Chapter 80: Bittersweet Distractions
Ariana stared at him, her eyes wide. She knew one thing without a doubt about this man—no matter how unbelievable many of his words seemed, they always turned out to be true. But then... how was that even possible..how did he know h..hell?
"Should I bathe you?" she heard Zavren say, noticing how she had been staring at him in a daze.
Ariana immediately shook her head. To her surprise, he simply nodded calmly and stood.
"Make sure to bathe quickly and eat. Don’t forget to eat a lot," he said in his usual calm voice. And just like that, to Ariana’s surprise, he turned and left.
’Huh?’
Confusion deepened. The way he had just agreed to it—and now, Ariana wasn’t even sure what she wanted. Was she expecting him to insist? Or maybe refuse? And... bathe her..
She moved, pressing her head gently into the water. After some time, she came back up, using her hands to brush the water from her face. She reached for the black soap and began bathing.
After she was done, she stepped out of the bathroom, now clad in a long, milk-colored nightwear. Her body felt fresh and free. She turned to the window—the clouds were still dark, and the rain hadn’t stopped.
That was when she realized, thank heavens they hadn’t gone with option one. If they had, they’d still be stuck in the carriage by now.
She moved to the table and sat. Food had already been prepared for her. Ariana’s eyes landed on the herbal tea. She knew that tea too well—it was usually given to someone with a cold, something to help calm the body. She could tell by the black grounded seeds floating in it.
She picked it up and gulped it down, shutting her eyes tightly as the bitterness filled her mouth. She knew how to endure the taste. Just as she finished, she grabbed the open juice beside it and drank it quickly. Immediately, she dropped the cup on the table, her face scrunching bitterly as her body shivered. The taste had disappeared from her tongue, but the bitterness lingered in her head.