Page 43 of Synodic

“What truth was that?”

“That running from your fear is the surest way straight into its arms. And when it catches you, as it surely will, you are somehow surprised and unprepared, even though—”

“Even though you knew it was chasing you all along,” I finished the thought. Rowen pierced me with a gaze of recognition, and I realized we had completely stopped walking. “You haven’t always lived here?” I asked, avoiding his intense and dissecting stare. He may dress like the villagers of this land but he didn’t speak or look like them in any way, and he had just provided me with an opening to ask.

“The Wyn don’t make it a habit of taking in strays, but they welcomed and accepted me all the same, even when I didn’t want that for myself.”

“Where are you from?” I asked, even though I wouldn’t have the slightest clue if he told me. I was still a stranger in a strange land, and apart from glancing at a few strewn-about maps in his room, I really didn’t know the layout of Luneth.

“From a place that no longer exists,” he said tightly, his pulse ticking at his neck. “Which is just as well, as I can’t…” he trailed off.

“What?” I pressed.

“It’s a long story, one not meant for wandering ears. And we need to get you looking presentable.”

I tried not to let Rowen’s comment put me on edge, but the way he eyed the trees as if they were listening had me teetering on a fine line of apprehension. Especially with the threat of a potential mole in our midst.

“Nepta has made this your personal bathing room,” he said, leading me to a curtain of emerald vines shimmering in the moonlight. The strands lazily swayed in the very breeze that cooled my flesh as it wafted over my sweat-soaked skin, and the sound of running water had me wanting to shed my dirty clothes.

“I don’t need special treatment. I can bathe where everyone else does,” I said, finding his dark stare.

“I’ll let Nepta know. I’m sure she won’t be too offended,” he offered as he turned to leave.

I stopped him with a hand to his chest, and he smirked down at me, knowing damn well Nepta was the one person whose bad side you never wanted to be on. “On second thought, I think I’ll enjoy the privacy.”

“After what you’ve been through these last few days, I’d say you’re deserving of it,” he replied softer than usual, lifting his hand to tuck a flyaway lock of hair behind my ear like it was second nature. My breath hitched at the sweep of his touch, and he pulled back quickly as if realizing he hadn’t meant to actually touch me.

His face hardened, and I tried to read beyond the shadows that lengthened across his set expression.

For a moment, I longed for the nights when I thought him to be no more than a figment of my imagination, not a living, breathing, temperamental man who could nearly knock me into oblivion with the slightest of touches, all the while him not feeling a thing.

Rowen parted the vines like a thick velvet drape, motioning for me to enter with the tick of his head. I took a step through and hesitated on the threshold, wary of being left alone in the dark. “You won’t go anywhere, will you?” I asked, looking back to him.

“I’ll be right here when you’re done.”

Relieved, I walked the rest of the way through the vines being held open for me, and as soon as they closed at my heels, I stopped with a gasp of disbelief. What I saw before me was so beautiful and tranquil, it put any spa back home to shame.

In the center of the flora-enveloped bathing suite was a white stone bath, raised and built into the rock wall of several cascading waterfalls. The basin unfurled beneath the glittering stars like a capsized clam shell and the lush forest walls encircled the room in complete privacy.

A carved vanity and chair sat embedded in the trunk of a tree, further proving the Wyn’s sophisticated architecture. The twining and spiraling craftsmanship was as effortless as if Mother Nature had designed the pieces herself.

Resting on the earthy surface were bars of raw soap emitting relaxing berry, eucalyptus, and honeysuckle scents. Wooden hairbrushes, combs, and what looked to be toothpaste tablets also rested on the counter.

I stripped the clothes from my body, grabbed one of the soaps, and padded my way up the floating stone steps. I tentatively dipped my toes into the pool that could easily fit ten people and found the swirling sapphire water to be quite warm.

The baths must be over areas of geothermal heat like a hot spring.

I slowly submerged myself into the liquid heaven, wishing I could stay here forever as the warm water loosened my tight muscles and opened my breathing. Bathing stark naked in the woods was something I’d never done before, but the freeing sensation was quickly becoming one of my new favorite things.

Well into scrubbing myself clean, a loud howl erupted from the trees, pulling me out of my reverie. I gasped loudly and dropped the soap from my hands.

“It’s just the sounds of the forest coming alive at night, Copeland,” Rowen called to me coolly through the veil of vines. “Don’t worry, I won’t let it eat you.”

“Oh yes, my big strong protector,” I mocked back at him. “I did finally get to see your scary ax-wielding skills in action, though you did cut it a little close to my nose. Should I be worried with your aim?”

“Believe me, you needn’t worry when it comes to my aim,” he said, clearly unbothered by my insinuation, which only piqued my desire to taunt him further.

“Hmm, ‘I’m not sure you possess the disposition for the sport,’” I said, throwing his words back at him, and even though Rowen was bringing out aspects of myself that were burrowed deep, I still managed to shock myself with what I said next. “Does your questionable aim hinder the more…intimate areas of your life?”

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