Through a broad door they entered an immense bath which was paneled in roughened wood with a floor of stone, and many candles for its illumination.
The color of the wood was beautiful in the subtle light and Thorne felt himself becoming dizzy.
But it was the bath itself which amazed him. There before another glass wall stood a huge wooden tub of steaming hot water. Made like a great cask, the tub was easily big enough for several to bathe together. On a small stool beside the tub there stood a stack of what appeared to be towels. On other stools there stood bowls of dried flowers and herbs which Thorne could smell with his acute blood drinker senses. There were also bottles of oil and jars of what might have been ointments.
That Thorne might wash himself in this seemed to him a miracle.
"Take off the soiled clothes," said Marius. "Let me discard them. What else do you have that you would save other than your necklace?"
"Nothing," said Thorne. "How can I ever repay you for this?"
"But you already have," said Marius. He himself removed his leather coat, and then pulled off his wool tunic. His naked chest was without hair. He was pale as all old blood drinkers are pale. And his body was strong and naturally beautiful. He'd been taken in the prime of his life, that was plain. But his true age, either in mortal life long ago, or in blood drinker time now? Thorne could not guess it.
Marius took off his leather boots and his long wool pants, and not waiting for Thorne¡ªonly making a gesture that Thorne should follow¡ªhe stepped into the huge tub of hot water.
Thorne ripped at his fur-lined jacket. He tore it in his haste. His fingers trembled as he stripped away the pants that were almost ragged. In a moment he was as naked as the other, and in awkward haste he gathered the ruin of his clothes in a small bundle. He looked about.
"Don't worry about such things," said Marius. The steam was rising all around him. "Come into the tub with me. Be warm for now. " Thorne followed, first stepping into the tub and then sinking down in the hot water on his knees. He finally seated himself so that the water came to his neck. The shock of the heat was overwhelming and utterly blessed. He uttered a little prayer of thanks, something old and small which he had learnt as a child to say when something purely good happens.
Marius put his hand into the bowl of dried flowers and herbs, and gathering up quite a bit of this mixture he let it loose into the hot water.
It was a deep good perfume of the outdoors in summer.
Thorne closed his eyes. That he had risen, that he had come this far, that he had found this pure and luxurious bath seemed almost impossible to him. He would wake soon, a victim of the Mind Gift, back in his hopeless cave, prisoner of his own exile, only dreaming of others.
Slowly he bowed his head and lifted a double handful of the cleansing hot water to his face. He lifted more and more of the water, and then finally as if it required courage, he dipped his head into the tub completely.
When he rose again he was warm as if he'd never been cold, and the sight of the lights beyond the glass amazed him. Even through the steam, he could see the snow falling beyond, and he was deliciously conscious that he was so near and yet so far from it.
Suddenly he wished that he had not risen for such a dark purpose. Why could he not serve only what was good? Why could he not live for what was pleasurable? But that had never been his way.
No matter, it was important to keep that secret to himself for now. Why trouble his friend with dark thoughts? Why trouble himself with guilty confessions?
He looked at his companion.
Marius sat back against the side of the wooden tub with his arms out resting upon the edge. His hair was wet and clinging to his neck and shoulders. He didn't stare at Thorne, but he was obviously conscious of him.
Thorne dipped his head again; he moved forward and lay down in the water, rising suddenly and turning over, letting the water run off him. He gave a little laugh of delight. He ran his fingers through the hair on his own chest. He dipped his head back until, the water lapped at his face. He rolled over again and again to wash his full head of hair before he rose and sat back contented.
He took the same posture as Marius and the two looked at each other.
"And you live this way," said Thorne, "in the very midst of mortals, and you are safe from them? "
"They don't believe in us now," said Marius. "No matter what they see they don't believe. And wealth buys anything. " His blue eyes seemed earnest and his face was calm as if he had no evil secrets inside, as though he had no hatred for anyone. But he did.
"Mortals clean this house," said Marius. "Mortals take the money I give them for all that's needed here. Do you understand enough of the modern world to grasp how such a place is heated and cooled and kept safe from intruders?"
"I understand," said Thorne. "But we're never safe as we dream, are we? "
A bitter smile came over Marius's face. "I have never been harmed by mortals," he said.
"You speak of the Evil Queen and all those she's slain, don't you?"
"Yes, I speak of that and other horrors," Marius answered.
Slowly without words Marius used the Mind Gift to let Thorne know that he himself hunted only the Evil Doer.
"That is my peace with the world," he said. "That is how I manage to go on. I use the Mind Gift to hunt those mortals who kill. In the big cities I can always find them. "