The Land of Gods and Beasts

Chapter 13

Esther
Ekon left me in my room to bathe after asking what I wanted for dinner and promising to send up a healer named Prisca to give me herbs for my bath to help with my aching muscles. Saying he would return with a salve he kept handy, and then offered to rub it in for me with a roguish smile that had me blushing to my toes.

I had responded by shutting the door in his face.

I was trying to peel off my sweat soaked leathers when there was a knock on the door. Assuming it was the healer I shouted for her to enter. I had finally gotten the top part of the leathers off when a deep, "shit, sorry," had me spinning around and clutching the leathers to my chest.

I squealed, "Mallok! What are you doing here?"

He stood in the doorway of the bathing room, eyes darting around to anything but me and my half naked form. He scratched his head sheepishly, "I just wanted to talk, and apologize."

I tilted my head, waiting.

He pointed to the door leading out into the hallway, "but I can go. I should go." Mallok's cheeks were pink, and he looked so nervous I took pity on him.

I rolled my eyes, trying to act nonchalant. "It's nothing you haven't seen anyways."

A knock sounded at the door, the healer this time hopefully. Unless it was Ekon returning with the salve and his sultry eyes.

A shiver ran down my spine at the thought.

I cleared my throat, "that's the healer, answer the door for me please while I go get in the bath."

He nodded, quickly scurrying to the door.

I had just slid into the bath when Mallok knocked on the bathing room door. "Prisca gave me some herbs to put in your bath."

I eyed the murky water and dimly lit room before saying, "come in."

Mallok looked like he was entering a dragon's den as he slinked into the bathing room. He set the jar the floor next to the massive sunken tub and turned to leave.

"Wait."

He turned back to me, eyebrow arched high. I gestured to the chair before the vanity, "sit. You can talk while I bathe."

He nodded with a gulp and took a seat as I dumped the jar of herbs into the bath. The smell was minty and earthy, the effects almost immediate as I swirled them into the hot water. I sighed, leaning my head back against the curved corner of the tub, my muscles relaxing.

"I know you don't believe me, but I am so sorry, Esther." Mallok whispered, his voice so sincere and sad that my heart squeezed. "I have a duty to my people, my king. And sometimes I get so caught up in that responsibility that I lose a bit of my self. I'm not trying to excuse manipulating your emotions, or saying what I did. But I do want you to know that not all of it was glamor, I truly wanted-" he paused, "want, to be your friend."

It was silent for a long while as we both sat with our thoughts. I watched him through the steam wafting off the water. His back was turned to me, but I could see how tense his muscles were through the soft white cotton of his shirt.

I blew out a soft breath, "thank you. For apologizing, and for coming to save me."

His head bobbed in a nod as he cleared his throat, "of course." He tossed a soft grin at me over his shoulder, green eyes never leaving my own. "After all, what good are these big muscles of mine if I can't save a damsel in distress?"

I threw my head back with a laugh at the words, something tight easing in my chest. "Such a large ego for someone that got their ass handed to them by a giant monster thing."