Page 56 of Tashama
“In desperation.”
Carissian shrugged as the healer and his guards waited in breathless anticipation, to Tashama’s amusement.
“If you insist.” Aleron struggled to slip the sheer fabric over her arms. She continued to stretch her arms in the air. Aleron stared at her. “You cannot be serious.”
“If I’m to take a bath, I always remove my clothes.”
“You’re not to take a bath, just swim for me.”
“Very well.” The tips of his ears had reddened slightly. Good, she had embarrassed him for a change, instead of him doing so to her. She slipped to sit down at the edge of the pool, then poked her feet into the water and took a deep breath.
“Are they all right?” the healer asked.
“They feel hot, but I’m sure they’ll be all right, thank you, healer.” She slid into the pool and touched her toes to the slippery floor. Six men watched her. “Do we have to have such an audience?”
Aleron waved to his guards to leave the room. When they had left his chamber, Tashama waved her hand at the healer. “And your healer?”
“He’ll stay in case your feet hurt.”
“And your sorcerer?”
Aleron shook his head. “Swim.”
“Really, it would be better for me to swim in the lake. It’s not deep enough here.”
“Swim.”
“All right.” Tashama pushed forward with her toes, then floated on the surface of the bathwater for a moment. Taking a deep breath, she made a shallow dive underneath the water and swam like a mermaid boxed into a narrow channel.
Her golden hair flowed around her like the delicate tentacles of a jellyfish. “She’s swimming,” Aleron whispered.
Carissian shook his head as he stared into the pool. “I wouldn’t have truly believed it if I hadn’t seen it for myself.”
“Is she part mermaid, do you think?”
“No, the maids said she had all of the features of a human when they helped her with her bath.”
“But how can she swim?”
Tashama surfaced at the other end of the bath. “Have you seen enough?”
“No, let me see you do it again.”
“Oh, honestly. If you’ll be nice, I can teach you to swim, too.”
“Mortals cannot swim.” Aleron folded his arms across his chest. She could truly swim. He couldn’t believe his eyes. And Listra had informed him Tashama knew the language of the water nymphs. What other powers did she possess?
“Right.” Tashama slipped beneath the surface of the water and swam to the other end of the long bath. Bubbles forming around a built-in seat pulled her like a magnet. She scooted into the marble chair and leaned against the flow of churning water.“Now what?” She leaned her head against the pillow and closed her eyes.
Aleron studied her gowns as the wet fabric accentuated her curves, then, as Carissian cleared his throat to get his attention, he turned to him. “What?”
“The lady has swum for you, sire. Do you not think it prudent to allow her to return to her chambers to change into dry gowns?”
Aleron motioned for his healer to leave. The man gathered his bandages and basket of salves and hurried out of the room. Aleron considered Tashama further. “Have her maids dress her here. It would not do for her to drip water all the way back to her chambers.”
“And you, sire?”
“Me what?”
