The Hidden Crystal

Chapter 36

"Hey, Rath. Now would probably be a good time to tell Mother Iris is back."

The dark clouds scattered from Rath's blue eyes as Char's words pulled him out of his thoughts and back to reality. His lips curled up into a smirk. "Meaning you want some alone time. I get it."

Iris looked from Rath to Char, a blush rising to her cheeks.

Char slid closer to her and draped his arm around her shoulders. "Glad you understand."

"Hey, Iris," Rath said, hopping to his feet, "if you think those burns on his hands look bad, ask him to take off his shirt and show you all the bruises he got from transforming inside that tower."

Iris' eyes shot wide open. They flicked to Char's face, dropped to his chest, and snapped away to a spot somewhere on the floor as the light pink on her cheeks flared bright red. It would have been adorable if Char hadn't known how worried she was about him.

And if his brother wasn't standing right there, watching them with a widening grin.

"It isn't that bad," Char reassured Iris. "I just got a little banged up. Rath, shouldn't you get going?"

"'A little banged up'?" Rath laughed. "Okay, Iris, picture this. I'm circling above that tower, watching a whole lot of nothing and wondering if I need to go down there and see what's going on, and then it just explodes, and Char's suddenly right there, in the middle of the tower, and stones are flying everywhere—"

"Rath."

"Okay, two-thirds of the way up the tower. Whatever. Point is, he used his own body to bust out of it, and a good chunk of it fell on top of him while he was shielding you from it all. It looked and sounded like it hurt."

Char pinched the bridge of his nose. "Rath."

"Then he insisted on flying all the way back here without a break—for the fourth time within twenty-four hours. He nearly passed out and killed you both, the idiot."

Char leaped to his feet.

Rath danced backwards, mirth dancing in his blue eyes. "Okay, okay, I'm going. Iris, you can thank me later for giving him an excuse to take off his shirt."

That was it.

Rath managed to get the door open before Char caught him, and he bolted down the hallway, cackling. He knew Char wouldn't give chase. And he spun around before the next bend to stick out his tongue at Char.

"Get out of here," Char hollered. "And tell Mother Iris needs a new wardrobe, too."

"Nope. It's your turn for a shopping trip with Mother. Better get moving if you want to squeeze in a good make-out session before we get back."

Char hoped Iris hadn't heard that.

He threw his brother an unkind gesture and returned to their shared living quarters. Iris had hidden her face in her hands, but Char could see the tip of her left ear peeking through her hair, and it was almost as red as Kelnor's eyes. He was hard pressed to hide his smile when he shoved the door closed.

He wouldn't say no to a make-out session.

"Sorry about that." He sat beside her and rested his arm over the back of the sofa, resisting the urge to brush her hair back to see her face. "It isn't as bad as he made it sound. Yeah, I got a few bruises, and yeah, I wore myself out, but I've had plenty of rest, and you would never have known if he'd kept his mouth shut."

She leaned back against the sofa and sighed, but she kept her hands on her face.

"C'mon, Iris, look at me." And then, because he couldn't help it, Char leaned in close enough for his breath to gust over that flushed tip of her ear. "I promise I'm still wearing my shirt."