Deidre wished she'd been anywhere else, where she was able to enjoy the hot spring bath in the chamber adjacent to past-Death's bedchamber. There were three round, deep, hot tub type baths, and steam rose from each. As it was, she bathed with such speed and worry, she dropped two bottles of oil into the springs before wrestling the third open and pouring soap into her palm.
If not for the blood caking her, she would've skipped a bath.
I'm glad I can't remember. She shuddered, breathing in the steam deeply. It calmed her, and the hot water soothed her achy body. Karma had healed her, though her muscles remained sore from the trauma of her body breaking and healing itself. Scrubbing blood off her, she dunked her head into the water quickly before climbing out and hurrying to the thick towels stacked in a wardrobe by the door.
Karma was on guard in the bedchamber, but something told her the long-imprisoned deity didn't really understand the purpose of watching without engaging. Wrapping the towel around her, Deidre emerged tentatively from the bathing chamber into the destroyed master suite, uncertain what she'd find.
The redheaded deity had changed clothing and captured her thick curls at the base of her neck. She sat with a book on an overturned trunk.
Deidre crossed to the wardrobe whose door was still open, and she surveyed the clothing critically. Everything was in white or shades of cream. The material of the clothing was rather coarse, woven to withstand time rather than provide comfort to a goddess unable to feel it.
"Never thought I'd prefer a Hell dress." Deidre sighed. She pulled out what appeared to be the most comfortable of the clothing, a long dress, and then tugged on leggings beneath it. Knowing the boots would fit, she quickly pulled them on, tied them and straightened.
When she turned, Karma was standing directly behind her.
"Oh, god!" she gasped. "You shouldn't sneak up on people, Karma."
"Karma thought only water nymphs had pink hair," Karma said, studying her pink-dyed hair.
"Someday, someone is showing me what a water nymph is," Deidre replied. "Did anything happen?"
Karma raised an eyebrow in polite offense. "Yes, and Karma … I took care of it." Her eyes were blue this time, her round face lightly flushed.
"I'm guessing you didn't hide until they left."
"Karma doesn't hide. She needed clothes that fit. You are too small."
Deidre took in the new clothes. Karma wore all black, like a death dealer. "Okay. We should probably move on."
Karma started towards the door, and Deidre followed, strapping the velvet purse containing souls to her belt.