human expression she would not deign to employ, even if it was tempting. “Fine.”
She marched through the door to the dungeon corridor. Prince Rharreth remained where he was. No sense for him to tramp back and forth when she could not go anywhere, nor could Farrendel so much as move.
The door to Farrendel’s cell stood open, and Melantha maneuvered her way inside carrying the two buckets. Her shoulders already ached, and she let out a breath of relief when she set them down.
Farrendel’s gaze flicked to her, and his brow furrowed.
Melantha picked up one of the buckets. “You may wish to close your eyes. And hold your breath.”
Farrendel squeezed his eyes shut, his face twisting. It was almost comical.
Except...he used to make that same face when he had been a toddler, waiting for Melantha to rinse the shampoo from his hair.
A pang stabbed her chest. For all the pain of those years, there had been good times. When had Melantha forgotten that?
She splashed the first bucket on Farrendel. He gasped and peeked up at her through the water trickling across his face. “That was cold.”
“Sorry. It is from a spring here in the dungeon.” Melantha hefted the second bucket, paused long enough for Farrendel to close his eyes again, before she dumped that one on him as well.
She trekked back to the spring, glared at Prince Rharreth, filled the buckets again, and tottered back to Farrendel.
It took several more trips before Farrendel was somewhat clean and the dungeon cell no longer smelled. Melantha’s shoulders strained. Her arms hurt. Blisters formed on her fingers from the buckets’ rope handles.
She returned to the spring and set the buckets down where she had found them. Facing Prince Rharreth, she crossed her arms, as much to give her shoulders a rest as to look tough. “Would it have killed you to help? You claim to care about honor. What is honorable about the way you and your brother are treating Farrendel? Is it honorable to torture someone and deny him the ability to so much as feed himself? You could at least give him some decency or care.”
Prince Rharreth pushed away from the wall. “I let you take care of him, didn’t I?”
He had. Why? It was not what he should have done. Not if he were wise.
And she had needed to do it. Had Prince Rharreth realized that? Why would he bother trying to help her? She was his enemy, as was Farrendel. His prisoners.
“Come.” Prince Rharreth led the way back down the dungeon corridor. Probably to lock her back in her cell.
He opened the door to her cell and gestured.
She stepped inside but halted. “Could I bring my blanket to Farrendel? He will be cold.”
Prince Rharreth stilled for a moment before he nodded. “Very well.”
She grabbed her blanket from the pile of straw in the corner where she had slept after Prince Rharreth had returned her blanket to her the day before. She also grabbed a large handful of the straw.
Prince Rharreth did not comment as she hurried past him.
When she stepped into Farrendel’s cell, Farrendel’s teeth were chattering, his body shivering as much as he could while pinned as he was.
That water must have been colder than she thought. She had worked up a sweat while carrying it, but he was pinned to the cold stone floor with no way to get himself warm.
Melantha dropped to her knees beside him and rested a hand on his shoulder. His skin was icy beneath her fingers. Even though she had already expended magic to relieve his pain, she poured more magic into him, trying to give his body some warmth.
When some of his shivering lessened, she spread the blanket over him and glanced over her shoulder at Prince Rharreth. “Could I stay with him a while? I would like to make sure he stays warm enough. I do not believe your brother would appreciate it if he died from the cold.”
Prince Rharreth’s mouth thinned, but he nodded. “Very well. But just in case...” He pressed his hand against the wall. Icy magic flowed across the stones, and the stone by Melantha’s ankle reached up and wrapped around her.
She hissed in a breath at the cold of the stone and the troll magic touching her, but she kept herself from making more of a reaction. Farrendel had stone wrapped around him and piercing through him. She could hardly complain about a single stone shackle holding her in place.
When the stone had formed a shackle