Ruby Shadows (Born to Darkness #3)(94)

Chapter Twenty-six

Gwendolyn





The bathing pool was everything I’d hoped for and more.

It was a long, rectangular tub set right into the floor—which was made of indigo blue tile with golden streaks running through it—and it really was a pool. By which I mean, I could have done laps in it if I wanted to. There was even a deep end and a shallow end—I couldn’t wait to get in.

I started the water running and went to explore the rest of the area. There was a bedroom with a big four poster bed and a white spread. I wondered if Laish had ordered the white spread just for me and then decided that was silly. Still, the rest of the room was done in black—black carpet… black curtains in the single eye socket-window. It did have white walls though so maybe he just had a black and white theme going on.

There was another fireplace across from the bed, though it wasn’t as large as the one in the library, with a single black armchair in front of it. There was a crackling fire already going in the grate and I took off the white fur coat and draped it over the back of the chair. Eryn fluttered up from my shoulder briefly and then settled on the coat—maybe she liked the softness of the fur.

“That’s right—you stay there, little girl,” I told her. “You’re better off, especially since I’m going to get a nice long bubble bath—if they ever bring up the bath products Belial promised me.”

Just then, as if in answer to my thoughts, I heard a soft tapping at the door.

Remembering what had happened at the Hotel Infernal, I went across cautiously and called, “Who’s there?” without opening up.

“Just me, my lady,” squeaked a little voice.

I cracked the door just a tiny bit and saw the little imp who had greeted us so excitedly when we first rode up on Kurex. He was a tiny little guy, no higher than my knee, with red skin and sharp little horns growing out of the curly black hair on his head. In his hands was an immense silver tray filled with all kinds of bottles and jars. It looked much too heavy for him and indeed, he was sweating and trembling under its weight.

“Compliments of Master Belial,” he panted. “Please, my lady, would you like me to bring them in?”

“No, you can just leave the tray there,” I said firmly. He seemed harmless enough and Laish had said I was safe here but I was still a lot more wary than I had been in the past. After everything that had happened lately, who could blame me?


“As my lady wishes,” the little imp squeaked. He put the tray down carefully to one side of the door, so that the glass bottles and jars only clinked together a little. Then he bowed so deeply the tips of his horns brushed the deep blue carpet that covered this half of the hallway.

“Thank you,” I said, smiling a little despite myself.

“Anything I can do to serve. Your servant, my lady,” he replied, attempting to straighten up. I say “attempting” because he couldn’t quite manage it. Looking closer, I saw that his sharp little horns had gotten tangled in the loops of the Berber-type carpet. He was stuck, bent nearly in half, as he wiggled and struggled to get his head up again. But the more he struggled, the more entangled his horns got in the carpet. “Oh, oh!” he squeaked. “Oh, dear!”

He was such a comical sight that I couldn’t help laughing, though I tried to smother the sound and turn it into a cough.

“Are you all right?” I asked, forgetting my wariness. “Do you need some help?”

“Oh no, my lady,” he gasped, panting for breath. “A bit of a kafuffle is all. I shall…shall be all right presently.”

“Don’t be silly,” I said. Taking a chance, I knelt down and reached out the door. Gently, I untangled his horns from the carpet.

He must have been straining very hard to stand up because once he was free, he popped up so quickly that he toppled over with his little cloven hooves pawing the air comically.

This time I really couldn’t help laughing out loud though I didn’t want to be unkind. I covered my mouth and tried to hold it in but the first giggle got out before I could stop it.

The little imp got up on his feet, looking very red in the face—which was saying something since his skin was already red.

“I do thank you, my lady,” he said earnestly, looking up at me. “It’s very kind of you to free me from the entanglements of fate.”

Or the carpet, I thought but didn’t say.

“Of course.” I tried to smooth out my face and nodded at him seriously. “And it’s very kind of you to bring me all this wonderful bubble bath.”

“Merely doing my job, my lady. Is there anything else you require? Anything I can bring you?” he asked, looking up at me earnestly.

“Not right now. Thank you so much.” I smiled at him.

“You’re very welcome. I’m at your service for as long as you are here in the Citadel, my lady.” He started to bow again and then stopped himself, eyeing the carpet warily.

On impulse, I leaned down and put out a hand for him to shake.

Uncertainly, he took it. His little hand was as small as a child’s but he had a surprisingly firm grip. His skin was also quite hot.

“Thank you, my lady.” He looked both surprised and gratified that I would shake his hand.

“I’ll see you later…?” I let the question hang in the air, wondering if he was allowed to give me his name.