Torian did not take me to the sitting room to debrief. Instead, we went directly to the Royal Suite. He gently peeled the scarred scale armor and the dusty gambeson from my body. He treated the process with such reverence, as if he was handling something sacred. “A bath, then restorative magic, then sleep,” he dictated, his voice firm but soft. “I will handle the Council.”
I didn’t argue.
The pain had receded, replaced by the full exhaustion that followed a major Nexus channeling. The restorative bath was prepared by Morwyn, and filled with salts and oils that made the large bathroom smell like almonds and vanilla. I sank into the water, feeling like I was taking part in some kind of healing ritual.
Once I was done, I put on the shift Torian had given me the night before. I sat in one
