If you are going to hold someone hostage, you might as well give them a soft mattress.
When I was led by Liora, I expected chains, a damp dungeon floor, or a dark pit smelling of rotting fish. Instead, I saw a huge bed covered by a blanket of sea-spun silk that felt lighter than air and warmer than wool. The bed was carved from pale driftwood, resting in the center of a circular chamber with iridescent coral walls that shimmered from soft rose to seafoam green.
A shallow pool of steaming, lavender-scented fresh water bubbled in the corner. Across the room, a low table carved from mother-of-pearl sat piled high with sliced melon, sweet figs, warm pastries, and a silver pitcher of cool, mint-infused water. Clean tunics and soft trousers made of dark blue linen were neatly folded on a low bench, right beside a pair of supple leather boots that happened to fit my feet perfectly.
It took me less than three minutes to realize none of it was kindness.
