It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim candlelit interior. Then he spotted her, in the middle of the room in a round wooden tub, her head lying unnaturally to the side.

“Selene!” He ran toward the tub. Had she passed out? Was she hurt?

Her head shot up and water splashed over the sides of the tub.

He skidded to a stop just behind the tub as her head twisted around and up toward his.

Her eyes went wide. She wrapped her arms around her legs and hunched forward. “What are you doing in here?” Her long black hair hung in dark strands along her back, blocking any view of her skin.

“You’ve been in here for over twenty minutes. I knocked three times and called out, but you didn’t answer. I thought . . .” He ran a hand through his hair and turned around.

“I-I fell asleep,” she said sheepishly.

“Oh.” He couldn’t get the image of her black hair hanging down her back out of his mind or comprehend the fact that she had nothing on behind him. His heart felt like it was going to explode from his chest, and heat spread across his entire body.

“I’ll get out now. I’m sorry for taking so much time.” Her voice came out muffled.

“It’s all right. I’ll leave.” He wanted to run for the door but made himself walk instead.

Taegis met him outside. “Is everything all right?”

“Yes,” Damien said too quickly.

Taegis quirked an eyebrow at him.

“She fell asleep. In the, uh, bathtub.”

“I see.”

Mildred stepped off the stairs with clothing hanging over one arm. She glanced at Damien, then at Taegis. “Is her ladyship done?”

“Yes.” His heart was slowly returning to its normal rhythm.

“I brought some clothes for her.”

Damien stepped to the side. Mildred glanced one more time at him before heading in.

Taegis tugged on the hair below his chin. “I’m going to see if there is a well in town. I’m sure the water has cooled by now, and it’s getting late. The other guards and I can use the well to wash up.”

Damien stared at the door. “I’ll join you. That way Lady Selene has all the time she needs.”

After receiving another bar of soap from Hobbes, the men headed out into the brisk night to the well.

“I can’t wait to get home,” Cohen said through chattering teeth as he splashed water from one of the buckets and washed his upper body as fast as he could.

“Indeed,” Karl replied. The stables stood on the other side of the road and a horse neighed, as if to tell the men to keep quiet.

“Wish I could wash my clothes.” Sten held up his tunic and wrinkled his nose. “I guess this will have to do.” He dumped the shirt in the bucket and took the bar of soap after it. “I’ll just hang it to dry in our room tonight.”