Chapter 21
“My bathtub!”
Fay finally discovered her poor bathtub, broken in two after the thieves tried to move it and dropped it. She came running, footsteps pounding the floor.
“What did you do to my bathtub?”
“That wasn’t me.”
Alnazir shook his head.
“I told you, they were the ones who messed with my sleeping place.”
The ones who’d split the tub in half and flooded the bathroom floor were the thieves. Still, his completely calm expression made it hard not to suspect he’d let it happen on purpose.
“I guess now you’ll have to get a bigger tub.”
Fay flinched, feeling suspicious at his confident tone.
“…Sorry, but I really can’t afford a bigger tub.”
“Witch Fay, I’ve been patient all this time—because you promised you’d get me a bigger bathtub.”
His voice was filled with obvious dissatisfaction. It was the first time in a while that she’d felt that kind of pressure from him. Fay couldn’t bear to meet his intimidating gaze, so she turned away.
To be fair, it wasn’t that she didn’t want to get him a better place to sleep. She genuinely wanted to keep her promise. The problem was reality just wouldn’t cooperate.
“Supplies are tight in Aldehallow right now. The war just ended.”
“And?”
Even as she tried to explain, giving him her best sad-and-pathetic look, Alnazir was unmoved. He tipped up his chin, golden eyes shining, as if he didn’t care in the slightest about any wars.
With his relentless stare, Fay’s voice grew smaller and smaller.
“Could you maybe… cut me some slack? They’re rebuilding the town and fixing the ruined walls. Resources are limited, so it’s hard to get a tub big enough to satisfy you right now…”
She couldn’t just go up to the busy builders and ask them to whip up a giant bathtub, not when there were walls to mend.
When things settle down, I’ll get you a bigger bed for sure, she promised, nodding fiercely.
“Nonsense.”
Alnazir scoffed, and instantly the air around them tingled with static.
“So, while you go looking for another tub, I’m supposed to either not sleep at all, or curl up in a broken one? You really think I’d accept that?”
“No, no, that’s not what I meant!”
Fay frantically waved her hands, talking faster as the tingling in her nose and throat grew stronger.
“I’ll fix it! I’ll fix your bathtub so you can sleep just like always. Just like last night!”
Before he could get any angrier, she darted into the bathroom.
Standing before the wrecked tub, Fay let out a huge sigh. She’d talked big, but she wasn’t confident.
Restoration magic was tricky business. Sure, she could patch it up to look okay, but this was a bathtub—if the seal wasn’t perfect, it wouldn’t hold water.
And sure enough, water kept leaking out of her magically-repaired tub, no matter how many times she tried. She even stopped for dinner, hoping being less hungry would help, but it didn’t.
What was she going to do? she wondered, forcing a sheepish smile when Alnazir came into the bathroom.
“It’s leaking.”
He observed the drops of water drip from the seam. Fay’s forced laugh only made her chest feel tighter.
“I’m doing my best! Sometimes, things just don’t go right! I’ll figure it out by tomorrow, so please, just sleep on the sofa tonight.”
“……”
“You’re always lounging on the sofa anyway. I’m sure you’ll manage. I’ll even give you my best blanket.”
“……”
“My very best one…”
“……”
“Okay, okay, you take the bed. I’ll sleep on the sofa instead, all right?”
In the face of his sharp stare, Fay finally gave in and changed her mind.
Thankfully, Alnazir slipped into the bed without further complaint.
“Why am I being treated like this?”
And, as soon as Fay turned off the lights and lay down on the sofa, his grumbling began—right on cue.
“This thing is scratchy, and it’s cramped. Way too cramped.”
“I’m on something way smaller than that!”
“How do you sleep like this all the time? Do witches just enjoy suffering?”
“I don’t know what kind of palace you used to sleep in, but here in Aldehallow, that bed is considered pretty luxurious.”
She’d shared it with Zynie until she turned sixteen. It wasn’t that small.
“Normally, two people fit just fine. So please, stop complaining and just go to sleep. Or I might just lose my temper for real!”
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