Emily stood frozen, fire popped and crackled, the fresh logs charring slowly.

She couldn’t quite wrap her head around Alex's words.

'Next year?'

They had only just gotten here and now she finds out this wasn’t the finish line, but the start?

Emily looked up at Alex’s quizzical face. She was bound to this man for a year.

“What the fuck? How is this the end of winter, spring? I’m just about freezing my tits off and you're telling me this gets worse?”

Alex frowned and looked at the room they were in.

“...Yes, you can barely move when the winter chill sets in, at least not without the proper items or titles. Even with several layers, we’d freeze solid in under a minute. Why do you think the city’s built like it is?”

Emily’s eyes widened as the strange design started to make sense. She’d been operating under the assumption that it was nearing mid-winter, and as such they were enduring the worst of the weather, but the real storms were so cold they had to build an underground city to survive.

Emily cursed and got up pacing the floor of the room.

Alex was watching her his lips flattening into a thin line.

“So we can’t stay here for long?”

“We won’t leave immediately, but no we shouldn’t be here for long. I’ve got a couple of people I need to see and then we’re heading out”

Shaking her head, she leveled her gaze at Alex

“Nuh ah, I’m done operating like that, if you want me to trust you, you start explaining how you know all this shit, and your plans going forward. I refuse to continue this guessing game.”

Emily’s voice was shrill but she couldn’t bring herself to care. This wasn’t part of the plan, well it was, but not for this long.

Alex pressed his lips together.

“Look, I've just read a lot, and as for the plan there are things you just don’t need to know yet.”

Emily's eyes glowed a dull crimson as what little energy she had shifted in her chest.

“Goddamit Alex, don’t fuck with me right now. We can’t be at cross purposes on this, especially if this journey is as long as you say.”

Alex remained seated, but his arms crossed over his chest, and his voice became icy.

“Look, you saved my life, I'm grateful, but to be completely honest I don’t trust you. I’d be stupid to, I don’t know what you are or where you came from, the only reason I’m taking you along is because you’re bound to Eva, that's it.”

Emily stared at the man, scrutinizing him. The tension in the room was thick with unspoken threats.

Minutes ticked by but neither of them budged, letting out a breath Emily let a blanket of cold reason rest on her shoulders. She didn’t like it but she could see his point she could be a demon from the last circle of hell, here to end the world, or something. Did they even have demons here?

“...Fine, but we’re not done talking about this. I’m going for a walk. I’ll be back, open for me when I knock, I’m not going to bother Ashe while she’s still recovering.”

Alex didn’t say a word, but his eyes seemed to give her enough. Turning Emily walked out of the room still partially dressed, slamming the door behind her.

Zeth walked to the opening and Emily almost missed him, her own thoughts scrambling through her brain.

“Miss, I’ve done all I can for today. She’s stable, If you want I could come back tomorrow and check on her but that would be another charge-”

Emily waved him off, ignoring him entirely.

Winding her way down the corridors Emily tried to tamper down her frustration. She wasn’t used to dealing with problems she couldn’t make disappear immediately and it was driving her insane.

When Emily hit the staircase she headed downwards, luckily the warmth of the keep seemed to reach even down here. Taking the steps until she came to the bottom. The moisture in the air hit her almost immediately, clinging to her skin. Two doorframes stood in front of her with signs over each entrance.

Emily then realized she subconsciously made her way down to the washrooms. Deciding then and there she could use the distraction, she headed for the doors.

The signs were of two field mice, one held a large diamond in its arms while the other held a square.

Emily frowned at the signs, there was nothing to tell these two signs apart, but she could only assume it was the division between male and female. The signs had words on them, but again, that didn’t help Emily a whole lot.

Shrugging she made her way towards the mouse with the diamond.

Upon entering she found a large changing area, baskets lining the walls for personal effects and she saw several women getting changed and then moving to a passageway at the end of the room. A small side passage led to a more private area which Emily assumed was the lavatory blocks.

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Emily shed her remaining clothes and wrapped the towel around herself moving into the next chamber.

Right away she was hit with a steam-filled room that carried a heavy floral scent in the air.

Several deep baths of steaming water were scattered about, each with different herbs drifting through the water.

The nearest one to Emily had Green petals floating on the surface, tinging the water a light green hue. The room was well-ventilated and seemed to be one of the only areas where they were pumping in cool air.

It was at this time that Emily noticed both men and women in the waters, she could see a similar door to the other side of the room and realized it must be the men's changing room.

Emily shrugged and wasted no time in disrobing and moving to the steps of the alluring green waters. She saw a few nearby men and women wearing a short thin cloaks, probably designed for bathing, that covered their bridges and then looped back around to cover their lower halves. Emily didn’t have anything like that, nor did she care.

It seemed society looked at bridges as an area of social shame in certain cases, but Emily did note that the ones wearing tiny cloaks were about fifty-fifty. They were also the ones who took one look at Emily and frowned, separating themselves from the others and collecting in the middle of the mint-green pool of water.

Emily didn’t even bother rolling her eyes; it seemed that the hierarchy of etiquette played a part in this world too. The moment Emily’s foot dipped into the practically scalding water, she couldn’t help but hum in satisfaction and lowered herself deeper still into the water's warm embrace. It pulled the cold from her bones and by the time she was submerged to her neck she was in bliss, having earned this after days on the road. A couple of the women looked like they wanted to come over and talk But Emily was not in the mood, giving them polite smiles and moving to the furthest corner of the bath. The menthol scent was even stronger now and coated Emily’s skin in the most pleasant smell of sweetness.

It was all so relaxing but it all fell away when Alex's face flashed behind her eyes, causing a scowl to fix itself on her face.

The damned man refused to trust her, even when she’d shown him he could on multiple occasions, granted there were things she had not told him, and yet not telling her the plan was too much. The scowl grew as Emily watched the ripples of water stretching out from herself, but then another set of opposing ripples met her own.

Looking up and vaguely familiar face stood there, Emily was still trying to place it when the man came directly up and sat beside her.

“Morning, I’m Jesse, and isn’t it too early to be as angry as you look?”

Emily blinked at the man and realized she recognized him. Hester had been busy talking to this man when they’d entered, something about new sheets?

The man was well-built and frankly beautiful, carrying himself with a sense of confidence that Emily could appreciate. The man was pleasant to look at and Emily found herself liking him, immediately. She was aware that this could be another title at work but at this point, she didn’t much care.

“Well, it's his fault. I’m trying to make this work and it seems like he doesn't give a shit.”

Jesse tutted as he smiled.

“Oh, I’ve been there. I know exactly where you’re coming from. We men can be a little heavy-brained at times.”

Emily nodded in agreement.

“Like now for example he’s just expecting me to go along with his plan because apparently he can’t ‘trust’ me. I think his ego is just too big”

Jesse chuckled and nodded as though he understood.

“Look, how about we go to my room you can have a proper vent about it there.”

Emily didn’t want to move just yet but she was tempted, the man was stunning, to say the least. Emily wanted normalcy right now, but just as she was about to answer.

Emily heard one of the cloaked women say in undisguised disgust.

“Gosh, Companions certainly have a lot of energy, first that guard and now this young girl, honestly, they need at least some lines they won't cross.”

Emily glared over at the woman.

“Mind your manners and your business, or I’ll force you to watch.”

The woman took a step away as though slapped and at first she looked like she wanted to say more but Emily’s gaze was focused on the woman now. She swallowed and the gaggle of women migrated to the other corner of the bath.

Jesse for the most part looked unfazed.

“Sorry about that, I probably shouldn’t have invited you in such a public place.”

Emily shrugged as she turned back to Jesse.

“No problem, but what do you think of my current situation? Like what should I do with him?”

Jesse seemed caught off guard.

“I, well, do you really want my opinion?”

Jesse sounded slightly self-deprecating and Emily didn’t like it.

“Of course, I want your opinion, or I wouldn’t have asked for it. I’m at a loss, and to be honest I could use all the help I can get.”

Jesse had a strange expression on his face, it was a cross between bewilderment and appreciation.

“Um okay, have you considered that you are trying to rush your relationship?”

Emily nodded.

“Go on…”

“Well, it sounds like you two are newly partnered, so if it’s still a fresh relationship perhaps compromise is best. Go along with him, but have a bottom line that he needs to meet, as time moves on, and you increase trust between one another, you can move the goal posts?”

Emily was not about to correct the man on their relationship because to be fair, the advice just might hold some merit.

“And what if he doesn't start to trust?”

Jesse shrugged.

“Then you annul the partnership and go your separate ways, but either way, give it some time. Six months, a year. It doesn't matter, just keep at it.”

Emily lifted a hand out of the warm water, letting droplets trickle from her fingertips. She wasn’t sure that he’d ever trust her fully but Jesse was right about one thing. The time limit meant that she was not bound forever. This too shall pass.

If he didn’t trust her then that was okay too, what good was there worrying about all this? Jesse had much more to say on the topic and Emily listened happily, but eventually, Emily wanted to know more about the man and what a companion did. Learning that they even had skills to help their patrons relax Emily resolved to try a companion at some point, but not right now, she had things to do.

When it felt like she was nothing short of a cooked lobster, Emily began to make her way back.

“Thank you, Jesse. I’ll keep all that in mind, I have to go but I hope to see you around.”

Jesse glanced around the now empty bath and smiled.

“Sure, it seems we’ve been here a while. Good luck with everything, and please look for me if you ever need to chat again, I’ll even give you a discount.” winking at her.

Emily got out of the bath and headed for her clothes. By the time she made her way up the stairs, her situation was feeling much more manageable.

There was just one final thing she needed to say.

When Emily got to their rooms she checked in on Ashe and saw her sleeping comfortably. Moving over to the other room she knocked.

There was a shorter pause this time, but it did open.

Alex was still standing there and by the looks of things he hadn't gone to sleep yet.

Stepping inside Emily looked at the bed, it was large enough for two, and as long as she kept herself covered he wouldn’t complain.

“Right, I’ve decided to go with you, but there’s going to be a quid pro quo on your end. I won’t ask what your grand plan is, in fact, I really don’t care. But in exchange, you tell me what our next step is, in time for me to plan for it. I need to know so that at least we are not working against one another.”

Alex pursed his lips, and he looked about ready to argue again but then relaxed slightly.

“Fine, our first destination is that lay line Ashe was talking about, and that's only the first leg of our journey. It’ll be hard, there's something there we need, but we can’t even get there until we get the right help.”