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grasped her shoulders, lowering her down into the bath water.
    She let out a soft sigh when the water warmed the stiffness right out of her.
    "Elbi," he said, so quiet she almost didn't hear him. "I am so sorry for everything you have been through. I take full responsibility. If I could take away all your fear, I would."
    She allowed the remaining tears to silently fall down her face as Malachi washed her hair. She needed to cry it all out. She needed to feel vulnerable, she needed to allow all her fear to surface. She wanted to be strong. She wanted to be the courageous fighter in battle, but at this moment in time, she was just a scared little girl.
    Malachi reached for a sponge and began washing her back, her shoulders, and then he gently placed the sponge to her face. He looked her in the eyes as he washed the tears from her cheeks.
    "I will protect you, Elbi. I swear you this."
    The pain on his face pulled at her heart. She knew he meant it. But she didn't know if what he said was possible. All she could do was whisper, "Promise?"
    He nodded with a soft smile. He leaned in and gently kissed the tip of her nose. "I promise."
    Malachi stood up and carefully assisted her out of the bath, dried her off and wrapped her in a large towel. He escorted her to the other room, closing the bathroom door behind them.
    "I am going to take you to my quarters to stay with me. Is that all right with you?"
    "I don't want to be a burden to you. I'm sure you have your hands full with everything. The last thing you need right now is to be babysitting me." She tried to walk away, but her legs began to wobble, and she reached out for him to steady herself.
    He quickly supported her weight. "You are exhausted, and you need to be watched over." He helped guide her to the hallway, where a worried Briar stood with some others from the harem. "Will you ladies gather some fresh silks and overnight supplies for Elbi? She will be residing in my quarters until further notice."
    A relief washed over Elbi that almost set her heart rate at normal pace. Malachi's take-charge attitude was the only thing making her feel like she wasn't drowning in a sea of terror. She glanced at Briar, and suddenly felt guilt for making her friend worry so much. She bowed her head in shame and allowed her damp hair to cascade forward around her face, forming a curtain of disguise.
    When Briar left and the other girls followed, he tilted her face so she had no choice but to look into his eyes. He brushed her hair away from her face and said, "I will never allow you to have another panic attack. I will never allow you to feel such fear. I will be here. Trust in that."
    "Everyone else can handle it. No one else is panicking. I'm the weak link and simply holding you, and everyone around me, down. I feel so ashamed."
    "There is no shame in truth, Elbi. You only express the truth that every single person at Casen is feeling. Everyone is afraid. We are all scared. Just because you are the most honest person here, does not mean you are the weakest." Malachi wrapped his arm around her body and pulled her close to him as he guided her down the hallway. "With a little rest, you will be ready to face your truth head on."
     
     

Chapter Six
     
    Night had fallen when her eyes finally fluttered open, the smell of roasting meat catching her attention first, followed by something soft beneath her. She looked around, her eyes adjusting to the flickering candlelight after a moment, and as they did she realized she had been carried to Malachi's bedroom. The bed beneath her was covered with a fur-lined blanket, which was brightly colored, and warm. She stretched only a small bit before pushing herself up, combing her fingers through her hair and scrubbing the dried tears from her eyes. It smelled like him, the bed; a fragrance that set her soul at ease but her heart aflutter. She blushed at the thought of what they could do in this bed, but reminded herself that there was no shame in it, since