The bathroom's warmth wrapped around us as I crossed the marble floor, my boots echoing in the candlelit space. Evelina had already slipped into the water, her back against the tub's edge, her white hair fanning out across the surface like silk.
She watched me undress with open interest, her crimson eyes tracing every movement, every exposed inch of skin. The ring on her finger glinted in the candlelight, its patterns shifting lazily now that she was at rest.
"You take too long," she said.
"Always so impatient."
I stepped out of my trousers and joined her in the water, the heat seeping into muscles still tight from the archmage's trials. The tub was large enough for four, maybe five, but Evelina had positioned herself in the center, leaving room on either side.
I chose her left.
She leaned into me immediately, her head finding the curve of my shoulder, her body settling against mine like it belonged there. The water sloshed gently, lapping at the tub's edge.
