Page 12 of Palaces and other Prisons
“I’m glad you’re paying attention to the important things.”
“We’re supposed to be learning who these people are, so of course I looked at them.”
“The king is missing part of his arm tentacle. He did his best to keep the arm hidden under his cloak, but I saw the bandage, which means it’s a fresh wound.”
“You think he was injured during the collapse?”
“It’s a possibility.”
“Great. He’ll be thrilled to learn that human scientists were responsible.” He sat on a stool at the table and unlaced his boots. He wriggled his toes, and his socks felt rather stiff after being worn for the last two days. “What do you make of all the humans around?”
Katrina shrugged and sat on the other stool, taking off her own boots. She also took off her socks, wrinkling her nose as she did. “I’d kill for a bath.” She glanced around the room. “Do you suppose they have a toilet?”
“I hope so. Pissing out the window isn’t going to win us any favors.”
She laughed, but he was serious. They were in another country, Felloi, and they didn’t know the rules or customs or language. And they’d entered illegally. Or did that not matter because Felloi had entered their world?
He sniffed at the jug and then poured himself a cup. These cups were metal, unlike the wooden ones carried by the soldiers. He took a cautious sip. It was something beer-like, though it had been watered down.
“You’re brave.” Katrina got up and padded around the chamber, peeking behind the curtain. “There’s only one bed.”
“Maybe they think we’re together?”
“You can sleep on the floor,” Katrina said with a grin.
“I’m not sleeping on the floor.” He got up and carried his beer over to look at the bed. It was large. Big enough for them both. “Don’t worry, you’re not my type.”
Katrina snorted. “Men don’t have a type after three beers.”
“It will take more than three beers to get me interested in a woman.”
“Oh.” Her eyebrows lifted. “Is that why you were studying the soldiers?”
Dawson rolled his eyes. “Fuck off. Were you not a little curious about the tentacles and the dude with the hooves?”
“I’m curious how the king is walking around and doing stuff so soon after an amputation. What kind of medical treatment do they have here?”
“Until we learn whatever language they speak, none of that matters.” He took another drink, unsure how to negotiate for the platform. Or even if that’s what they were supposed to do. Management probably hadn’t expected anyone to be arrested, or maybe they had, and that was why they had to sign the waiver.
What if a boat came while they were trapped in the castle? Did that mean they would be stuck there forever?
Katrina had disappeared behind a screen that was painted with an ocean. “I found the bathroom.”
Dawson joined her and pressed his lips together. It was less of a bathroom and more of a steaming metal bathtub, complete with metal tentacles coiling beneath instead of feet. A metal pipe snaked into a stone alcove. He followed the pipe and found himself staring at what appeared to be a very long drop toilet. He lifted the wooden seat. The hole was too small to allow for escape.
“Make sure you put the seat down,” Katrina said from just behind him.
Dawson did, and he closed the lid. Next to the toilet were two rags and a pitcher of water. At least they didn’t have to share butt-cleaning cloths…if that’s what they were.
“Do you want the first bath?”
She bit her lower lip as if tempted to say yes. “I’ll flip you for it.”
“If I had a coin, I’d agree. You bathe, and I’ll have something to eat and poke around a bit more.” He stepped around to the other side of the screen and walked around the bed to examine the two piles of what he thought were blankets at first glance. Why supply a bath without towels? He lifted the first item. It wasabout one square meter and fairly soft. “I found a towel. I’ll flick it over the screen for you.”
“Thanks. This water is fucking hot and kind of slippery. It might be scented?” She made a few gasping noises, which Dawson assumed meant she was getting into the bath. At least she wasn’t wasting any time.
He picked up the next item. It was a shapeless beige tunic, similar to the one the soldiers wore, except theirs were trimmed with some kind of knotwork. The same knotwork but in different colors… Did that define their rank? They wore their tunics belted to carry their sword and knife.
