"Tressa!" Fi ran over, grabbed her hand, and pulled her toward the edge of the pool.
All the women were dressed in the same bathing garb. Light linen wrapped around their bodies, allowing them to expose enough skin to clean without being indecent.
"You can change behind the curtain. I'll wait here." Fi smiled, her toothy grin relaxing Tressa.
She slipped behind the curtain and picked up one of the bathing gowns. Leaving her own clothes carefully on the bench, Tressa slipped on the linen. She took a deep breath, then headed out to the pool.
Fi smiled and waved, patting the seat on the bench next to her. Tressa pasted on a smile and sat.
"I'm sure you're overwhelmed," Fi said.
"It's a lot to take in," Tressa said as she slipped her feet into the warm water. Tingles ran up her legs, quickly relaxing all of her tense muscles. "How much do you know?"
"Likely everything," Fi said, running a sponge up and down her arm. "But I won't ask you to share until you're ready."
Tressa shrugged. "I may never be ready, so now is as good of a time as any."
Fi dropped the sponge on her lap and clapped her hands. "Everyone out,” she called.
Tressa's hands covered her mouth, horrified. She hadn't asked for the others to be kicked out. No one seemed to mind, though. Most smiled. One even patted Tressa on the shoulder as she stepped out of the water.
"Does everyone know?" Tressa asked.
Fi nodded. "Some. Your great-grandmother is a bit of a legend around here."
After the last of the women and girls had left the bathing room, Tressa relaxed a bit more.
"Do you have any children?" Tressa asked. Even now, her mind often turned to the loss of her own child and Granna’s decision to prevent her from conceiving with Bastian.
"No. I won't ever bear children. Sarah, my wife, and I would love to take in an orphan someday.” Fi took a deep breath and continued. “There are so few though. It's unusual for a child to be truly alone. Here, in the Ruins of Ebon, there is nothing more important than family. It's why I helped you without a second thought. My great-uncle and your great-grandmother are mated. To me, we are family."
"I've always wanted a sister," Tressa confessed. Someone, another woman, anyone other than Granna, to stand by her.
"Then it's settled. We are sisters forever." Fi tossed Tressa a sponge. "Now clean up. I want to show you around the rest of the city." Fi stepped out of the pool and disappeared behind a curtain.
Tressa scrubbed all over her body, ridding herself of the accumulated dirt. She felt a mess. But the sponge and warm water could only erase so much. She still bore the scars of her life; those couldn't be scrubbed away.
She closed her eyes, thinking of Jarrett and missing him. She was healed now, yes. They'd saved her in the Charred Barrens, just as Fi had promised. Unfortunately, it brought on a new set of problems. Tressa knew Jarrett had been with the queen of the Sands many times. Tressa’s dragon side wouldn't repulse him, of that she was sure. But would it change her? If she allowed them to teach her how to change into a dragon in order to have a safe birthing experience, would she become as cruel and unpredictable as her father? Was it the nature of the dragon?
She'd given up Bastian because her life had changed too much to still love him the way she had in Hutton's Bridge. Knowing the same thing could happen with Jarrett scared her more than all the truths she'd learned this day. She was exhausted from all of the upheaval. All she wanted was a simple, easy life. Unfortunately, nothing seemed farther out of reach.
The door to the bathing room swung open and three guards marched in, dressed in full uniform. "My lady, Fionette, we are under attack. You are needed."
Fi gasped, emerging from behind the curtain. She pulled her shirt over her head and joined the men. "Tressa," she said, "I suggest getting back to your room. Don't delay. I'll check in on you later."
Tressa cupped her hands, letting the water rinse her shaking limbs. Another battle. If Avital had followed her here, who else might have brought the battle to the city under the Charred Barrens?
Chapter Twelve
Tressa retreated to her room, Avital on her heels. Before he could enter, she slammed the door in his face. Granna had left. Good. She sat down on her bed, twisting her hands in her lap. Under attack? From whom?
Guilt washed over her. Everyone had thought the Black extinct until they came out of hiding to rescue Tressa and her friends in Malum. Now everyone knew they were still alive and anyone could be coming after them—though she quickly narrowed it down to two parties.
The Red and the Yellow. The Blue's only dragon was off looking for his eggs, and the Green were still trapped in the Meadowlands.