If she kept showering, she would eventually wash off her skin.

"Annis," Alick called softly, "although tonight is our wedding night, I won't push you into anything you're not ready for."

His words hung in the air, a delicate promise wrapped in the warmth of his affection. He knew how much pain she had endured. He wanted nothing more than to heal her wounds, to show her that love could be tender and kind. He would never force her into sex.

“I... I know," Annis finally replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "Go to your room now." Embarrassment flushed her cheeks as she stared at her own reflection in the mirror.

The black dress clung to her like a second skin. It only covered her chest, and her skin was almost all exposed.