Snatching the silk pajamas and dressing gown from the wardrobe, I tiptoed to the bathroom and ran a deep, boiling-hot bath.
Removing my clothes, I stepped inside, immersing myself in the clean water. Using the rosemary soap, I scrubbed and scrubbed, peeling off what felt like one layer of skin until my knuckles ached with the effort. Flexing my hands in front of me, I was surprised to find dirt embedded underneath my fingernails, where I’d clung to the damp mud in my struggle against Frederic.
I took a deep breath and sank under the water. I opened my eyes and breathed out of my nose, watching the pockets of air bubbles swirling around me. I thought about Frederic once more, careful not to dissolve too deeply into the memory, for fear I would lose control again.
I went straight to the image of the blaze instead—the next thing I could remember after I was blinded by those fierce eyes.
Lighting up the clearing in between the trees, it was Frederic who burned. I could suddenly smell him. I didn’t see it happen, but I didn’t have to; everything inside me told me that it was him. She’d ended him, the girl in shadow. It could only have been her, considering the expression that Frederic had worn, evidently realizing her power just before it happened. I didn’t know who she was; her face was always masked in the darkness. Nor did I know why she had saved me, why she seemed to appear in my times of crisis. Perhaps she followed me? Perhaps it was just some random, weird coincidence? And how had she healed me? The deep laceration had already closed and was scarring by the time the fire had faded out to ashes. I’d felt an odd sense of satisfaction as the flames had flickered against the blackness. I didn’t die; she’d fixed me immediately, somehow.
Pushing my body back out of the water, I sucked in the air, scraping my wet hair behind my back. I had to change my train of thought to happier things. I thought about Gabriel instead. He had come so close to me. If Jonah hadn’t interrupted, would he have kissed me? I couldn’t work out what he felt toward me. I could only wait for him to reveal more of himself to me. I hoped he would soon.
Tiredness sneaked up on me, so I decided to take a nap. It had been another long and eventful day, and it wasn’t even close to being over yet.
I patted my body dry, heat radiating from my skin. I slipped on the pastel-pink pajamas and stepped through the door back into the bedroom, drying my feet as I went. I approached the bed and saw that a tray sat at the bottom; a hot cup of tea, a cheese sandwich, pastries, and fruit tempted me. No sign of the chef, but I guessed it was Gabriel who was taking care of me. The warmth of the tea filled me and I enjoyed gorging on the fruit. As the crisp taste of the grapes danced on my taste buds, I felt revitalized.
I was so hungry. In a very unladylike manner, I scarfed piece after piece of fruit. A pocket of juice squirted out of my lips from the nectarine that I was chewing on, dribbling down my chin. I smudged my lips with the back of my hand. A thick, red liquid trickled down my knuckles, shocking me. Confused, I spat out the fruit. It looked perfectly normal.
Gripping the remnants of the nectarine in my hand, I nearly fell off the bed in my haste to get to the bathroom. The mirror was still steamed up, so I quickly wiped my sleeve across it. I shot backward. My mouth was oozing the same thick maroon-colored substance, tarnishing my pearly white teeth. What was it and where was it coming from? I couldn’t fathom it. Then my thoughts rewound: hadn’t the same strangeness happened to me while Frederic burned? I paused for a moment and thought back once more to the blaze, but this time I needed to inspect my hands. In my memory, I had been so entranced by the flames and the smell of the bonfire that I hadn’t taken any time to observe myself except for the scar that had formed on my back. I needed to see my hands, I had to get back into
Removing my clothes, I stepped inside, immersing myself in the clean water. Using the rosemary soap, I scrubbed and scrubbed, peeling off what felt like one layer of skin until my knuckles ached with the effort. Flexing my hands in front of me, I was surprised to find dirt embedded underneath my fingernails, where I’d clung to the damp mud in my struggle against Frederic.
I took a deep breath and sank under the water. I opened my eyes and breathed out of my nose, watching the pockets of air bubbles swirling around me. I thought about Frederic once more, careful not to dissolve too deeply into the memory, for fear I would lose control again.
I went straight to the image of the blaze instead—the next thing I could remember after I was blinded by those fierce eyes.
Lighting up the clearing in between the trees, it was Frederic who burned. I could suddenly smell him. I didn’t see it happen, but I didn’t have to; everything inside me told me that it was him. She’d ended him, the girl in shadow. It could only have been her, considering the expression that Frederic had worn, evidently realizing her power just before it happened. I didn’t know who she was; her face was always masked in the darkness. Nor did I know why she had saved me, why she seemed to appear in my times of crisis. Perhaps she followed me? Perhaps it was just some random, weird coincidence? And how had she healed me? The deep laceration had already closed and was scarring by the time the fire had faded out to ashes. I’d felt an odd sense of satisfaction as the flames had flickered against the blackness. I didn’t die; she’d fixed me immediately, somehow.
Pushing my body back out of the water, I sucked in the air, scraping my wet hair behind my back. I had to change my train of thought to happier things. I thought about Gabriel instead. He had come so close to me. If Jonah hadn’t interrupted, would he have kissed me? I couldn’t work out what he felt toward me. I could only wait for him to reveal more of himself to me. I hoped he would soon.
Tiredness sneaked up on me, so I decided to take a nap. It had been another long and eventful day, and it wasn’t even close to being over yet.
I patted my body dry, heat radiating from my skin. I slipped on the pastel-pink pajamas and stepped through the door back into the bedroom, drying my feet as I went. I approached the bed and saw that a tray sat at the bottom; a hot cup of tea, a cheese sandwich, pastries, and fruit tempted me. No sign of the chef, but I guessed it was Gabriel who was taking care of me. The warmth of the tea filled me and I enjoyed gorging on the fruit. As the crisp taste of the grapes danced on my taste buds, I felt revitalized.
I was so hungry. In a very unladylike manner, I scarfed piece after piece of fruit. A pocket of juice squirted out of my lips from the nectarine that I was chewing on, dribbling down my chin. I smudged my lips with the back of my hand. A thick, red liquid trickled down my knuckles, shocking me. Confused, I spat out the fruit. It looked perfectly normal.
Gripping the remnants of the nectarine in my hand, I nearly fell off the bed in my haste to get to the bathroom. The mirror was still steamed up, so I quickly wiped my sleeve across it. I shot backward. My mouth was oozing the same thick maroon-colored substance, tarnishing my pearly white teeth. What was it and where was it coming from? I couldn’t fathom it. Then my thoughts rewound: hadn’t the same strangeness happened to me while Frederic burned? I paused for a moment and thought back once more to the blaze, but this time I needed to inspect my hands. In my memory, I had been so entranced by the flames and the smell of the bonfire that I hadn’t taken any time to observe myself except for the scar that had formed on my back. I needed to see my hands, I had to get back into
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