The room went silent. I could hear the slow, steady dripping of water from the tub behind me.
"What… what are you saying?" I whispered, my voice unsure.
She placed the bowl gently on the small wooden table. "I was assigned to come help you prepare for the meeting."
I swallowed hard. My eyes drifted to the fading steam in the air, the wet floor, the soft glow of the candle. It all felt real. I wasn't dreaming. And yet…
'If that wasn't her… then who brushed my hair? Who told me about the Lycans?'
A sharp sting pulsed in my shoulder again, right where the woman had touched me earlier. I winced and instinctively pressed my palm to it. The pain hadn't faded. If anything, it had worsened—like something had been etched into my skin. I didn't dare check it in front of anyone. I pulled my shawl tighter around me.
"You're pale," the woman noted, stepping closer. "Are you alright?"
I nodded quickly. "Yeah. Just… the bath was warm. Got a little dizzy."
