His Silent Luna (Verity and Felicity) novel Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: SELF DISCOVERY

Verity’s perspective

The water was pleasantly warm—not the scorching heat I had braced myself for, but a soothing embrace unlike anything I’d ever experienced. Tentatively, I dipped a single toe in, unsure if this moment was truly real or just a fleeting dream. Slowly, I eased the rest of my foot in, then my ankle, feeling the comforting warmth curl around me like a gentle hug. Step by step, I submerged my legs until I was fully enveloped in the large copper tub. A shaky breath escaped me as the heat began to unknot muscles I hadn’t even realized were clenched so tightly.

I had never truly taken a proper bath before—not like this. Back in the tower, the best I’d been given was cold water in a rusty bucket. In the woods, rain showers or quick dips in a river were the closest I’d come to washing away the grime. But this—this was something else entirely. It felt like magic.

Still, the dirt and dried blood clung stubbornly to my skin. I watched as the water darkened, clouded by the evidence of my past. Hastily, I drained the tub and refilled it, determined to cleanse myself thoroughly. Using the soap Caleb had shown me, with its unfamiliar but not unpleasant scent, I scrubbed again. The water turned murky once more. And again. Each time, the murkiness was a reminder of how much I was shedding, both physically and emotionally.

But I didn’t stop.

I scrubbed every inch—my arms, legs, stomach, back, even my scalp. It felt as if I were peeling away layers of myself that I hadn’t even known existed. When I finally finished, my skin was pink and tender in places, but I smiled—a genuine, quiet smile. It had been so long since I’d felt that.

Wrapping myself in the thickest towel I’d ever owned—thicker than any blanket I’d ever known—I sat quietly for a moment, feeling… different. Lighter somehow. My eyes wandered around the room until they settled on the mirror. The glass was fogged over with steam, an oval shape obscured by moisture. I stared at it, hesitant.

I had never truly seen myself before. Not really. Maybe fleeting reflections in cracked glass or still ponds, but never long enough to memorize the details. Never long enough to claim the face staring back as my own.

I remembered my sister—black hair, green eyes. That was the image I held onto. Everyone I’d met so far said I resembled her, but with a difference. A difference I couldn’t quite place.

With trembling fingers, I rose and padded over to the mirror. The fog hid my reflection like a secret waiting to be revealed. My heart hammered in my chest as I reached up and slowly wiped the mist away.

I gasped.

My eyes—violet. A vivid, piercing violet that seemed almost unreal, glowing softly in the mirror’s light. My hair fell straight and silky over my shoulders, jet black except for a thick streak of silver starting right at the front. I tilted my head, studying the face that was mine.

Was this really me?

I leaned closer, brushing my cheek with my fingertips. Soft. Pink. Smoother than I’d ever imagined. A few faint scars remained, but they no longer defined me. I parted my lips and glanced at my teeth—straight, a little sharp at the canines, but white and healthy. Far healthier than I had expected.

How had I survived everything I had—and come out looking like this?

Tears welled up, blurring my vision, and I let them fall silently. Soft, quiet tears that matched the stillness around me. I no longer looked like someone broken, beaten, chained, or forgotten. I looked… like someone worth saving.

Clutching the towel tightly around me, I stepped out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. Caleb was still there, though his back was turned. He didn’t try to look at me; he respected my space. That simple act warmed my chest in a way I hadn’t anticipated.

Without turning, he spoke gently, “To your left—the door next to the bathroom—that’s the closet. Pick something comfortable to wear.”

I stared at him for a moment, surprised by his kindness. He was giving me privacy and choice—two things I had never been granted before.

“Thank you,” I mouthed silently, even though he couldn’t see.

But I wasn’t looking at him. My eyes were drawn elsewhere.

The sunlight.

It poured through the arched window, casting golden streams across the stone floor. I watched, mesmerized by the way the dust motes floated in the light, glowing like tiny stars. The warmth on the cold stone beneath my feet was unfamiliar but inviting.

I had spent my life in darkness—hidden away in a tower, then wandering for three years in a cursed forest that blocked out the sun entirely.

But this?

This was life.

Caleb followed my gaze and, after a moment, asked softly, “Want to have the lesson outside?”

I turned to him, my smile breaking free without effort. His eyes widened again, surprised by the brightness on my face.

I nodded eagerly.

He chuckled quietly, mostly to himself. “You really are something else,” he murmured. Then louder, “Alright. Come on, Verity. Your wish is my command.”