Chapter 76
Amani took my arm in hers and walked us along the corridors.
“We’re definitely going to start our day with a bath,” she emphasised, pointing a circling finger close to my face. “Oh! And I’ll order the floating breakfast. This is going to be so much fun.”
“Floating breakfast?”
“You’ll see.”
I recognised the striking red door—I had seen it the day before when we stopped by the kitchen—and she was now unlocking it using both a key and her warding ability.
Wow. Her room was…it was…extraordinary!
My mouth fell open.
The sitting room was identical to Aegir’s, in the sense of size and room orientation, but Amani’s room, the walls—they were all beautifully painted.
Moving closer, I noticed that the technique used involved thousands, if not millions of tiny black dots and fine lines.
Each dot, each stroke, meticulously placed.
A tiny fragment, a small part of a larger drawing.
A giant octopus covered one wall, a whale, the other.
Her seating area consisted of scattered mattresses and cushions. Smoking pipes and ashtrays were haphazardly placed on the low table. An impressive wine collection covered one of the walls, the one parallel to Aegir’s library.
She giggled at my jaw-dropping reaction.
Her bedroom was space itself. It was as if I had entered a smaller version of the universe. In contrast to the sitting room, the bedroom walls were painted in onyx black, and drawn in white dots were planets, moons, and stars. All beautifully designed. “Whoa.”
Then she led us into the bathing chamber.
Flying white birds now adorned the cobalt blue tiles. It was like each room, each theme, represented a different part of herself, and I was equally impressed with each one.
Instead of decorative columns and a fountain, at the very end of Amani’s bathing chamber was what looked like a bar. The extensive bottle collection and laid-back couches at its front confirmed it.
I refused to remove all of my clothes, and so I now lay on the stairs of the bath-pool, my back against the uneven tiles, wearing my nightdress, or rather, her nightdress.
Amani sat sprawled next to me, completely naked.
Well, not completely—most of her skin was covered in black ink.
It was as if her body was an artistic masterpiece.
I still thanked the bubbles of soap that finally covered most of her skin, though.
“How do you do these skin paintings?” I asked. “And do they hurt?”
“They are called tattoos, and yes, they hurt a little. But having a healer brother is a big plus. It heals instantly, and the ink stays there permanently. And…you’re looking at her.” She ended the sentence pointing at her face.
“You did these? You did Aegir’s? And Eldric’s?”
“Mmhmm, I painted my rooms, too. So much for telling me that my brother said nice things about me.”
“Oh, I just wanted to scare him a little.”
“Oh, I like you.”
Two servants came in, both carrying a tray, which they laid floating in the pool close to us. I indulged myself in fresh orange juice, a variety of fruit, dried meats, eggs cooked three ways, and bread filled with the most delicious cheese.
Although not looking anything like them, the two servants reminded me of Sabriela and Nadya. I wondered about their well-being. I hoped that they were eating better now, since Mounir…
“That was delicious. Thank you.”
I leaned back against the tiles and closed my eyes, letting out a soft “Mmm.” This was nice.
A funny smell hit me and my left eye opened. I peeked at Amani. She held a cigarette holder between her thumb and forefinger. She inhaled, then extended her hand towards me. I coughed so hard I thought my lungs were going to explode.
Amani chuckled. “Don’t tell me that you’ve never smoked one of these before? And you were raised in Ramel. That’s absolutely hilarious.”
“It is common there, but it is also illegal. Let me try it again.”
This time, I inhaled carefully, taking in the burning breath a little at a time. I thought I was getting the hang of it, so I took another. She snatched the holder away from my face. “Perhaps that’s enough.”
Wow, was my skin prickling! It felt as if I had the tiniest needles and pins forming all over my body. I let out a soft laugh.
“It’s nice, isn’t it?” she asked, removing a salt-and-pepper curl away from her face. I noticed her lips were full like Aegir’s, but her chin was less defined, like Ryvar’s.
“Mmhmm. Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.” She turned her body sideways and traced her fingertips along the soapy water.
“Do you—I mean, do Silchans even like warm baths?”
“Random much. Yes, we love warm baths, and hearths, and warm blankets, too. But we’re much more resistant to low temperatures and a bit more sensitive to hotter ones.”
“It’s just, I notice Aegir likes taking freezing ice baths. Sometimes he freezes himself in the middle of it.” Amani only shrugged. “And what about his powers? Can he just freeze people to death? You know, like freeze their hearts or something?”
“I fear these are questions you should be asking him, but since I know the answer to this one, I’ll tell you.
He can, but by doing so, he would have to completely deplete his powers.
In theory—who am I kidding—in practice, that is only done when you are either a stupid fool or when you are desperately neck-deep in shit.
And before you ask me why it is that Ice Wielders can form a dagger and shove it in someone’s heart with just a flick of the wrist but are incapable of freezing someone without such great expense, I can tell you that I have no clue. ”
“Can I ask you something else, then?”
“What? You’re going to ask me if Aegir prefers cold or warm meals?” She made herself laugh.
“No. I have very serious questions.”
“Ohh,” she almost mocked. “Fire ahead, then.”
“Will you tell me about tonight’s meeting? Your brothers left me short of details.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Who are the attendees?”
“The attendees are my family and some other dear people whom we happen to trust. Eldric, for example.”
“And what will it be about?”
“Silly! You, of course. And your people.”
“My people?”
“Yes, you are their queen, so you must decide for them.”
Oh. “So it will be about war and politics?”
“Something like that. It changes things, you know, now that you’re back.
So yeah, it will entail war and strategy and politics and life-altering decisions, and blah, blah, blah.
Can we do something fun now?” she said, letting out a puff in the form of a gradually growing circle.
“Let’s leave the boring stuff for later.
” She handed me the cigarette holder. “What do you want to do? Do you want me to cut your hair? Or maybe we could get our nails painted.”
Cut my hair? Hell no. I was fairly certain that Aegir was obsessed with it, so no, my hair stays. I had a much better idea.
“Can you make one for me?”
“What, a cigarette? I wouldn’t recom—”
“No, a tattoo.”
Amani screeched. “Yes! But you have to think about the design and placement. I can show you some of my sketches.”
“I already know what I want and where I want it.”
She clapped and made a high-pitched noise before rushing out of the bath. “Come on, let’s get dried and dressed.”
We stayed on the furry carpet in the sitting room, lying on our bellies as she sketched the design for me. It felt as if she read my mind—she knew exactly what I was envisioning.
Then she brought a bowl filled with the darkest ink that unfortunately reminded me of the Seer’s potion.
She unfolded a leather pouch and revealed a set of long metal sticks with needles at their end.
I took off my shirt, covering my breasts with one of my arms, then I lay once more on my belly, my hands resting beneath my cheek.
“Ready when you are,” Amani said.
I nodded. And so she began her long series of needle-poking along the length of my spine. My eyes squeezed shut and I gritted my teeth.
“Are you doing all right?” she asked. “You can breathe normally, you know. You don’t need to hold your breath.”
“Mmhmm.”
“That sounded very reassuring.” Amani chuckled. “So, Elara, you have found your soulbound, and I can tell that you have accepted the bond.” Distraction.
“Mmhmm.”
“That is very special, you know. Not everyone gets to experience that.”
“I had no idea I even had one, but now that I have, I do not ever want to let go of it. Have you experienced it yet?” I asked gently, trying not to sound like a bragging bitch.
“Not yet. Growing up watching soulbound parents makes you want to have that, you know.”
“Then I hope that one day you’ll find him. I’m sure you will.”
“Her. I pray that it will be a she.”
“I’ll change my wish, then. I hope that you’ll find her.”
Her lips curved into a smile. “You were raised in Ramel, yet you do not seem to mind my preferences.”
“I had a friend who loved another man. Not a friend, a brother, and I didn’t mind it at all.”
“I like you, Elara.”
Gods, when saying it like that, the sound of my own name felt strange. But I found myself saying, “I like you, too.”
“Did something happen to this brother of yours? I noticed you said had and not have. I hope he’s all right.”
“Oh, no. I mean, I think he’s all right. We just lost contact and I don’t know if I will ever see him again.”
“Then I wish that you’ll find him.” A tear slid awkwardly down my nose. “Besides, I’m sure Aegir could track him down for you.” I smiled at the thought of Aegir tearing apart the continent searching for Semuel.
“I’m surprised you haven’t asked me anything about my past,” I said quietly.
“Well, Ryvar already told me about what you said and what you did in that basement yesterday. Which was very regal, by the way. And you know, tonight, you’ll be asked those same questions and I don’t want”—to bother you, I imagined she would say, but instead she said—“to get bored during the meeting, you know.”
Well, good for us both. I didn’t feel like reopening old wounds while new ones were currently being hand-poked.
“We’re soon finished. I’m doing some final touches,” she said, wiping my back with a cool, damp cloth, giving me a bittersweet feeling along my spine.
“So!?” Amani exclaimed. “What do you think?”
I twisted myself to get a good view of my back. She adjusted the long mirror for me.
I gasped. “Oh, it’s perfect. I love it!”
Then she gave me a hand mirror, which I angled inelegantly to get the best view of my back. “You’re incredibly talented, Amani.”
“I know, right. Come on, let’s get you all cleaned up and ready for tonight.”
One of her bedroom walls was the biggest wardrobe ever, and I had almost missed it. Its doors slid sideways, revealing an infinite number of the finest dresses.
“Pick one.”
“Any one? Wow, I don’t even know where to start.”
I skimmed through the dresses, skipping the longer ones until… “This one.”
“Already? But you saw only less than half of them,” she said as she slid open the other side of the door, revealing more dresses.
Thalassa, how many dresses does one person need?
“I’m quite sure about this one.”
It was a long-sleeved velvety dark blue halter dress that reached down to my ankles.
I did not only choose it for its aesthetic and its gorgeous, fluffy cuffs, but also because it was backless.
It meant that I wouldn’t be staining it with the black plasma oozing from my skin that Amani had to keep wiping.
Amani chose a stunning red dress that covered her neck-to-toe, with the exception of a vertical slit at the centre of her chest that revealed just a glimpse of her inked golden skin.
I parted my hair and wove two braids at each side of my scalp, allowing the rest to trail in soft waves at my front. Amani was applying black ink along her eyelids, which made her striking green eyes pop. She must have caught me staring as she said, “I’ll do your eyes if you do my hair.”
Bargaining runs in the family, I see.
She applied a thin line that went from the inner corner of my eye and trailed slightly out of my lids. Then she applied kohl on the inside of my lower lids.
I returned the favour by weaving four thin braids on each side of her head, then allowed the rest of her hair to spread in wild curls.
“You look beautiful,” I whispered.
“So do you. Aegir’s going to lose his mind when he sees you.”
I couldn’t hide the start of a smile. I enjoyed my day with my as-she-called-me sister, but I still missed my man.
“Oh, and shoes! I think I have a pair that fits. A lady friend of mine had forgotten them here.”
They fit perfectly.
I was looking at myself in the mirror when Amani said, “Here, take this.” She handed me a pink vial.
“What is it?”
“It’s a contraceptive tonic. I don’t use it anymore for obvious reasons. Just take one drop on the first day of every cycle and you’ll be covered. I mean, it’s your choice, of course, but you know, considering all that’s happening.”
What exactly is happening?
I placed it in my small black purse that came with the shoes.
“You’re ready?”
“As ready as I can be.”
Amani linked her arm around mine. “Let’s go.”
My stomach twisted at the thought of me entering that room—it had suddenly become so very, very real.