Steam curled upward in soft, ghostly ribbons, carrying the mineral scent of the water. The faint echo of droplets falling from the carved stone walls created a rhythm that was both quiet and endless.
"Xion," Darius called as he helped the healer remove the extra robe from his shoulders. "Are you in pain?"
The healer couldn't help but sigh, but halfway through, it turned into a shudder when the air in the hot spring enveloped his bare torso.
"No, I'm not. I am perfectly fine now. As fine as I can be."
From their bedroom all the way to the springs, Darius had asked him that same question over and over, as if the answer might change if he caught Xion off guard.
His earlier breakdown had rattled the Archduke badly, and no reassurance seemed enough to loosen the man's grip.
It wasn't hard to understand the reason.
Though crying had managed to calm Xion's violent emotions down, it would take some time for both of them to return to normal.
