A Love Like No Other

Part 7

Hours later, Iris heads back to her small hut. The sun was going down and she was exhausted from the day's events. She at least planned an escape route out of necessity. Head towards the nearest otkazat'sya village. She is young so they won't suspect her to be a Grisha, that she is just a small child who is lost. But if that doesn't work, take the woods to the nearest hill. Follow the river until she makes it to the next village.

She stops short when she notices Eryk standing next to her hut. Maybe her thanks wasn't enough for him and he is here seeking some other form of thanks.

"What do you want?" she asks him.

"You weren't scared," he stated.

"Just because something is different doesn’t mean it's dangerous."

Iris moves the pieces of cloth to the side before walking in. Eryk follows in after her. She stands off to the side, trying to get a clear reading of his face. As far as she knew, he had a cot and comfortable blankets to make nights peaceful. Not worn down cloth and three dirty blankets.

"I saw you the other night," Eryk whispers. 

Panic floods through Iris. She was really hoping she could stay here for a little while longer, now she is going to have to leave in the middle of the night in order to stay safe.

Maybe she was panicking for nothing. He could've seen anything.

"And what was that?" she whispers.

"What are you, Iris?"

She should run. Run away from everything and everyone. He saw her power that night in the woods. Yet, he is also different. Maybe he has some insight on how to control her powers better? How to hide them?

Trust is a funny thing. People can earn it and lose it in a matter of seconds. For some people, trust is second nature. They will trust anything and everything. But for others, they never trust anything. The people who believe in nothing and are lonely with their own thoughts. The person Iris learned to be.

Has Eryk earned the trust of such a huge secret?

That could only be answered one way.
Iris grabs Eryk by the hand and runs towards the woods. She was going to show him, teach him everything that she knew about her power. It could be the stupidest thing that she has ever done or he could understand and she will finally have someone- who in a long time- she could trust and befriend.

They slow to a stop in the woods. The camp was covered. No one would be able to see them this far out.

"What did you see?" Iris asks.

"Something glowing from your hands."

She nods and holds out her hands. It's now or never. Concentrating, she pulls all light towards her, wishing it to form a ball in her hands. Forcing it to. Within seconds, a ball of white and blue forms. Eryk stares at it with admiration.

"What is it?" he asks.

"My mama used to call me a Moon Summoner."

"Why?"

Iris clenched her hand making the light vanish. "It's moon light. It's always moonlight or starlight. Never sun or bright light."

"So it's devoid of heat?" 

Iris nods, hoping that he would understand and not run to the others and say she was a freak. Dangerous.

Instead, Eryk moved closer to her. His height became very intimidating. He reaches down to grab her hands. She was fairly shocked at the smoothness of his touch, but more shocked by the strange tingle that flows to her core trying to force her power out.

She doesn't move, doesn't force him to stop touching her. Instead, she just stares at his grey eyes. Understanding playing on her face. Fear playing on his.

"A living Amplifier," she whispers. Eryk hesitantly nods, scared to make even the slightest movement. "I won't say anything, Eryk. Grisha like us would most likely be killed once they know."

Eryk releases her hand. The power inside calms like the sea after a storm. Eryk refuses to meet Iris's eyes. Fearing she might have said something wrong, she reaches out to touch him but thinks better. She doesn't know if he wants to be touched. She doesn't want him to think she just wants to feel the power again when all she wants is to show him it's okay.

"Annika invited me to hot springs tonight," he finally said. "You should come."

"Is Sylvi going to be there too?" Eryk nods. "I'll skip it this time. But we should be getting back, I'm sure your mama is worried."

"Where's your parents?"

Iris puts on a fake smile. She hasn't talked about her parents since that fateful night. No one has ever asked and she has never wanted to admit what she always knew aloud.

"Let's get back," she said with a forced laugh. 

As they were walking back, she could feel Eryk's eyes on her. Probably wondering why she avoided the question. She spilled one secret tonight, she needs to keep the other secrets safe.