Page 31 of Shadow Queen
When he’d gone, Mikael’s servant, Vimal, stepped inside the chamber, careful to avert his eyes. “Salara, a bath is ready for you. I’ll get breakfast and have your maid bring a new dress.”
“Thank you,” she said appreciatively.
Vimal left, and Norah padded into the bath chamber. She slipped into the tub. The heat from the water made her skin tingle as she submersed herself. It felt wonderful. Vimal had put salts in the water, and she closed her eyes as she breathed in their scent.
This was what happiness felt like.Finally. Things were right between them. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she could persevere—more than persevere, she could make a life. She could love this life.
Remembering Vimal would return soon with breakfast, Norah quickly finished washing. She wrapped a towel around herself and stepped out of the tub. Through the hanging panels, she found the dressing room. Surely there would be a robe she could put on. But the dressing room had only Mikael’s clothes: shirts, breeches, boots, and a wide variety of leathers and armor. She reached out and touched a shoulder shield. It was thin, smooth, light, but strong. Its polish hadn’t removed the wear of war. How many battles had it seen? Battles against Mercia?
Suddenly, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She felt a presence from behind, and she spun around as the commander plunged through the panels with his sword ready.
Norah gasped and stumbled back a few steps before catching herself. “Hammel’s hell! What are you doing?” she asked angrily.
His eyes widened in surprise. He pulled back, slowly lowering his sword.
“What’s wrong with you?” she snapped. “I could have been Mikael, or a servant!”
“Salar’s sword isn’t here,” he said between his teeth, “and Vimal’s in the kitchen.”
Norah sighed, shifting uncomfortably under his eye. Her near nakedness didn’t seem to bother him. But her presence did. It didn’t matter—she had no fear of him now.
“Why are you here?” he challenged.
“I live here,” she spat back.
“You know what I mean.”
“My answer’s the same. I’m to stay here now, in the king’s chamber.”
His nostrils flared. “You were in his bed last night?”
“No, I just run about random rooms with no clothes on.” She rolled her eyes. “Obviously I stayed here last night.”
He made no effort to hide the fury inside him.
“Can you at least give me my dress, by the bed?” She would put on her old dress until Vitalia came with a new one.
“There is no dress,” he said coldly. “Otherwise, I would’ve known it was you.”
She pursed her lips. Vimal must have taken it. “You mean otherwise you wouldn’t have hesitated before running me through,” she mumbled under her breath.
The commander reached out and pulled one of Mikael’s shirts from its hanger. He threw it at her, and not kindly. She clenched it in anger, wanting to throw it back at him. But she didn’t. It was better than a bath towel.
She scowled at him. “Can I have some privacy?”
He walked out to the bedchamber, and Norah pulled the shirt over herself. It was large, more of a short gown.
“Where’s Salar?” he called from the bedchamber.
“Looking for you.”
“I’ll wait here for him.”
“Of course you will,” she muttered. There really was no getting rid of him.
Norah raked her fingers through her damp hair, trying to look as regal as a woman could in an oversize man’s shirt and without a hairbrush. Then she walked back out to the bedchamber.
The commander had sheathed his sword back in its scabbard and stood by the window.
