The Hidden Crystal

Chapter 31

Rath looked up in surprise as Char stormed into their cave, his green eyes dark, every muscle of his taut.

"What's up?"

Char didn't answer. Rath followed him into his room, where Char spun to face him.

"Leave me alone," he warned, his green eyes flashing.

"What happened with Iris?"

Char flinched and turned away. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Char-"

"I said, leave me alone!" Char shouted, turning back and shoving Rath with such force that Rath stumbled back and almost fell.

"Not when you're like this," he said, righting himself at the last second. "Tell me what happened."

Char groaned in exasperation and headed into the bathroom. Rath followed him, leaning against the open doorway as Char started the bathwater.

"Char."

"She told me not to come back," Char said.

Rath's blue eyes widened. "Why?"

"She doesn't want me around anymore."

"And that didn't strike you as odd?"

"She flinched whenever I tried to touch her, like there was something wrong with me."

"So, something's happened to her."

"What happened is that she's made up her mind to hate me," Char said bitterly.

"I don't believe it."

"If you had been there-"

Char's voice broke. He clenched his jaw, determined not to cry. Iris wasn't worth it. Not after the way she rejected him.

"You said something felt wrong last time. What if she's trying to push you away to protect you from something?" Rath pressed him. "What if she's in trouble, and she needs your help?"

"Get out."

Rath sighed. "Fine. If you're not even going to fight for her, I guess she deserves better than you, anyway."

Char stared down at the water filling the stone bathtub, watching the steam rising from the surface. He didn't know what to think anymore. She'd been happy to see him the first time he came to visit, but tense, twitchy, flinching at his initial touch and then leaning into his embrace. He hadn't bought the excuse that she was thinking about Father John before he arrived, or the next fabrication about the magic lessons being more grueling than she expected. She'd seemed...almost scared. Of Jonah. Which made no sense at all, after the sheer joy they both expressed at seeing each other after years of being apart. But she wouldn't tell him anything, and he ended up leaving with a gnawing in the pit of his stomach that told him he should have stayed.

And now this.

I thought I loved you.

Her words echoed in his head. The shock on her face when he finally allowed the truth to spill from his lips wouldn't leave his mind. He could still vividly feel the way she stiffened when he kissed her, the way she shoved him back. She had burst into tears as if his kiss burned her. As if she couldn't stand being around him.

"What the-" Rath shouted from the other room.

Char looked up as dozens of golden orbs of light zoomed through the open doorway to swarm him. The fairies were surprisingly strong, grabbing his shirt, lifting him to his feet and shoving him toward the door.

"Hey! Stop it!"

They didn't listen, pushing and pulling him on. Rath was in the living room, staring wide-eyed as they emerged with Char in tow.