Willow.
The sky had darkened by the time I stepped out of the bathhouse. The cold kissed my damp skin instantly sneaking beneath my loose tunic I wore causing a soft shiver to run down my spine. I hadn't dried my hair properly because too drained to care and it clung to my neck in wet ropes dripping down the back of my collar with every step.
My legs felt heavy and leaden like I’d just hiked miles uphill instead of soaked in hot water for hours. My fingers were wrinkled and pruny, my knees wobbled slightly with each movement and yet my head was still buzzing with anxiety.
Each step back toward the dormitory stretched longer than the one before. The stone paths I usually marched down with confidence now felt foreign under my boots. The truth was I hadn’t even really relaxed.
The bat
