Nicasi sunk down to his chin in the warm, jasmine-scented water. The crystalline surface of the bath reflected the turquoise tiles beneath his feet, making him feel like he was in the center of a liquid jewel.
He really hadn't intended on accepting the free visit, but as night fell, the key in his pocket seemed to grow heavier and heavier, the kink in his shoulder wound tighter and tighter, and his desire for a proper apology from Lysander trumped everything.
When he let himself in the back door of the bathhouse, he discovered the owner wasn't joking when she said she'd have the nicest one ready for him. The room designated for his use looked more like a palace than a bath.
Tiled mosaics covered the floor and walls in geometric patterns of lapis, white, and gold. The bath itself was deep enough for him to stand in, with a marble bench around the curved edge so that he could sit if he chose.
