Story of Kings

Chapter 8

Evelyn led Kane further into the old sewer system rebel base towards the showers. "It's best to get in and out as fast as you can," she explained as they walked along. "We have a nice set up down here, and lots of room but we couldn't exactly figure out a way to heat the water."

Kane nodded as he followed along. "You pull from one of the rivers, don't you? I'd guess it's from the East Sapphire."

"Yeah, good guess. The East Sapphire runs directly above us in an underground passage, it used to be a lot bigger up top, but Zuan had it split into multiple rivers running underground to spread the water where the city needed it. Don'jo siphoned a lesser used one for the hideout; it makes the water freezing cold, especially at this time of year but it's better than nothing. We do have heaters to warm up and to dry your clothes but to avoid fluxuations in the water further down the line for other parts of the city our water sources are always flowing, helps keep it clean, too and flowing water isn't easy to warm." As they walked along down the passageway Evelyn snagged a few things from crates that were left out as they passed by them, handing them back to Kane. "Soaps," she explained.

Kane only murmured in agreement as he followed along. She glanced back once at him, looking him over with a critical glance. Was that concern in her eyes? Kane mentally pushed it off, trying to ignore her scent. Probably, who wouldn't be concerned for someone who's significant other was missing? It was very likely her and the other Underground leaders thought him unstable at the moment, and he wouldn't blame them for it. Kane's attention drifted forward to Evelyn, her golden hair waving before him. It was true enough; he could sense it from her yet despite that he could tell her attempts to help him were genuine and not just two-dimensional acts to receive his favor. A light smile touched his lips at the thought.

It didn't take long for them to reach the showers, she stopped next to the door, the sound of running water faintly within. "Alright, here it is," she said, jerking her thumb at the door. "I'm going to have to leave you here, I need to get cleaned up myself. You'll find a wash rack within, and the heater should already be running. We borrow from the nearby residential district," she said with a wink and a grin. "When you're done you can meet me at the first room we were in with all the tables. See you there." Evelyn was off with a wave and a smile, turning and walking away down the corridor. Kane smiled in return, though it didn't feel as genuine as the one just moments before.

Entering the room, Kane was surprised to find that it was a personal living quarter. He had thought the shower would be communal. Stepping further into the room and closing the door, Kane inspected everything. A small yet comfortable looking bed, gracefully long enough to fit his height. A single, long nightstand that would double as a dresser with an oil lantern on top. A quick check told him that he would need that filled. Seeing in the dark wasn't a problem for him but it still did limit his vision, and he had learned it was better to carry a light with him least it got too dark, or if he gave someone a heart attack from fright. As promised, there was a large pipe running the length of the small room on the far wall, heat emanating from it. Kane frowned at it, no way to turn it off or stifle it. It would be handy for drying clothes and warding off the cold in the winter months, but he could already tell the small room was going to get unbearably stuffy, especially with the lack of air circulation.

To his left there was a small opening in the wall that rounded the corner into a small shower, out of sight from the rest of the room. The water was pouring down into a drain, enough to have him soaked the second he stood under it, a wash rack leaning against the side of the wall by it. Checking and locking the door Kane stripped down and set to washing his clothes, using the powder soap he determined was for clothes. His jacket was missing, he hadn't woken up with it on the tables so washing pants, shirt, underwear and bandana didn't take long though the water was freezing, as promised. Hanging his clothes to dry on a bar above the heater Kane then took one of the faster showers in his life, thoroughly scrubbing as best he could before plunging himself into the ice-cold stream to rinse off. Lacking a change of clothes, Kane sat before the heater warming up as his clothes finished drying. Having put them out to dry before he began his shower had them nearly dry by the time he finished himself, so the wait wasn't long and soon he was fully dressed again, tying his bandana around his forehead, the black sun facing out.