Chapter 81-90

Chapter 81
Following the lanterns along the forest path was easy. What was harder was gathering her courage when the path branched, and one trail led on under the merry glow, while the other descended into darkness within feet of where she stood.

It had to be the path to the pools. It was a well-worn trail, widened and hard-packed by thousands of footsteps. And, just as Kyelle had warned, no light at all.

Gripping the handle of the lantern tighter, Sasha pushed her shoulders back and forced herself to remember that her choices were bathing out here in the dark, alone, or showing up tomorrow in full daylight to bathe with who-knew-how-many men.

Pulling the towel tight around her shoulders and body, like a blanket, the skin on the back of her neck crawled as she stepped into the darkness and felt it close behind her, her steps lit only by the small circle of light cast by her lantern.

Thankfully, the path was short and in less than a minute, the scent of something warm and musky hit her nostrils as the bushes and undergrowth on either side of the path opened up and the yellow glow of the lantern reflected in ripples on the pool.

It was too wide for her to see the far end of it that was swallowed by the dark, but it swept out to either side of her, its banks clear and flat, hardpacked earth. The water itself steamed heavily as ripples wavered from her right to…

Wait.