Free Touching Rune by S. E. Smith Page B

She breathed in relief before hurrying through the door that Dimitri had pointed to.
    *.*.*
    Rune slammed the door behind her as she hurried into a room that was larger than the house she had lived in as a child. She turned impatiently in a circle before spying what she assumed was the item she needed. She breathed a sigh of relief as she emptied her full bladder. Not having a living body for over a hundred years had its advantages. She looked around the changes to the old garden robe, water closet and privy of the past. She turned in surprise when the water flushed on its own as she stood.
    A giggle escaped her as she watched the water disappear. This was a huge improvement over the facilities at the orphanage. She straightened her nightgown and walked over to the large mirror where two sinks were carved out of marble. Her hand ran over the smooth surface before dipping them under the spout. Her breath caught as warm water immediately poured into her hand.
    Her eyes wandered over the elegant room. She couldn’t resist exploring it. A tub the size of a small boat was sunken into a platform and thick, fluffy towels hung from bars on the wall. She touched them in awe. They were so soft she felt like she could bury herself in them. Beautiful dark wood cabinets held more of the thick towels and the mirrors!
    “I can see forever in them,” Rune whispered as she pushed her hair back and looked at herself critically.
    She saw the same pert nose covered with the hint of freckles that her father said she received from annoying the God Loki. She touched her cheek. She had her father’s dark brown eyes. Her mother said they were so expressive that everyone could see all the way to her soul.
    Her hair was a mixture of dark and light brown, thick and curly. She wore it to her waist as was the custom of her people. She was tall, taller than her other two sisters. Her father joked it was because she was always trying to see over everyone’s head and she had stretched her body. She had the strong body of the Viking women and while she was not as gifted in the bosom as her sisters had been, it had been enough to attract the attention of a visiting chieftain. She closed her eyes and breathed away the memories before opening them again.
    She turned as her eyes caught a clear room against the far wall. Curious, she walked over to it. She touched the clear door and was surprised when it slid open. She stepped in, admiring the smooth cut of the stones and how they fit together so perfectly. There was a beautiful stone seat along one wall and circular silver knobs across from it. She touched the knob and icy cold water poured down over her, scaring her so badly she let out a blood curdling scream.
    She frantically fought with the clear door, sliding it open and falling out of the small enclosed room. She was trembling from the cold water that had soaked her. Her eyes were wide as she stared at the water falling.
    “I’ve made their roof leak,” she whispered in horror. “They are going to blame me. I just know it.”
    *.*.*
    “What is taking her so long?” Sergei asked impatiently.
    He was leaning back against the pillows he had stacked up behind him. His arms were folded across his bare chest and he was frowning at the closed door.
    “Maybe she really had to go,” Dimitri said dryly.
    He was lying back against the pillows. He hadn’t slept much at all. Every time he would start to doze off he found either a hand, foot or an entire body on him. He had never seen anyone sleep so soundly while moving so much. His eyes drooped as he relaxed. She had been sprawled half across his chest while her feet had been on Sergei.
    “I heard the toilet flush and the water in the sink turn on,” Sergei insisted. “Do you think she might be trying to sneak out?”
    “There is no window in the bathroom, just the clear glass looking into the enclosed garden. She cannot get out,” Dimitri reassured Sergei who looked like he was about ready to burst.