Chapter 252
~ NYSSA
Once Allister left, the ginger haired girl returned.
She was shaking from head to toe as she walked into the room. She looked over me, eyes lingering on the bloodstains all over my body before quietly making her way into the bathroom.
I heard the sound of rushing water and she returned a moment later with her hands folded behind her. “If you will join me, it is time to have you cleaned p>
It took me a second to understand what she was saying and I immediately shook my head. “I can take a bath myself. You can just leave p>
“No p>
I blinked twice, wondering if I heard her right. “Excuse me p>
“I’m not dying for you,” she said, voice soft but firm. “We all know what happened to the other girl, and I will not allow myself to be your lesson. You can either get in or I’ll drag you in p>
She did not have the strength required to drag a child. Her bones protruded from her chest and she was lanky. Even her steps seemed too light, however, I did not doubt that she would try, and I didn’t want her dead.
“I didn’t know he’d kill your friend p>
“She wasn’t my friend,” she cut me off firmly. “This isn’t the kind of place where you make friends. Are you coming or not p>
“I don’t need you to bathe me p>
“That is my job, and if you are not clean p>
“How about this,” I cut in quickly. “You can stay with me in the bathroom, but you don’t have to do shit. You just stand there with your back turned and after, you can check to make sure I got it all p>
She hesitated for a moment before nodding. “But I’m not turning my back. Deal p>
My lips curved despite the weird nature of the interaction. “Deal p>
She gestured for me to step into the bathroom and I did so without further complaint.
To my surprise, she did turn her back while I stripped off my clothes, and only once I was fully submerged in the bath did she turn back around.
A bath would not have been my choice considering the blood splatters on my skin but unfortunately, prisoners couldn’t be choosers.
I reached for the wash cloth that rested at the edge of the tub and took careful time scrubbing every inch of my skin clean. The entire time, I felt her eyes on me, tracing every movement with rapt attention.
“What’s your name?” I asked and she stilled.
“Why do you ask p>
“Because I never asked the other girl her name… I should have p>
“What do you care about names? You’re the King’s guest p>
I snorted. “That’s a fancy way of saying prisoner p>
“You know nothing about being a prisoner,” she snapped. “We live in cramped cells beneath the palace where the cold from the mountain seeps into our skin. Sometimes when the guards are drunk they like to come down and… choose a girl. You have a bed, you eat proper food. You wouldn’t know suffering if it hit you in the face p>
Her words were bitter and harsh but as soon as she said it, she slapped her hands over her mouth.
“I am sorry,” she mumbled, head bowed to the floor. “I never should have said that. Please forgive me p>
My movements stilled as I watched her, taking in the sight of a bruise that peeked out from underneath her sleeves and the way her hands trembled as she spoke.
“I apologize,” I said softly. “I was not trying to invalidate you p>
Her eyes widened in surprise as she glanced up at me. She opened and closed her mouth repeatedly as she straightened. “Irina… that’s my name p>
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Irina,” I greeted with as soft a smile as I could muster, all things considered. “You might not believe me, but I truly didn’t wish for the other girl to die. I didn’t know that’s what he would do p>
She sighed. “I know. You’re new. Everyone has been buzzing about the new werewolf girl he brought.” She chuckled dryly. “He seems to have a fascination with us p>
“You’re a werewolf too?” She nodded and I frowned. “Why didn’t I smell that p>
“It happens to all of us. Something about being here messes with us. After a day or two, your sense of smell should return, as will your strength, but they keep us fed with wolf’s bane to prevent us from being able to reach our wolves… or shift p>
Suddenly, the water felt colder and my skin prickled with unease. I dragged myself out of the tub, reaching for the towel that hung limply next to me.
I knew what it felt like to live without a wolf, and it was pure torture. I couldn’t imagine living like that for the rest of my life like these women did.
Irina turned on her heels and headed for the closet doors. She produced a simple brown dress with short sleeves that flowed all the way to the floor. It looked like something out of medieval novel, but I knew better than to complain and allowed her help me into it.
It was fucking scratchy, but it covered me completely.
“Why did he choose you?” she asked softly and I shrugged. “You must know, he has a reason for choosing everyone p>
“He says I’m his child and he hasn’t been able to produce any more females p>
She snorted. “That’s a lie p>
“How do you know that p>
“Because II birthed his most recent daughter. She will be a year old tomorrow. Her name is Autumn,” her fingers trembled as she zipped up the dress. “It’s been three months since I last saw her p>
“Why haven’t you seen her since p>
“Once the babies are weaned, they are taken away from us. They have… nurses who care for them until they are old enough for p>
She never finished her sentence because the door opened and a guard walked in, eyes trained on me. “The King summons you p>