Page 92 of The Barbarian King's Assassin (Magic and Kings 1)
Seela squinted at me. “She likes you. Question is, are you good enough for my son?”
“It’s not a question because I’m not interested.” I shifted away from the table.
“Why not? He’s handsome.”
“He is engaged.
“But not married yet. My Kohnan stole me the morning of my wedding to his cousin.”
I had to admit that sounded rather romantic. Still… “I’m not the type to stay with one man. I’d get bored.”
“Are you sure? If that’s the case, why not use him until the wedding? Surely that will be time enough.”
“Mama!” Konstantin retained enough wits to object.
“Don’t ‘Mama’ me. It’s obvious there is something between you. Are you really going to ignore it? You have six days until the wedding. Six days to change your mind.”
Six days for me to get bored of Konstantin. I could be in trouble.
“Didn’t you say there’d be a bath?” I asked rather than keep up this inane argument.
“Coming right up.” Konstantin bellowed for hot water, and soon I had a room with a steaming tub to myself. I eyed the locked door. I’d almost invited him in.
Almost.
Instead, I sent him off to be with his family.
I sank into the bath. Enjoyed it immensely. Until it tried to drown me.
CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN
I satup in the large basin as the fluid rose and wrapped around my face, blocking my mouth and nose. Panicked, I stood and grabbed at the watery skein. My fingers went right through. How could I fight liquid?
I stumbled from the tub and slammed my face onto the bed, forcing the water to soak into the fabric, freeing myself to gasp for breath. I’d no sooner turned than the rest of the water sloshed over me, trying to smother me.
Without even thinking, I wished for help.
I held out my hand, and my sword came to my grip. It shouldn’t have made a difference. What could a blade do against water? But slashing it cut the attacking fluid until it collapsed with a splash on the floor.
I stared at it only a moment because it appeared my sword wasn’t the only deadly weapon I called.
The door slammed open as Konstantin kicked it and entered wild-eyed. “Ilyana!”
“Close the door,” I croaked, realizing I crouched naked and damp by the bed.
As if Konstantin suddenly realized it, his face went through a few emotions before it turned grim. He shut the door and did his best to brace it with a chair.
“What happened?” His gaze scanned the room, looking for an assailant.
“You wouldn’t believe me.”
“Were you attacked? I sensed you needed me.”
How did he know? How could I admit the impossible? My sword tingled in my grip. I took a deep breath. “The bathwater tried to drown me.”
He glanced at the wet spot on the bed, the flood on the floor, then the empty tub. His face darkened. “Magic.”
Denying it seemed stupid. I hadn’t imagined what happened. Not this time. And not with the mud golems, either.