The Act

Chapter 35

The time it took me to down that third flagon was spent in the senseless chatter of my drunk self and whatever Corbinian was saying. I wasn't truly aware of his words—I just knew they were funny. He occasionally twirled a strand of my hair. He also made a comment about my dress, though I wasn't sure of what exactly it was.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

I rubbed my eye. Had I put on eye makeup? Was I smudging it? "I feel funny." A laugh. "I think—I think I drank too much."

His arm dropped from the back of the couch to my shoulders. "Perhaps. But don't worry." He called the waiter once more, ordering a glass of water. When it was brought to the table, Corbinian grabbed it first. He then handed it to me.

"Drink this," he said. "It should help clear your head."

I obeyed, chugging the whole thing. However, the less water there was left, the more disorientated I felt.

"I don't think..." I brought a hand to my head. My mind swam. The oil lamps of the large room looked like large, bright dots. "I don't think this is helping."

"Hmm," Corbinian said with a frown. "Here." He slid off the couch, extending an arm to me. "Let's have you lie down for a while before taking you home. So you'll be able to tell me where you live."

"Yeah," I agreed, trying to stand up. However, as I did so, my knees buckled. Bracing a hand on the table, I tried to keep my body straight.

"Let me help you." He put his arm across my back, holding me up against him. Doing my best to support myself on him, I swung an arm across his neck. I didn't know where he wanted me to lie down, until he walked toward the stairs.

Scrunching my nose, I told him, "I don't have a room here."

He shook his head. "Don't worry. That will not be a problem."

"Okay." He aided me in going up each step. I almost fell, but he held me up before I did. Holding my skirts in one hand, I tried to follow the movements of my feet.

My vision was blurry now. How much did I drink?

"Almost there," he said. Then we were in the hallway of the second floor. There was a front desk with a bored-looking man behind it. Across it, a large hallway extended to my side.

"Sir," said Corbinian, approaching the desk. "A room for this lady that drank too much, please." Amusement and awe were laced in his voice.

The man only nodded and placed a key atop the desk. Corbinian dropped some coins on the man's hand before leading me down the hallway.

"I got you a nice room," he said.

Had he? I didn't even hear him specify anything about the room. "You did?"

"Yes." We must have arrived to the room, because he stopped in front of a door, inserting the key into the knob and twisting it open. "Let's go."

For a brief moment, he let go of me. But that was enough for me to stumble forward and hit my head with the door frame.

"Ouch, be careful," he said as he caught me and walked us inside.

The pain in my head made me even more dizzy. All I cared to notice was the bed and a comfortable-looking sofa.

"Sit here." He placed me down on the bed and I fell on my back atop of it.

"I'm tired," I muttered, rubbing a hand down my face.

"I bet you are," he replied. He lay down next to me, propping himself up with his elbow. "How are you feeling?"

Hadn't I already answered that earlier? Maybe not. I was confused. "Dizzy."