Chapter Fifty-One
River
Pink clouds climb with the sunrise in ribbons of citrine and rose peeking over the canopy as we step out of the carriage.
“Proceed to your transportation where you will remain until it is time for us to dine," Lorn directs those who have just returned from attending to their own hygiene. “Imperial Guards are the only exception.”
Our traveling party moves toward their respective carriages as my Guards surround me.
“This way,” Drusilla says, carrying a basket full of my hygiene supplies while Lars and Malin carry my trunk and Fray and Cirrin bring the Guards’.
She guides us down a thin path barely clear of swaying branches, which gives way to a broad river winding past boulders over a pebbled shore.
“Careful,” Varic warns, as he throws his arm out before my chest.
I pause and look down, then step around the errant tree root, which would have surely tripped me had he not intervened. “Thank you.”
Drusilla glances back, dropping her gaze to where Varic’s arm still braces against my middle.
We straighten and continue on toward the river while I focus on avoiding obstacles without needing him to warn me.
Drusilla instructs Lars and Malin on where to set my trunk, then proceeds to pull out the necessary items, which she folds on top once it’s closed. She holds a black towel out to Varic, which he takes with raised brows.
I follow behind her as she grabs another small black cloth and a bottle of soap from the basket.
While the air is balmy, the water will most likely carry a chill, and I despise the fact that I am going to shiver naked in this river while my Guards stand fully clothed on the shore.
“Strip,” Drusilla says, and I stare back in confusion, since I cannot possibly unfasten the buttons running down my back. “What? Do you need assistance?”
I blink at her, unsure what sort of game she is playing.
“Here.” Varic passes the towel back to Drusilla before stalking toward me.
His breath displaces the hairs around the nape of my neck as he huffs, undoing each button quickly, proving once again that he can move faster than the first time he attempted this in my bedchamber.
“Varic,” I whisper, trying to keep my lips from moving.
“What?” he responds at full volume. “You obviously cannot undress yourself, and if she is going to refuse, then I will do it for you.”
Satisfaction overtakes Drusilla’s expression, and my pulse pounds as she can’t be up to anything positive.
“There,” Varic says, unfastening the last button before stalking over to retrieve the towel from Drusilla.
I kick off my boots, and my Guards move closer, turning away to survey the area.
I drape my clothes over a nearby rock and cover my front as best I can while wincing from the pain of pebbles digging into the soles of my feet. The rounded rocks shift beneath my weight, and I slide over algae the farther I step into the river.
Drusilla tosses her boxy dress to the shore, leaving her black slip, which she hikes up to avoid getting it wet as she instructs me to crouch before her.
“Someone is approaching from the other side of the river,” Malin says.
“From which direction?” Varic’s voice is all authority, and he casts his shield over Drusilla and me, leaving the rest of them vulnerable.
Malin points where he senses another being traveling in this direction from the other side of the river. Varic nods and turns to catch Fray’s attention.
“Fly,” Varic commands, and Fray takes off across the water to land on the opposite shore.
“Whoa!” a sorcerer’s voice shouts in surprise, and I sink down until water laps my collarbones.
“Turn back now, or I will make you!” Varic shouts, storming forward until his boots splash along the edge of the water.
Fray gesticulates to the sorcerer wearing a straw hat, a white shirt, and brown trousers, appearing to be a mere sheep herder since dozens of the fluffy white bleating things surround him.
“Sorry. Didn’t know anyone would be bathing,” the sorcerer yells. “I’ll come back later.”
He turns away with Fray’s assistance, then waves to Fray, who waits for him to walk farther away before flying back to our side of the shore.
Varic steps back from the water, and I stare at the ripples his boots created while Drusilla finishes rinsing my hair with a cup she brought. She pats my shoulder to order me to stand, and the amber shield expands to contain Varic as we exit the water.
He greets me by extending the towel while averting his gaze. I press up against the dense threads until he gingerly folds the towel around my body. His hands are careful as he avoids brushing my skin with our present audience.
Drusilla busies herself with the toiletries, feigning disinterest in my naked form standing before the sorcerer she has reported for showing affection toward me.
“More are approaching on the path. I suspect it is the Emperor and his Guards,” Malin says.
Varic moves faster than expected, pleating a fold in the towel so it stays up on its own.
“Ah, my little witch,” Emperor Aldritch calls out.
Varic and I move apart, and I swallow a groan as debris stabs underfoot.
“Come,” His Majesty commands.
“Your Majesty.” Varic respectfully bows. “We will escort Imperial Grand Witch Tasch behind the tree cover, where Imperial Attendant Drusilla may dress her. Then we will bring her wherever you require.”
The Emperor sneers as he closes the distance to nearly come chest to chest with Varic. “I give the orders, or else you will watch her suffer the consequence of your insolence.”
Bright yellow lightning bursts fill Varic’s palms, so I pull on my magic and send both of their bodies threads of calm and complacency.
The Emperor falls back with his Guards as he whispers commands I am unable to discern. Mille, his healer, stalks away as the Emperor claps.
“You may dress, my little witch. Then you will come with me while your Guards bathe.”
Ice fills my veins despite Varic’s staring when the Emperor and his Guards turn away.
“Come,” Drusilla says, turning toward another narrow path in the forest.
Varic trails closely behind us, while Cirrin, Malin, Fray, and Lars spread out once we enter the small clearing.
My attendant’s pale, cold fingers disentangle the knot in the towel before holding it out to shield me from view, and I sneak a look at Varic once my form is out in the open.
“It’s nothing he hasn’t seen before,” Drusilla says. I furrow my brows at her, and she lets out a breath before leaning in to whisper, “That was wrong of me to say.”
Shivers roll down from my shoulders. “What do you mean?”
“When you lost consciousness in the Emperor’s bath, Varic commanded that he leave.”
My eyes widen—both from what she disclosed, as well as the fact that she never speaks to me this candidly. She gestures for me to pull on the undergarments, then a simple black fabric dress, while she holds the towel as a partition.
“I was shocked when the Emperor and his Guards obeyed. Then I watched as he extracted you from the tub and allowed Lars to help wrap you in a towel.” My heart hammers as I pull the dress over my head after securing the bodice around my torso.
The fabric clings to my skin as I cinch the ties on the side closed, and I wait with bated breath for my attendant to finish explaining what she observed.
“He carried you to the Emperor’s bed and laid you down so gently.”
Heat builds beneath my cheeks despite the fact Varic has already admitted this, and while I felt comforted at the time, hearing it from Drusilla feels different.
“I’d never seen anything like it.” Her tone is wistful. “His eyes never strayed as he carefully pulled the garments over your limbs. It was so curious to observe how he held the fabric out, ensuring his knuckles never grazed your skin, and he only looked upon you fully once you were covered.”
My pulse kicks along both sides of my neck, veins thrumming as I sit on a stump to pull on my boots. Then I startle when Drusilla drops the towel and sinks to her knees, taking the boot from my hands to place it on me.
“Why did you make Varic hold the towel when I stepped out of the river?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Her gaze remains fixed on my laces as she finishes tying them. “Sit still, I need to fix your hair.”
She rises to rub the towel over my head, prying a grimace from me every time she tugs the wet strands. Her fingers work quickly to plait a loose braid before twirling it up in a bun.
I hold my neck stable as she yanks my head where she needs it, pulling pins from her pocket and sticking them in to secure my hair up the way His Majesty commands it.
Something settles in my chest now that we have returned to our typical sort of interaction.
Though her actions this morning have been so far out of character, I suspect there must be more to Drusilla than I’ve guessed.
* * *
The Emperor taps his foot, stirring up dirt from the dry path, while Raki paces a line behind his shoulders.
“Where will we be meeting once we have finished?” Varic asks, catching my eyes with concern swirling within his own.
His Majesty merely nods to my interim Guards as they flank me. I offer a small smile to Roy, who tips his chin in response. Then my heart quirks when the rising sun catches on his blond curls, reminding me of Hendry’s.
“We will come find you.” Varic’s eyes flick from the Emperor to me, and I nod.
His Majesty stalks away in the opposite direction, with his Guards closely following.
I do the same with Roy and the other Guards standing in for my own. We walk along the path in silence until Danor stops and holds out a hand as we turn onto the main road.
“Someone is following.”
Heat builds in the center of my chest, then proceeds to crawl up my neck—the same sensation I feel when Varic stares in my direction. Yet when I peer inside the forest, all I see are branches and leaves.
“Investigate,” Emperor Aldritch commands.
Warmth invades my cheeks as the anticipation, safety, and comfort only ever conjured by Varic’s presence settle within my chest while we stand in the open.
You are safe, a deep voice claims internally.