Page 13 of The Scars Within
“I’m a team leader responsible for this hall. I’m coming in to check if everything is okay... just a heads up,” the voice continued.
Shit.
The door creaked open, followed by slow, deliberate footsteps entering the chamber.
“Scar?”
With my forearms pressed against the shower wall and my face turned as much as possible, I glimpsed at Shayde Wylder, his expression filled with concern.
“Is everything alright in here?” he asked.
There was no use pretending now. He had caught me—a naive girl from a small village—who had never used a shower before.
Swallowing my pride, I admitted under my breath, “I don’t know how to work the shower.”
Shayde could have burst into laughter, teasing me mercilessly in that vulnerable moment. Instead, he dipped his chin, offering a soft grin that revealed a dimple. He turned to a small door, revealing a stash of white towels and washcloths. He grabbed a set and walked over to my stall, handing them to me over the wall.
“Here, let me help you,” he said gently.
I wrapped the towel around myself, maintaining eye contact. Most men would have seized the chance to ogle, but Shayde didn’t. Opening the stall door, I motioned him in, retreating to the far corner, away from the shower head.
“The right knob controls cold water. The left is for hot,” he explained, pointing.
“I gathered that much. How do people find comfort in extremes?” I muttered.
He chuckled softly, his gaze steady.
“When you adjust them halfway, you get a perfect blend of warmth. Then you can adjust it to your liking.”
Oh.
I felt foolish. These showers clearly needed an instruction manual.
I stood there, locking eyes with Shayde, my eyebrow raised and jaw slightly agape.
“Thank you, Shayde. Thank you for the lesson. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to put it to use,” I said, tilting my chin to hide my embarrassment.
“It was my pleasure, Scar,” he replied, his dimpled smile warming the room.
“Alone, of course.”
“You’re blocking the door,” he teased, his smile widening.
I jumped up, clutching my towel, and hurried to open the door for him. Shayde carefully stepped out, avoiding any awkward bumps as I stood there, drenched in nothing but a towel.
The click of the chamber door told me that I was alone once again.
After hanging up my towel, I urged myself to try again. Adjusting both knobs until the water was just right—hot, but not scalding—I sighed in relief.
Oh, my elements. Heaven have mercy. This is the most magical thing I’ve ever experienced. All my worries melted away as I stood under the soothing water.
I must have spent an hour there before attempting to figure out all the items in my caddy. Then, I made my way back to our dorm with a smile on my face to rest up for the first full day of classes.
Chapter 5
I scrutinized every new cadet who arrived yesterday morning. Among them was one I hadn’t seen before: Scarlet Thorne. She’s reserved, almost inconspicuous, with a thin frame and a demeanor so muted she could easily vanish into a crowd.
The Grim had warned me to be particularly vigilant this year. With this new batch of cadets, there’s no room for error. So, I arrived early at the Great Hall and stayed long after the last student had left.
