Chapter 15: Off with the clothes
Upstairs...
Kaedros entered the bathroom and activated the runes around the tub. Heat rose from the water as magic stirred beneath the porcelain surface.
He turned to Taria, who stood stiffly by the door, unsure.
"Take off your clothes," he said calmly.
Taria had expected this. Kaedros hadn’t helped her for nothing, he wanted something from her. She wasn’t surprised, it was simply the rule of the world.
But why her? That was the question she couldn’t answer. There are better options for him to choose from.
"Well? I told you, I’d wash you," Kaedros said, tapping the tub impatiently.
With stiff fingers and a red face, Taria undressed. She avoided his eyes, but still felt his gaze moving over her body. Her entire face burned with shame as she stepped forward.
"I said it, you’re underfed and filthy. Get in," Kaedros said, waving her toward the water.
Taria climbed into the tub and let out a breathy groan of satisfaction. The heat enveloped her aching muscles, and for a moment, she forgot everything else. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d had seen hot water, much less get into one.
Kaedros grabbed the soap and sponge, stepping beside the tub. "Lean forward. I’ll start with your back."
Taria blinked. "You’re... really just going to bathe me?"