Page 110 of A Sanctuary from Shadow
Both Olea and Tansy laughed, and I plunked myself chin deep into the glorious water.
My ailments mellowed within seconds, the water soothing me better than a deep tissue massage and a mood music CD. I might’ve dozed off after weeks of arduous travel had Tansy not grabbed a scrubber brush and knelt to scour me like a greasy pan.
“You guys give new meaning to the word hospitality.” I curled into my knees. “Where I come from, bathing’s usually a solitary experience.”
“How boring,” Tansy said. “And what a waste of time for one blessed with the dimples of Venus.”
I assumed she meant the indents flanking my lower spine. “Guess baths aren’t supposed to be fun.”
“Pete did tell us the human world was a mite priggish.”
My gaze froze on the bubbles around my knees. “He told you I was from the human world?”
“Aye.” Tansy scrubbed my shoulder. “He told us everything. Apart from your name. That, he said, was Shorty, but I think we all ken that doesn’t suit you.”
I sniffed. “No, really?”
She and Olea chuckled.
“Pete doesn’t know my name.” I exhaled, the brush bristles on my neck like rebirth. “I refused to give it to him.”
“You refused him your name?” Olea set a hand on her wide hip, turning to me. “And he didn’t force you to reveal it?”
I blinked at her. “He—he can do that?”
“Aye,” she said. “All harbingers carry a vial of water from the Well of Sincerity.”
That answers that. “So, you do know he’s a harbinger.”
She and Tansy shared another conspiratorial look.
“And you don’t have a problem with it?” I tried not to sound as judgy as I felt. “I mean, it’s all right that he brought his prisoner here?”
“We’d hardly grouse about it,” Olea said. “It’d be mighty hypocritical of us.”
“You—you’re harbingers too?”
“Everyone who lives here is,” Tansy said. “This is a harbinger camp.”
Lost for words, I stared at them.
“Is it the fact that we’re beyns what surprises you?” Olea asked. “Or just learning that harbingers aren’t all solitary creatures?”
“No, uh—” I cleared my throat. “I just feel bad because I know if you’re harbingers, you were once cage fighters.”
Tansy stopped scrubbing. Olea’s smile dropped from her face.
Their reactions told me I really shouldn’t know that. Maybe they liked to keepsomethings private.
“Pete ex-explained—” I stammered. “He told me what it was like.”
“Did he?” Olea glared toward the drapery entrance, then turned a rigid back to me. She picked up her pestle and continued grinding. “He must’ve taken a liking to you to be divulging buried histories.”
I chewed my lip. “Trust me, he doesn’t like me. I’ve done nothing but sass him since he straight-up kidnapped me. He probably thinks I’m the most annoying person he’s ever met.”
The tension subsided when Tansy sighed. Her brush began moving in firm circles again. “I daresay Pete enjoys a bit of sass.”
I grimaced, still afraid I’d just committed some egregious faux pas. “I’m sorry I reminded you of—”
