Page 36 of Stealing Embers
“We all have private bathrooms. It’s really nice.” Setting the clothes down on the clean counter, she shows me where the towels and shower essentials are kept. When finished, she leans against the sink cabinet.
“Does this mean you’re rooming with me?”
I suck my bottom lip between my teeth. Sable waited until we were almost to Ash’s room to explain I’d be rooming with her. What if Ash doesn’t want a roommate? She probably appreciates having a whole room to herself. This conversation is on the verge of getting awkward.
“Um, I’m sure I could talk to Sable about putting me somewhere else. I don’t want to intrude.”
“Are you kidding? No way! I’d love to share with you. I’ve always felt a little left out because I didn’t have a roomie,” she confesses.
“Seriously?”
“Absolutely!” Straightening from her perch, she turns on a heel and heads into the bedroom. “I can’t wait to start online shopping. You’re going to need a full wardrobe.”
Shopping. Er . . . that’s not really my thing.
“Don’t worry,” she says, mistaking the reason for my hesitation. “Seraph will pay for everything. The Nephilim’s long life makes accumulating wealth easy. We’re invested all over the world.”
“Oh, ah. Good to know?” I can’t imagine not having to worry about money.
With a wiggle of her eyebrows and a shoulder shimmy, she shuts the door.
I make quick work of getting the shower going and jump in. Breathing in the steamy air, I lean my head against the tiled wall. The tension drains from my shoulders. This shower is somehow even better than the last. Red, chalky dirt runs off my body like dried blood, turning the water a gross rusty color before it finally runs clear. I use some of Ash’s shampoo and conditioner and hope she doesn’t mind. The shower stall fills with the scent of warm vanilla and jasmine.
Heaven.
Guilt for my lengthy shower settles on my shoulders when the water begins to cool, but I rarely have the opportunity to indulge in hot showers. Most of my bathing over the last year has involved paper towel wipe-downs in gas station bathrooms.
I cringe thinking about all that time I went without proper personal hygiene. I’d mostly gotten used to my constant state of unclean, but looking back, I’m not sure I could do it again.
I struggle to fully regret taking advantage of the simple luxury as I step out of the shower. I sure hope Ash doesn’t need to wash up right after me.
After patting my hair with one of the towels Ash gave me, I leave it down to air dry and pull on a pair of borrowed soft gray leggings and a loose-fitting rose colored sweater. The large neck of the sweater is so wide it drops off one shoulder, but I’m used to that. Baggy clothes that hide my form are sorta my thing.
What I’m not used to are the pants that cling to every curve of my body from ankle to waist.
I fidget with the clothes for a few minutes before leaving the bathroom. At least the thin sweater is long enough to cover my butt.
Entering the room, I spot Ash sitting cross-legged on her bed with a book full of strange symbols laying open in front of her.
“What’s that?” I ask, trying in vain to get the sweater to cling to both shoulders rather than just one.
“It’s my copy of The Book of Seraph. Have you heard of it?”
I shake my head.
“It’s like our version of the Bible, except it’s not a religious text. More like a history of our species. Just wait until you have to start studying this tome. The struggle is real.”
“Oh.” Is there a proper response to that? Chit-chatting isn’t my strong suit. “That stinks.”
Yeah, that sounded almost normal.
“Don’t worry . . .” Lifting her head, Ash’s words taper off and her eyes grow large. “Hey, look at you. You were hiding a teenage girl under all those layers after all.”
She laughs at her own joke as I shift uncomfortably. Ash’s amusement thins to a stop when I don’t respond. I must look constipated or something because her eyes soften in pity.
“Hey, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to make fun of you. I only meant that you look nice. More like . . . yourself. It doesn’t seem like you’re hiding anymore.”
“I usually dress not to get noticed.”