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Lysander slept horribly that night, not even Alina able to bring her comfort as they slept in each other's arms. So, it was easy for her to stir when the door of the bedroom opened suddenly. She and Alina sat up in an instant, looking at all the people who came in with wide eyes. There were maids and a beautiful red-haired woman named Genya who was wearing a white kefta.
"Saints! Have either of you ever bathed? And what happened to your face?" Genya asked, making both girls feel horrible. Lysander self-consciously touched her busted bottom lip. "This is going to take more work than I expected."
The woman snapped her fingers at one of the maids. "Fetch my kit. Get the Sun Summoner in the bath first."
Soon, Alina was being shoved toward the bathroom as Lysander was left on the bed, no one caring to be gentle as they undressed Alina and forced her into the tub. Lysander kept back, giving Alina a false sense of privacy with so many others surrounding her. They combed through her tangled hair and scrubbed at the dirt on her skin while muttering sentences back in Old Ravkan.
"Stop, stop, stop!" Alina finally ordered, grabbing the rag from one of them. "I am perfectly capable of washing myself. And yes, I smell like horse. I was on one for two hundred miles. After nearly being killed. Twice. And I understand Old Ravkan, and that was really quite rude."
Genya seemed unaffected by Alina's attitude. "In an hour, you'll both be presented to King Pyotr, and General Kirigan has asked that I make you look presentable."
Alina's eyes went wide. "I am to meet the King?"
"In an hour."
"Oh," she mumbled.
"Yes, 'Oh.'" she said. "So let's get on with it."
Alina kept her mouth shut as they cleaned her up a bit more, but she still protested. "You know, this is all a bit much. I really don't need any of this," Alina said as they helped her out of the water and dried her off. But when they wrapped a fluffy robe around her, she sighed. "Oh, Saints! Is this velvet? Lyssa, you must get one."
One of the maids leaned into Genya, not bothering to lower her voice as she said, "I'd start by making her eyes less Shu, Miss Safin."
Lysander glared at the girl, unable to believe she'd said something so inconsiderate and rude. She moved to say something, but Genya beat her to it.
"Everybody out," she ordered, clapping twice.
In an instant, all the maids left, some scoffing as they did so. Alina sighed in relief and swapped out with Lysander. She made sure to keep her back to the girl as she undressed. She had no right to look at her knowing how she felt about the girl.
