic mirror that showed me my reflection from all sides—in 3D no less—I was ready to leave the bathroom. I wasn’t sure, though, if my presence would be welcome in the living room.
I met Commander Noctus during my rescue, but I had heard about him before, as well as Lady Madeema. I knew those two were Daryus’s closest advisors, and if they were in an important meeting I didn’t want to disturb them. But I was thirsty and hungry, so I squared my shoulders and made my way toward the living room, when I heard Daryus say, “This is a fine mess you got me into. Are you sure nobody will suspect my involvement in the abduction?”
I froze. Involvement? Abduction? My abduction? No, no, that couldn’t be.
An uncomfortable sensation spread through my chest and I put my palm flat against it, as if that would stop my heart from beating faster or the unpleasant premonition filling me.
“Nobody will find out that you knew about this, Emperor. If worse comes to worse, we can make Lady Natoi the villain. Staphor knows she deserves it,” Commander Noctus said.
“She’s already involved,” A female voice added, one that sounded oddly familiar.
No, that couldn’t be, it just couldn’t. Why would Daryus have known about my abduction? Sanctioned it? What other conclusion, however, was there? Especially since he had already confided that Lady Natoi was behind this.
Why?
There was no fathomable reason for me that would explain why Daryus would want to have me kidnapped, only to rescue me a couple of days later. None.
Unless he wants you to be indebted to him, a little voice whispered. No, that didn’t make any sense. We had made love for the very first time, the very same night. He had been sweet and thoughtful and… He has a temper, the same voice insisted, he could be emotionally unstable.
I bit into my lower lip to stop a cry of dismay.
I risked a glance around the corner and an electric jolt ran through my body. The woman, Lady Madeema, was the same one who spoke to Lady Natoi the night of my abduction.
“I will take care of it,” Lady Madeema had told Lady Natoi that night.
“As long as it doesn’t come back to me,” Lady Natoi had hissed.
My heart beat heavily inside my chest. I had heard rumors about the things Lady Madeema was capable of, rumors of things she was supposed to have done. Having me abducted was child’s play for her.
