The Tower 54

After a few minutes of staring at nothing I turn back to the room. It hadn’t changed since I had last been in it. I glanced over at the inviting tub and screen.

“Go ahead. The water will relax you,” Sareanne said behind me. “I’ll look for something to eat.”

I eagerly went over to the tub and turned on the hot water. I had been mulling something over in my mind for a while and I finally voiced my wonder.

“Is there any of these bath salts that have grape extracts in it?” I ask.

“Several. The tall blue bottle is powdered grape seed,” she replied distractedly.

I grabbed the bottle and shook it in the tub letting the powder mix with the hot water. When it was full I adjusted the screen and then undressed and slid into the water. The heat felt marvelous on my aching muscles. I let my arm drop into the water to test the theory in my head. The place where Jiun had bit me now started to bubble like I had poured hydrogen peroxide on it.

After a few moments of bubbling I started to feel some pain in the wound. I jerked my arm out of the water and examined the bite. The skin looked pink and new and the tooth marks had shrunk to half their size. I gritted my teeth and put the arm back under the water. The bubbling and pain commenced immediately.

It took several more minutes, some of it like daggers being sunk into my skin, before the pain started to subside and the bubbling decreased. A sort of numbness spread through my arm and down to my fingers. I pulled the arm out again and examined it. There was no sign of the bite at all.

I moved my fingers and tapped them against the cold tiles. I still had feeling in my hand. The numbing sensation spread through my body and then dissipated. When I felt completely relaxed I quickly rinsed my hair and washed it sprinkling a little of the grape seed powder and then rinsing it again then I grabbed the fluffy towel Sareanne had left for me and got out of the bath.

I felt so good at that moment, like a protective shield had been placed all over my body. I went to the wardrobe closet and found another simple dress. This one had a pretty grape vine pattern embroidered on the edges of the sleeves, collar and hem. When I finished dressing I glanced at the door and then down at my arm.

Another idea popped into my head and I moved slowly to the door.

“Where are you going?” Sareanne asked stopping me in my tracks.

“I want to see something,” I reply.

I opened the door. I could see the edge of the circle of white stone just over the threshold.

“What is it?” Sareanne asked behind me.

I closed my eyes and stepped over the stones.