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Steam still lingered in the corners of the bathing chamber as Kai poured the last bucket of warm mineral water over his head. The scents of crushed moss and floral oils clung to his skin, tracing through the cracks in his exoskeletal armor and down his back.
He exhaled slowly, watching the mist rise from his chest.
The waters of the ant colony weren't luxurious, but they were clean—deep, natural springs filtered through layers of mineral stone. Their heat had soothed his battle-worn muscles, and his mind finally felt quiet.
The chaos, the blood, the screams of frogkin are all muffled now by the water's embrace and the deep, echoing silence of the tunnels.
He stepped out onto the heated rock, toweling off with a silkweed cloth left folded neatly on the wall. The ants had provided everything. Even now, small glowing moss lanterns hummed gently around the rim of the room, casting pale green-blue light across the steam-clouded stone.
