The Coalition (Book 1)

Chapter 18

Her back and neck muscles burned and a dull ache squeezed the top of her head. She removed her damp cloak and left it to dry on the bench. Her feet squished inside her black leather boots. She could let them dry later; she needed to get to the bath house now.

Images of Sileas's blue-grey face swam in and out of her mind. It was her fault her friend was dead. She couldn't let anyone know that she didn't try to stop Sileas from committing that infraction. That she knew Sileas was desperate enough to do something crazy, but Shai didn't try hard enough to talk her out of it. But am I really to blame? I didn't really know that Sileas would go through with it.She needed to put it out of her mind. Feeling anything this deep was frightening. Maybe the Laelite Laws were right about passion. Sileas's passion eventually killed her. She was better off going with their Gracious Leader, Elchai, to his home. At least with him she'd be safe until her child was born. After that, well, she'd think of that later.

A shudder rippled through her. She glanced out the front window to make sure Aliah wasn't in the vicinity. She had no desire to talk to him.

She grabbed a towel, soap, and some dry clothes and left the house. The short walk to the bath house on the other side of the hill was a cold one since the sun lacked strength to warm the earth. Lael hadn't seen a hot, sunny day in years. A fine day was a dry one.

Anxious to get into the hot bath water, she picked up her pace. A narrow footbridge over a small creek stood between her and the bath house. The hollow clomping of her boots on the wooden bridge was suddenly joined by a low growl. She stopped then turned in a slow circle.

"Hello?" Her voice sounded strained and thin in her ears. Sudden heat spread across the mark over her heart. She clasped her bathing things closer and held her breath for a moment.

She jumped at a sudden movement to her right. A large black wolf sat on its haunches near the bath house. It lowered its head and followed her every move with its eyes.

She released her breath in a loud hiss. "Shoo! Get away!" She stomped her feet on the footbridge. "I said Go! Shoo!" The wolf bared its teeth but didn't move. The white-washed door of the bath house swung open and a large woman with blotchy red skin emerged balancing a stack of towels on her ample arm.

"Whacha doin, girl! Sounded like Samael hisself was gonna come right through the walls! We're tryin' to git the children cleaned up and calm after our terrible night, so quit yer noise and either come in or don't!"

"Sorry Maire. Did you see... never mind." The wolf had disappeared; her path was clear. She ducked her head and apologized again as she crossed the bridge. The Mother sniffed like she was disgusted then moved aside as Shai entered.

The warmth and humidity inside was a welcome change. Shai paused and blinked a few times until her eyes adjusted to the dim light and she could see, just inside the door, a large entry-way with two long wooden benches. She took a seat on one of them and started unlacing her knee-high boots. She wrinkled her nose. Somehow she'd managed to sleep in her damp clothing. She had removed one soggy, wool sock when she heard two female voices arguing.

The bath house had only two rooms; one for boys the other for girls. Voices from both sides blended together until the arguing crescendoed and Shai recognized one of the voices as Eliana's.

"I don't know where you get off accusing them of such a thing! I don't care what you say, Maire!"

Shai shoved her wet socks down into the toes of her boots then gathered her bathing supplies. Just as she stood to enter the girl's room the blotchy-skinned Community Mother careened around the corner pulling two young girls behind her by their wrists. She pushed the outside door open with her hip and with a hmmmfshe exited the Bath House. Before the solid wood door closed after her, Shai caught a glimpse of the dark form of the wolf lurking nearby. She shuddered and entered the steamy girl's room.