Chapter 18

"This is Narhavva,"Jasce says as we walk with Jude and Arian a few steps behind us. "I thought we could stay here a few days before continuing to Sharhavva."

I swallow through the sudden dryness in my throat. A part of me wants to turn around and run back to Bakva, to Asha and beg her forgiveness. The part of me that is linked to Lyra cannot run back.

And…of course, there is Jasce. My heart wants to be with him, even if it feels selfish and reckless.

The cool night air brushes against my skin as we walk through the quiet streets. The moon hangs high above, bathing the city in its gentle glow. Shadows dance along the adobe walls while the soft sound of a lute drifts on the breeze from a nearby window.

Jasce walks closely at my side. I glance over at him, taking in his strong profile and the determined set of his jaw. He looks utterly at home here, his posture relaxed yet poised, his footsteps sure and steady along the dusty path.

I wish I could feel the same ease and confidence. Instead, nerves flutter in my stomach with each step that takes me further from home. Home—where Asha must be furious with betrayal. The thought sends a pang through my heart.

After a while of walking, a villa takes shape in front of us, its whitewashed walls and domed rooftops reaching up toward the night sky.

Jasce tightens his grip and leads me through the villa's grand archway into a tiled courtyard. At its center lies an octagonal pool, its clear blue waters shimmering invitingly.

Jude says something to Jasce then disappears down a corridor with Arian, leaving Jasce and me alone.

Jasce turns to me. "Let me show you to our room."

I don't speak as he leads me up a winding staircase. At the top, we enter a long hallway lined with carved wooden doors. He stops before one and pushes it open, gesturing for me to enter.

I step inside and look around. Green drapes hang around an immense bed piled high with pillows and blankets. But it's the walls that take my breath away. Every inch has been painstakingly painted with colorful seashells—scallops, conchs, cowries.

I step closer to them and run my fingers over the bumpy plaster, tracing the whorls and ridges of the shells.

Jasce moves to stand next to me. "Do you like it?"

I nod, not trusting my voice. No one has ever done something so thoughtful for me before.

I turn to face him after a long moment. "You did all this for me?"

A smile pulls at the edges of Jasce's mouth, crinkling the skin around his eyes. "Of course."

I glance around again, taking in the walls. The textures and colors are so realistic, I can almost hear the roar of ocean waves and smell the briny sea air.

"Did you know," I say as I rotate in a circle, taking in every inch of the walls, "when I was a child, before my father left, he took Asha and I to the ocean?"

Jasce leads me to the bed, where I sit next to him on the edge of the mattress. "How old were you?"

"Seven or eight." I frown as I try to remember every detail about those days I spent near the sea, but my memory is clouded by the passage of time.

"Is that when you fell in love with shells?"

"Yes."

Jasce takes my hand in his and curls his fingers around mine. "I will take you to the ocean soon."

"Jasce..." I lick my lower lip as I gather my thoughts, trying to find the right words. "Why did you bring me here to Narhavva instead of taking me straight to Sharhavva?"

"I wanted us to be able to spend some time alone together before we are surrounded by my people and the chaos of the city."

Of course. Before they realize he has brought a woman from the enemy House of Silver back with him. The thought hits me, refusing to fade away.

His people will never accept me. I will be seen as a weakness for their strong chieftain.

I turn away from Jasce, staring at the walls instead of him. It was wrong of me to go with him.

My surcoat whips against my legs as I rush to my feet and turn back to face him, my heart pounding in my chest. "Take me back, Jasce."

His brow lifts, a flicker of surprise crossing his chiseled features.

"Take me back," I repeat, my voice trembling. "I can't do this."

"Why would I do such a thing?"

I clench my fists at my sides. "Because I can hide in House of Silver territory. If I'm with you, I will have no place to hide."

"You have no need to hide."

I slash my hand through the air and shake my head. "Yes, I do. I have magic I cannot control, and if I'm around people, I will hurt someone again."

"Annora." Jasce stands and pulls me into his arms. "You aren't going to harm anyone." When we go to Sharhavva, Rowena is going to help teach you about your magic."

I press my face against his chest. "Lyra's magic."

"All right, Lyra's magic," Jasce concedes. Rowena will guide you on how to control it."

When I sag against him, he guides me back to the bed, where I sit.

"Do you remember when we were in Dharhavva, and I took you to the baths?" he asks.

I nod.

"Well, we have them here too. Shall I take you there?"

"Yes," I say, knowing I could use a calming bath right now.

Jasce stands and leads me from the bedchamber, then into the villa's winding corridors. We pass through an arched doorway and step into a massive room. Three immense pools stretch out across the room.

The scent of jasmine and rose oil fills the air. I inhale deeply, letting the fragment aroma wash over me.

Jasce guides me to the edge of the nearest pool. I sit on the smooth tiles, slip off my slippers, and dip my toes into the water. Jasce sits next to me, but he doesn't speak.

He glances over at me as I stand and unlace my surcoat, his eyes following the movement of my fingers. When I finally work all the ribbons free, I allow the soft material to slip down my body and pool at my feet in a puddle of fabric.

A muscle throbs in his cheek as I remove my pants and undergarments next. I stand before him, completely bare, my skin prickling with goosebumps from the cool air and the intensity of his gaze. Yet, he doesn't speak, nor does he make any move to touch me. He seems perfectly content to stare, his breathing growing heavier with each passing moment.

I step out of the clothing and slip into the inviting pool. A sigh escapes my lips as the warm water envelops my aching muscles.

Jasce doesn't budge from his place by the pool's edge, but his eyes follow my every movement. As I dip my head back, submerging my hair in the water, I feel his gaze.

I shift and turn to face him. "Are you going to just stare, or are you going to join me?"

"This isn't about me." He reaches for a tray laden with bottles of oils and positions it within easy reach.

"Is that so?" The water dances around my body as I glide closer to where he's sitting. "Then, why are you staring?"

"Because you are mine to stare at." The words fall from his lips, as if they are an undeniable truth.

"But not to touch?" I challenge, my brow arching slightly.

"Is my touch what you desire, Annora?" he asks, his voice raspy.

"You misunderstand me."

"On the contrary, nothing escapes my notice." He smirks. "Now, be a good girl and turn around, so I may attend to your hair."

Attend to my hair?

Surely, he can't be serious.

But as he shifts even nearer to the water's edge and reaches for one of the glass bottles filled with oil, it becomes abundantly clear that his intentions are genuine.

Very well, then, if that is his wish.

I turn my back to Jasce and position myself against the pool's edge. The cool tiles press into my skin as I tilt my head back, offering my hair to his ministrations.

He combs through the strands, untangling the knots with a patient hand. The sensation is soothing, and I find my eyes drifting closed.

The sound of a bottle being uncorked reaches my ears, followed by the subtle scent of jasmine wafting through the air. Jasce's hands return to my hair, now slick with the fragrant oil. He works the substance into my scalp, massaging with firm yet gentle pressure.

A soft sigh escapes my lips as his fingers knead the tension from my temples and the nape of my neck. The combination of the warm water and his skilled touch unravels the knots of stress that have taken up residence in my body.

When he's finished working the oil through my hair, Jasce reaches for a terracotta bowl sitting on the edge of the pool. He dips it into the warm water and tilts my head back, using his free hand to shield my eyes from the cascading rivulets. The water runs over my hair, rinsing away the suds and leaving behind a trail of jasmine-scented freshness.

"All finished," he says. "Here, this is for you to bathe with."

I turn to face him, and he hands me a small bottle of rose oil.

As I pour some of the scented oil into my hand, Jasce stands and moves to a nearby shelf to retrieve a drying cloth. I take the opportunity while his back is turned to lather myself in the fragrant oil, massaging it over my skin. Then, I slip further into the water and rinse myself.

When I'm finished bathing, I climb out of the pool, and Jasce wraps the drying cloth around me. I sigh, allowing him to pull me close for a moment before he releases me and moves toward the door.

"Don't worry about anyone seeing you," he says as he opens the door. "The corridors are empty this time of night."

Heat flares to my cheeks as I step into the hall after him. I have never stepped out of a bathhouse with only a drying cloth around me before.

Jasce leads me through the empty corridors and back to his bedchamber. As we step inside, he moves to the bed and picks up my satchel, riffles through it, and pulls out one of my nightdresses.

"Thank you," I say as I take it from him.

He nods as I slip the drying cloth off and pull my nightdress over my head.

Silence stretches between us as I reach for the cloth and work it through my hair, drying the strands.

Jasce steps to the door and pauses with his hand on the handle. "I'll be back."

"Jasce…" I sit on the edge of the bed as he shifts back to face me. "Thank you."

"Of course." Warmth sparks in his eyes as he smiles at me, then moves to the corridor and shuts the door behind him.

* * *

Time ticksby with agonizing slowness as I lie in the bed, my mind consumed with thoughts of Asha, Emerin, and Tahira.

Have they discovered my absence yet?

I yank the bedcovers up to my chin, wishing with every fiber of my being that I could change everything. Using my magic on those men. Seeing that fear in Emerin's eyes. Hurting Asha with my actions.

"Olah, please don't let them hate me," I whisper into the darkness.

The door creaks open, and Jasce strides into the room. My eyes widen as I take in the sight of him standing there, a simple drying cloth wrapped precariously around his lean waist, barely concealing his modesty.

It's not the first time I've seen him in such a state of undress, but I find myself staring at him as if it was—my gaze hungrily roving over every chiseled inch of his muscular body.

"Did you forget something?" I tease as he steps toward the bed.

His eyes dance with mischief. "Like what?"

"Your clothes."

"No. I usually don't sleep with any on." He pulls off the drying cloth in one swift motion, and my mouth falls open. His smirk deepens at my reaction. "Don't look so shocked, Annora. It's not like you haven't seen me before."

I inch closer to the edge of the bed as he approaches, the mattress dipping under his weight as he sits on the opposite side. My heart races, and I struggle to keep my gaze from wandering over his sculpted form—especially the flame birthmark on the right side of his chest. The dark lines swirl and dance across his bronzed skin.

The birthmark reminds me of what he is. The chieftain from House of Crimson with fire magic coursing through his veins.

"What if you need to attend to something in the middle of the night?" I ask in a breathless voice.

He shrugs, the muscles in his shoulders rippling with the movement, then lies down next to me.

"What if people saw you running through the halls naked?" I press, trying to ignore the way my skin tingles at his proximity.

He laughs, a deep, rich sound that sends heat racing through my veins, and I quickly pin my eyes to the mural painted across the ceiling.

"What if—"

"—Annora, I am a warrior. I'm used to getting dressed in a hurry," he says, his voice laced with amusement.

"Yes, but you—"

"—I'm fine. Good night," he says firmly, settling into the bed beside me.

"Good night?" I squeak out, my body hyper-aware of his every movement. "How is it a good night when you're lying naked next to me?"

"Do you want to touch it?"

"What?" I squeak even louder.

"I meant my body." I hear the smirk in his tone, and I swallow hard.

"N-no." Stop stammering.

"Maybe if you touched me, you wouldn't be so embarrassed when you see me naked."

Nerves twist in my belly as I tighten my fingers into fists. "I-I don't want to t-touch you, Jasce."

"Fine, but don't forget I offered," he says, and I can almost picture the cocky grin on his face.

I roll to my side, facing the wall, instead of answering him. My cheeks burn with a mixture of embarrassment and something else I can't quite name.

Silence lingers between us as I close my eyes and try to stop thinking about how naked he is, but it's impossible.

I grab my pillow and yank it closer, trying to get comfortable. Jasce's steady breathing fills the room, but sleep evades me. My mind refuses to quiet, my thoughts crashing from one memory to another like relentless waves against a rocky shore. The fear in those men's eyes as I unleashed Lyra's magic. The horror in Emerin's. The pain in Asha's.

Minutes drag by, each one feeling like an eternity. I focus on the sound of Jasce's breathing, trying to match my own to his slow, even rhythm. Gradually, the tension drains from my muscles, and my thoughts drift.

The memories fade, replaced by a hazy warmth that envelops me like a cocoon. I burrow deeper into the pillow, letting the exhaustion of the day finally claim me. As I hover on the edge of sleep, I feel Jasce's presence beside me—solid, comforting, and somehow right.

With a soft sigh, I surrender to the pull of slumber, allowing myself to be carried away into a dreamless oblivion.