Kazimir had never known sleep like this. Perhaps it was the opulent silk bed, softer than anything he had ever laid on. Perhaps it was his transformation, the newfound strength coursing through his body, the strange connection he felt to the castle itself. Or perhaps it was because for the first time in his life, he felt safe, free from the constant fear of being killed in his sleep.
Maybe it was all of these things.
Eventually, his tranquillity was broken by the sound of footsteps and a knock at the door. Before he could even open his eyes, the door creaked, and Selis stood in the doorway.
Her long, snow-white hair was damp, freshly brushed and flowing over her shoulders. Her pale skin looked cleaner than before, and where she had once smelled of blood and steel, she now carried a faint, almost soothing scent. Kazimir couldn't place it, but it reminded him of moonlit gardens after a storm.
In her arms, she held a neatly folded set of clothes, a towel, and a bar of soap. She studied him for a moment, pale silver eyes cool and unreadable, as if silently judging him for still being in bed. Then, without a word, she gestured for him to follow.
Kazimir threw off the covers and hurried after her.
"Where are we going?" he asked as she led him into the hallway.
"The bath," she replied without looking back. "You smell like death."
Kazimir hadn't noticed before, but he did smell rather foul when compared to Selis.
They walked in silence, their footsteps muffled by ancient carpets. The air was thick with the scent of old stone, and as they passed curtained windows, Kazimir felt a strange pull toward them, an urge to peek beyond the heavy fabric. But Selis's warning from the night before echoed in his mind.
Eventually, a new sound reached his ears, the distant murmur of flowing water. It grew louder as they approached an immense silver door, adorned with intricate carvings of waves, as if the metal itself had been shaped by the currents of a river.
Selisara placed her palm against it, and white light spread from her touch, illuminating the fluid designs. With a deep, resonant hum, the door unlocked and swung open, revealing the colossal bathhouse beyond.
Kazimir barely had time to take in the grandeur of the space before Selisara shoved the clothes, towel, and soap into his arms and placed a firm hand on his back, pushing him inside.
The door slammed shut behind him.
For a moment, he simply stood there, surrounded by silent marble sculptures, absorbing the sheer scale of the room. It was larger than even the grandest inns he had visited, a multi-levelled marvel of architecture.
The bathhouse was built in four levels:
The top floor held a ring of elegant hot tubs, each filled by water flowing from the mouths of marble fish statues. Small crevices allowed the water to spill over the edge, cascading down to the third floor.
The third floor was a vast circular pool, its surface rippling as water streamed from gargoyle-like statues positioned at regular intervals down to the second floor.
The second floor featured a series of dolphin-shaped spouts. Water from the gargoyles splashed onto the dolphins' backs before arcing gracefully into the depths of the first floor.
The first floor, the grandest of them all, was a massive pool in the shape of a full moon. Marble columns framed the room, supporting the structure.
For the first time in a long while, Kazimir felt truly alone. There were no threats lurking in the shadows, no daggers hidden behind false smiles.
Slowly, he undressed, peeling off his worn and bloodstained clothes, revealing a body covered in scars, reminders of battles fought, and some barely survived. He stepped toward the first-floor pool, dipping a cautious foot into the water.
It was perfect.
He waded in, letting the warmth engulf him, washing away the grime, the dried blood, the weight of exhaustion he hadn't realized he carried. He closed his eyes.
For the first time in his life, Kazimir knew peace.
No need to fight for survival. No fear of betrayal. No hunger clawing at his stomach. Even though he was bound to this ancient castle, for once, he wasn't running from death.
He thought about the legend Aldrich had told him. Of the nameless and formless god sealed away inside of the castle of the Umbrax by the goddess.
He let out a deep breath and sank beneath the water.
By the time he stepped out, his body felt lighter, as if some invisible burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He reached for the clothes Selis had given him, running his fingers over the fine fabric. He didn't know much about clothing, but even he could tell these were of the highest quality, black silk embroidered with silver threads, smooth as moonlight on water.
They felt regal.
Dressed in his new attire, Kazimir made his way back toward his room, feeling refreshed in a way he never had before. But as he walked through the halls, a sound stopped him in his tracks.
Heavy footsteps.
Not just one pair, several.
His pulse quickened. Instinct took over, and he pressed himself into the shadows, slipping behind one of the marble statues.
The footsteps grew louder, echoing through the silent corridors.
Then, from around the corner, figures emerged.
Kazimir held his breath.