"Only for the moment," Solomon returned, smiling into the wall. For those moments it was enjoyable to rest there, as relaxed as it was possible to be while standing; leaned against the wall with the water still hard against his side, and Raine's fingers light on his back, and the warmth completely dissolving the memories of that cold dank cellar.

Finally he sighed and stirred and stretched, and it was something of a deliberately languorous movement before he turned and smiled at her, and reached out toward her--and picked up the hair-wash past her shoulder to pour some more into his palm, his eyes gleaming with laughter. "Thank you ever so, Master Healer Sage."