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“Don’t judge, Domi, these were the best I’d ever done. You and Kaztar should come another night. But fair warning, their club is very, very indecent. Butsomuch fun,” I drawled.
“Alright, tell us all about it when we get to the spa. Right now, we are running late.”
“Sorry about that. By the way, what time is it?” The halls weren’t overly busy, nor were they overly empty, and I honestly struggled to know which way was up or down as my head swam with another sharp turn.
“Mid-afternoon, almost two. We are supposed to meet Queen Immonen and Izidora in the courtyard so we can all ride together. Queen Viktoria is not feeling well, so she won’t be joining us.” We rounded a corner and found Immonen waiting for us in the hallway outside the Crystal Realm’s apartment.
She pressed her lips together, suppressing a smile when she saw my appearance. “Another long night?”
“There were plenty of long parts about it,” I said suggestively, and the females burst into laughter as we fell in line and strolled toward the citadel’s courtyard. I liked both of them immensely, and we’d bonded during our time together as the only females in our traveling party. We trained together, laughed together,gossiped together, and I fervently hoped that Izidora would slot perfectly into our little group.
I winced as we entered the afternoon sun, finding a carriage waiting for us. Izidora stood in front of it, petting the horses’ noses while Ruslan casually watched her and then us as we approached. The hairs on the back of my neck rose as I fell under his gaze, his whole being reminding me of a predator that enjoyed playing with its food before going for the kill. I could not deny how damn sexy he was, though. He was huge, muscles rippling beneath his thick, albeit skin-tight clothing. Tattoos peeked from every opening in his jacket, and his eyes were mesmerizing. Truth be told, I would have spread my legs for him too, if only to have one taste.
“Queen Immonen, Ladies, I have set you up at the Iron Mountain Spa for the afternoon. Pick whichever treatments you’d like – on me,” Ruslan smiled at us, his demeanor more relaxed than I’d seen before.
Immonen dipped her head to him. “Thank you, King Ruslan, that is most generous. We promise to have lots of wine and pampering.”
Ruslan held out his hand to Izidora, who eagerly rejoined him. He swooped her in for a long kiss, then rested his forehead against hers. “I’ll miss you, my sprite,” he breathed. For a moment, I saw the love he had for her, his words ringing sincere and true in my ears. He softened with her in his arms, even holding her hand until the last possible moment as she climbed into the carriage. With a parting glance in his direction, I followed her inside the warm and cozy space, Domi and Immonen behind me. Once the four of us settled, the carriage pulled away and we descended into Radence.
Izidora watched Ruslan disappear from view, then turned her attention to the rest of us. She looked me up and down for a moment, then asked, “Why do you look so awful?”
I scoffed. “It’s nice to see you too.”
“She didn’t come in until nearly dawn this morning – again,” Domi tsked.
Tattletale.
“Apparently it was a long night,” Immonen said suggestively.
“Another trip to Steel? Do tell, Liliana.” Izidora turned to me, waiting for me to spill all my secrets.
“Later, I promise. It is a tale that cannot be interrupted. Where is the Iron Mountain Spa anyway?” I fanned myself, trying to quell the nausea rising from my belly as we hit a bump in the road.
“It’s on the far side of Radence, close to the mountains, I think,” she responded.
“You haven’t been there yet? How rude of King Ruslan to not treat you. But don’t worry, we’ll make up for it today,” Immonen laughed.
A hint of a smile spread on Izidora’s lips as she suppressed a snicker. “He treated me to a massage himself.”
“I hope he was naked when it took place,” I sighed. Ruslan wasveryeasy on the eyes, more so than any of the Nighthounds, in my opinion. Izidora seemed genuinely happy with Ruslan, and the way he looked at her before we entered the carriage told me he felt the same. Izidora was my best friend, and all I wanted was for her to receive the love she deserved. Kazimir, in my opinion, wasn’t capable of giving her that any longer. He had changed since the night he lost Izidora and his father, and at the rate he devolved, I worried for his sanity. He was not the stable friend of my brother’s he used to be.
“Very, very naked. It was hard to relax.” Izidora burst into laughter, and we all fell into it with her. We drifted into a lighthearted conversation as we rolled through Radence, the Agrenak Mountains growing closer and closer.
I was the first to hop out when we rolled to a stop in front of a long, gray stone building with large windows that revealed a serene interior. The entrance doors opened from the inside, and a female with a tight updo greeted us warmly.
“Welcome, Your Highnesses, we are so pleased to host you today. We’ve cleared the schedule so you have the whole spa to yourselves for as long as you’d like it. Come, let me show you inside.”
A lightly scented breeze wafted in our faces as we entered the airy space. The click of our guide’s heels on the polished stone floor was the only sound other than bubbling water, the silence peaceful instead of unnerving. We descended a wide staircase and turned right into a long hallway where the humidity rose with each step we took. Finally, we arrived at a large grotto where natural hot water bubbled from the earth and filled a deep soaking pool. The shallower end held four beds piled with linens, and close to us, lounge chairs and a table laden with wine, fruit, and cheese beckoned us to relax and unwind.
Our hostess poured a glass of sparkling white wine for each of us, handing them out in turn. The glasses already fogged and sweated in the humidity of the underground cave. “Robes are laid on the chaises for each of you, though feel free to dress to your comfort level. We’ll be back in an hour after you’ve had time to soak and decide on treatments. Ring the bell if you need anything before then.” She curtsied to us, then quietly closed the door behind her.
“To us!” Immonen cheered, clinking her glass against all of ours before taking a sip of the bubbles.
“To us!” we replied in unison.
The wine was perfectly chilled as it slid over my tongue. The alcohol beat back my hangover, and I nearly sighed with relief, deciding to down the rest of the glass. I smacked my lips when I finished, savoring the fruity taste left over there.
Setting the glass aside, I lifted one of the fluffy robes, rubbing the fabric against my face. The softness of it was much more inviting than my stiff leather clothing, especially as the humidity caused little flyaway hairs to cling to my face. Stripping quickly, I tossed my discarded clothes on a chair, then slipped the robe over my shoulders and tied it at my waist.
