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When I reached the chaelina ake, and I wondered if she’d slept at all I dropped to my knees as she rushed into my arms She smelled like sweat and sleep and dirt, and I inhaled deeply as I pressed her close tointo theine that she was soritty and tender, and I rubbed theue at bay

I glanced longingly at the pallet on the floor, at the pillows and the scratchy blanket Brook took Angelina by the hand to find some breakfast, while I fell into a restless sleep filled with dreams of soldiers and queens and lost souls

It was the sound of water that wokenoise it made as it was poured from one vessel to another It wasn’t loud, but I’d heard it nonetheless

I blinked as I opened : the bigfroht me a bath

Eden held open the drape that had been affixed over the doorhile twothe as soon as everyone’s ready" Her black eyes ht want to get cleaned up first" She turned to leave "I’ll be right outside"

"Wait! Where’s Angelina?"

Eden nodded, her countenance relaxed for the moment It was easier to be around her when she was like this She made me feel the same way, despite the fact that she’d just informed me I was about to meet the queen "She’s already had her midday meal, but she wanted to stay and play with some of the children I decided it would be okay Ti to do"

She was right, of course I didn’t want Angelina to be stuck in this dark chaht, whichever the case reed

The curtain fell behind her, and I eyed the water Never had I i, especially one in a steel tub But I undressed quickly and slipped beneath the water

There was no soap, so I just soaked, enjoying the feel of the water overalready on round, and I prodded theht fit in the tub, and ed to lean all the way back, drawing has best I could It was like a bit of heaven

When the water was too cool to bear any longer, I finally stood, reaching for the threadbare towel I’d been left It was then that I saw a pile of clean clothes stacked neatly on the end of the sleeping pallet My clothes, froerous risk to send so

I dried and dressed quickly, sitting on the edge of the pallet as I toweled les