Of Trails and Snails | Ch. 16: Hot Springs Day

Jack was asleep before Mia came back to the room, though Skye had likely waited up for her after the extended doze beside him. It would take Skye at least a couple of days to wear that one out.

When he woke the next morning, he found both of them in a far corner of the room, talking quietly.

“—really followed you around?” Mia murmured.

“The whole fucking day.”

Well, that saved him from having to explain what had happened with Niamh.

“I wonder why she didn’t say something sooner? I mean, the two of you were just relaxing, right?”

Yeah, Skye. What were we doing? Jack shifted quietly to his side until he could watch the red shades of embarrassment rush up Skye’s neck and then her face.

“Mm. W-weird, right?” Skye stammered.

“Skye? Why are you so red? Do you feel alright?”

Skye turned her head away and crossed her arms as Mia touched her forehead.

Realization dawned on Mia’s face. She pulled her hand back to her mouth and gasped. “She saw you and Jack—?!”

“Mia!” Skye hissed.

“Niamh thought I’d overpowered her,” Jack added, then yawned.

“You just woke up.” Skye’s chin snapped to her left, and she glowered down at him. “Could you fucking not?”

“Good morning, Jack.” Mia giggled and poked Skye’s shoulder. “What would make Niamh think he overpowered you, Skye?”

“Both of you can salt me.” Skye ran her hands through her hair.

Jack pushed himself to sitting and stretched. “I tied her up.”

“Uayeb’s foot,” Skye groaned.

“Ooooh.” It was Mia’s turn to blush. She looked at Jack, eyelids heavy as she licked her lips. “You should try that on me sometime, too.”

Jack rolled from the futon and crossed the room until he stood before Mia. Tilting her chin upward, he brushed his lips to hers and smiled. “Gladly.”

Mia’s sigh covered a tiny moan that warmed his blood almost enough to ask them to dart him. “Maybe I should have stayed with you two last night.”

“Hey.” Skye tapped both of their backs in a frantic rhythm. “Sweethearts. This is supposed to be our hot spring day, remember?”

Jack grinned and kissed Mia’s forehead before he went to get dressed. “How did your night go, Mia?”

“Oh, it was great! The Guild Hall put me into contact with Pomacea’s primary healer, and I helped her brew elixirs and take care of four ladies she couldn’t fit into her schedule. Two of them came from the main city, so they traveled inside the dome to see me! They’re just as pretty on this side. Their colors are so bright and beautiful. And their skin is shiny!”

“How does the Guild Hall communicate with the girls outside?” Jack asked.

“The fish!” Mia clasped her hands at her chest, and excitement brightened her cheeks. “They have sterlets who keep the dome clean and carry messages from the Guild Hall in here to the ones in the water.” She went to the window and looked up, then pointed. “Look, you can see one passing across the top right now!”

Jack joined her and followed her finger. Sure enough, a dark, slender fish moved along the transparent material, mouth agape and sucking whatever may blemish the dome away like a vacuum. “Well, look at that.”

“They’re so pretty! The Guild Hall also has—” Mia leaned back and bumped into Skye. She looked up into Skye’s broody face and touched her cheek. “Sorry. Hot springs day.”

“Mhm.” Skye ruffled Mia’s hair and left the room. Jack didn’t miss the tiny smile at the corner of her mouth—he wasn’t the only one who enjoyed teasing Mia.

“Oh! Right! We got you breakfast!” Mia took one of her glass bowls from her pack and passed it to Jack. “I can tell Skye to come back if you want to eat it here?”

He popped the lid to find rolls of fish inside bright green leaves, not entirely unlike sushi. “It’s alright. I can eat while we walk. Thanks, Mia.”

“Of course!” She wrapped a tendril of her hair around her finger and glanced at the ground. “D-did you mean it…? Would you really…?”

She was a spiritual, good Samaritan, ninety-nine percent of the time. That last one percent was a lot of fun to pull out of her, though. He grabbed her wrist and kissed her palm. Her breathing rasped, and she watched him intently. “I would.”

“Good,” she whispered. Then a grin broke across her face, and her demeanor changed back to the sweet, untampered excitement he loved. “Let’s have fun today!”

They traveled together over the crystal streets to one of the farthest edges of the dome. Jack could see more of the sterlets gliding along the surface and the dark houses of Pomacea beyond. He had long finished breakfast by the time they arrived at a polished stone structure that stood out among the black.

Jack ran his hand over its surface and moved his head to catch the different colorful glints depending on which way the light hit it.

“Is this quartz?” he wondered aloud.

“It is!” Mia replied. “It’s the only building like it down here.”

“How—”

“Did they afford it?” Skye interrupted. “Remember when I said this place is expensive?”

Enough Shells really can get you anything. He stepped back and gave the place a full once-over. Tall quartz pillars propped up rectangular overhangs that looked a lot like he remembered seeing in textbook Greek bathhouses. This place had the architectural touch of someone else from Earth.

“This looks like something from my world,” Jack said.

“It could be! Why don’t we ask?” Mia replied.

“Good call.”

Skye led them inside, where the reception room opened up as opulently as a Vegas hotel. Fireflies weaved through dangling shards of crystal, giving them the appearance of chandeliers. Sketches of snailgirls wearing towels and leaning against pools lined the walls, and the incense-y smell of a spa hovered in the air.

“Good afternoon, dear guests!” The woman at the desk wore a tight white toga with golden hems and a gold rope cinched at her waist. “Welcome to the Lechatelierite Retreat.”

That’s a mouthful.

“I am Sofia, and I will be your pleasure guide today.” Skye’s fingers twined through Jack’s when Sofia’s eyes settled on him at the word “pleasure.” “How will we begin our journey?”

“We’d like a private spring for the three of us, please!” Mia grinned up at Jack.

He could already feel the strain on their Shells.

“Well chosen, dear lady. Would you be so kind as to give me your names?”

“I’m Mia, this is Jack, and then Skye.” She shimmied with excitement, and her hair bobbed around her shoulders. It was infectious; even Skye’s grip eased, and she smiled at Mia.

“And what other services will you enjoy today?”

“I’d like my shell painted! Can I have that done?” Mia asked Jack.

“Sure. Whatever you want.”

The way Sofia’s eyes gleamed made him regret his words immediately. Don’t make me regret this, Sofia.

“Then make that two painted shells,” Skye said. She lifted her hand and studied her nails. “And two manicures.”

“And would you like a massage, Jack?” Sofia asked.

“No. I’m good, thanks.”

“Are you certain? Our girls have spent hundreds of hours honing their techniques. I believe it would help ease your tension considerably.”

“You should, Jack! Get something for you!” Mia urged.

Jack sighed. “No one here will dart me?”

“Of course not!” Sofia had the decency to look shocked. “What kind of reputable establishment would dart its customers?”

Skye snorted.

“Alright. Massage for me, polish and paint for the girls, and the hot spring.” Jack braced himself. “How much do I owe you?”

“Let us see here…” Sofia scribbled down a few notes into her notebook beside their names, then smiled up at Jack. “That will be six hundred and fifty Shells.”

That was close to twenty percent of their take-home from the black widow Quest. Jack had to fight to maintain his composure, but damn it, he did it. He fished the Shells from his pack. As he counted them out to Sofia, Skye watched with raised eyebrows, and Mia watched in silent awe.

“Very good, sir. Now, if you will please all follow me this way…” Sofia touched a golden hairpin holding her dark brown hair to the nape of her neck, then collected her hands in her lap. She moved to the left of the counter, then led them through the second of six doorways.

“Have any of you stayed with us before?” Sofia asked as they traveled down the hallway.

“No,” Skye answered for all of them.

“I assure you, there’s nothing quite like your first time.” Sofia winked at Jack. “Perhaps this structure seems familiar to you, Jack?”

“It does.”

“My great-grandmother built the Lechatelierite Retreat with a man from your world. The hot springs are naturally occurring within the soil, and the citizens of Pomacea at the time could not decide what to do with them. Thus, the retreat was born and has been in my family ever since.”

“Wow! That’s amazing!” Mia said. “Are the others here your sisters?”

“They are, dear lady. We pride ourselves on excellent care. Should you be interested, we also have a kitchen and a selection of fine dew. Please order at your leisure and then pay once you’re finished.”

Now Skye looked excited. We aren’t done spending Shells? But Jack kept his mouth shut. This was the ultimate recompense for his prayers to Nerita. He’d think very hard before using [Sailor’s Gamble] again.

“Here we are!”

Sofia pulled back a velvet curtain and then moved aside so Jack, Mia, and Skye could see the room. Smooth rocks bordered the crystalline, steaming pool in a rectangular shape, opening at the entrance where a quartz ramp descended beneath the surface. There was plenty of room for all three of them to fit. More crystal “chandeliers” hung above the pool with fireflies weaving between them. Their light bounced off the white walls in such a way that it gave the whole room a romantic glow.

“Damn,” Skye murmured.

“It’s so pretty,” Mia said.

“You will spend the duration of your time in this room.” Sofia gestured to the open areas on either side of the pool. “I will have Jasmine bring a futon for Jack’s massage. Diana and Athena will take care of Skye and Mia’s manicures and shell painting in one hour.” She turned and gently tugged on a golden rope with a tassel on its end. “If you desire food or drinks, simply tug on this cord and I will return to take your order.”

“Can we start with a bottle of dew?” Skye asked.

Sofia nodded. “Of course. Right away.” She bowed at the waist. “Anything else?”

“Um,” Mia licked her lips and glanced at Jack, “Could Jasmine, Diana, and Athena come in two hours?”

Well, well.

“Of course, dear lady.”

“T-thank you.”

“I will return shortly with your dew. In the meantime, please enjoy yourselves.” When she left the room, she strung the curtain back over the entrance.

“Jack! Thank you so much!” Mia turned to him and squealed.

“Hey, we all earned that money. Let’s have fun with it,” Jack said aloud that which had become a mantra in his head. “We still have plenty for Haliotis.”

“Please let me pay for food and drinks,” Mia continued. “I told them not to, but the girls slipped a bag of Shells into my pack before I left last night. It’s the least I can do.”

“Only if you want to, Mia. Really.” He glanced at Skye to find her already unlacing her corset. “So how does this work? Is it a ‘strip to my comfort’ situation?”

Skye grinned. “It’s a ‘strip until you’re naked’ situation.”

Mia lifted her dress over her head and smiled. Skye’s not joking. Jack watched them for a time before Mia tugged on the hem of his shirt.

“Let’s have fun,” she whispered.

Jack’s shirt was on the floor before she could say another word.