Silas checked the iron door once more and drove the bolt home with both hands. The steam carried a bitter herbal smell that caught at the back of my throat, thick enough to make the small room feel even tighter.
“I'm going to enjoy this,” he said. “When I'm done, Kael can take back whatever is left. Every time he comes near you, he'll know I got here first.”
He pointed at the tub. “Get in.”
I stayed where I was.
His patience lasted only a few seconds. Silas crossed the room, seized my wounded arm, and pulled me toward the water.
Before pushing me in, he reached for a wooden goblet on the shelf. He filled it from the murky bath and pressed the rim against my lips.
“Drink first. It helps the purification.”
I recognized two sedative herbs in the smell but could not identify the third.
