“Yes, so please, try not to fight us this time.”
Ilyan helped me to stand and guided me out the door and down the hall, one arm wrapped around my waist, the other holding tightly to my hand. I was grateful for the extra help, no matter how uncomfortable his proximity made me. The small amount of walking to and from Wyn’s room had winded me, and I wasn’t sure I could walk without his help.
We turned into the cream-colored hallway, Ilyan nodding to what I now assumed to be a guard.
“You will be staying with me in my corridor for the time being. I would like to have you close, just in case anything happens.” He smiled at me. I tried to return it, but couldn’t. Being so close, and having someone want me so close, was uncomfortable.
“This room is yours.” He nodded solemnly to the door to the left. “And don’t worry; we will strip it of brown and orange by morning. This room here,” he nodded to the door directly across the hall, “is Ovailia’s. I would say to stay out of her way, but you will find that to be an impossibility soon enough.” I got the distinct impression that his sister was more of a bother than I had originally thought. We came to the end of the hall, which housed three different doors; one directly in front of us and two at either side.
“These doors here all belong to me, irritatingly enough, and you are welcome any time.” His hand fanned across my back as he led me through the door directly in front of us. I drew into myself at his touch; I don’t know why it made me so uncomfortable. Ilyan had found me, saved my life; but in some weird way, it felt disrespectful to Ryland to even let him touch me.
The room had been decorated in much the same way as the hall, with cream walls and cream carpet. Tucked into the corner, next to a window, was a giant bed with a white bedstead and white comforters, a large squishy divan nestled up against it. The room was so white and airy that even with the dark light of evening, it still felt comforting.
I could hear the sound of water running from one of the side rooms, the burning wood and mint smell stronger than I remembered. My body tensed-up, the memory of being held underwater still strong and terrifying.
Ilyan rubbed my back comfortingly as he led me to the bathroom, which was only just smaller than the entire brown and orange room. The walls and floor were covered in a white tile that brilliantly reflected the light from a large crystal chandelier that hung from the center of the ceiling.
Wyn was swirling dark blue water around in a huge, claw-footed tub, the color fading the more she moved the water. A small hand-carved wooden box sat open on a marble sink top, revealing the contents of what looked like chunks of dirt, weeds and bark.
“What is that?” I asked, my mouth going dry.
“It is the drevo. It is a mixture of bark of the Prist?at tree, dirt that comes from the standing stones in Scotland, and the leaves of a Vzkrí,” Ilyan explained.
I nodded. “I am just going to pretend I understood what you just said.”
“The combination, along with the water, creates an amazing healing property. It can heal and repair anything.”
“Even broken backs?” I asked with a smile.
“Even broken backs. But, it does more than that; it also cleanses your soul.”
“Why...?” I tried again, “How is this going to work?”
“The hope,” Ilyan began, “is that the healing magic, the drevo, will bypass you and pass directly to Ryland so that we can center your magic without harming him. And, if we are extraordinarily lucky, it will heal him as well; which may make the difference in how strong we find him to be in a week.”
I nodded and stared between the now crystal-clear water and the box of mud. I had to do this; it would be gross, but I had to—for Ryland; it was becoming my mantra.
Ilyan left and allowed me some time to undress and wrap up in a towel. I felt odd standing in the middle of this gorgeous bathroom in only a towel. I took a deep breath and moved my head forward, allowing my hair to fall around my face.
“I can do this,” I sighed to myself.
“Yes, Jos, you can. You ready?” Wyn said.
She stood by the tub, offering me a hand. I took it shakily and stepped into the incredibly warm water. I let the towel glue itself to me as I sank down into the warmth, thankful for some semblance of modesty.
The water felt just as thick as I vaguely remembered, like stepping into a vat of warm hair gel, but without the stick. I sighed and closed my eyes as I leaned against the side of the tub, feeling the warmth move into me. A moment later, Ilyan returned.
“How is it going?”
“The water seems to have accepted her; so far, so good.”
“Joclyn.” I opened my eyes to look at him. “I don’t know how this is going to work, but if it opens up another connection, another T?uha, between you and Ryland, you can’t let him touch you, okay?”