Page 39 of Room for Three
The teasing words didn't match his expression, which had gone carefully blank. Before either Azelon or Jamie could respond, Corin backed toward the door.
"I'll leave you to it, then. Glad you're on the mend, Jamie."
He slipped out before anyone could stop him, the door clicking shut behind him.
Jamie sighed. "He's not okay."
"No," Azelon agreed quietly. "He's not."
"You should go after him."
Azelon hesitated. The instinct to follow Corin warred with his duty to continue tending Jamie. "The bath is necessary for your recovery."
"It can wait," Jamie insisted. "Corin needs you more right now."
"You don't understand," Azelon said, frustration edging into his voice. "The residue from the ritual—it creates a continued connection between us. The longer it remains, the more... intimate that connection becomes."
Jamie's eyes widened slightly. "Intimate how?"
"Thoughts. Feelings. Eventually, dreams." Azelon looked away. "It's why such healings are typically reserved for bonded pairs."
"I see," Jamie said, though his tone suggested he didn't fully grasp the implications. "Still, Corin…"
"I'll speak with him after," Azelon interrupted. "But this cannot wait, unless you wish to find yourself unexpectedly sharing my mind."
Jamie considered this for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. What do we need to do?"
The store, ever responsive to their needs, had already transformed one corner of the healing chamber. A large copper tub now stood there, steam rising from the water within. Herbs floated on the surface, filling the air with a clean, sharp scent.
"The water must contain specific elements to neutralize the magical residue," Azelon explained. "You'll need to immerse yourself completely."
Jamie glanced at the tub, then back at Azelon. "Help me up? I'm still a bit unsteady."
Azelon moved to his side, carefully helping him rise from the bed. Jamie leaned heavily against him, and the contact sent a jolt through Azelon—the healing connection amplifying the sensation of skin against skin.
From Jamie's sharp intake of breath, he felt it too.
"This is going to be complicated, isn't it?" Jamie murmured as they made their slow way toward the bath.
Azelon didn't pretend to misunderstand. "Yes," he admitted. "It already is."
The store creaked around them, a sound almost like agreement.
Chapter
Twelve
Jamie leaned heavily against Azelon as they made their way to the copper tub. Each step sent a dull throb of pain through his healing wound, but the Tideborn's steady support kept him moving forward. Where their skin touched—Azelon's arm around his waist, Jamie's hand gripping Azelon's shoulder—a strange current flowed between them, neither entirely pleasant nor uncomfortable.
"Sorry," Jamie muttered when he stumbled, causing Azelon to tighten his grip—and what a nicely tight grip it was. Jamie's first impression of the man had been correct.
Not a thought he should be giving too much attention right now.
"The healing took much from your body," Azelon replied. "This cleansing bath will help restore your strength."
The store was certainly glad to help, it seemed.
Steam rose from the copper tub in fragrant curls. Candles flickered to life along stone shelves that had sprouted from the walls.
