The Hidden Crystal

Chapter 55

"You look happy." Rath's fork paused halfway to his mouth as Char entered the kitchen. "She must be okay, then."

"Yeah." Char couldn't keep from grinning. He took a seat and the plate of food the fairies pushed in front of him. They were zipping around with much more fervor this morning than they had yesterday.

"So, how did you get from her crying her heart out to... this?" Rath asked, gesturing at Char.

"I proposed."

Rath's fork hit the plate with a clatter, bounced onto the table, and landed on the floor. His jaw followed. "You what?"

"And she said yes."

Rath sat back in his chair, stunned. The fairies darted over to set a clean fork next to his plate and retrieve the dirty one from the floor.

Char smirked. "Why are you so surprised? You were the one who said I was halfway to the altar."

"Yeah, but—you're marrying this idiot?" Rath interrupted himself when Iris walked into the room.

She darted a glance at Char as he stood to meet her. "Good morning to you, too. Um, Char—"

He couldn't resist. He gave her a quick peck on the lips before he pulled her chair out, triggering an adorable, rosy blush to blossom in her cheeks.

"Cut that out, Char. This is serious," Rath rebuked his beaming brother. "She barely even knows you!"

"We've been through a lot together," Iris said, but Rath was already talking over her.

"He's only shown you his good side. He's really awful. Have you even had a fight yet?"

"I... We've disagreed..."

"No, no, no." Rath put his face in his hands. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into."

"I think I do." Uncertainty was heavy in her voice. She looked at Char again, now sitting beside her, and he squeezed her hand under the table.

"Don't listen to him. He's just upset because I won't have as much time for him anymore."

"You wish! Iris, this jerk will up and leave you at the most random times, and you won't even know where he went or when he's coming back."

Char sighed and shook his head, still smiling. "I won't do that."

"When you get into a fight, he'll shut down and drink until he passes out."

Char's smile slipped. He cast a nervous glance at Iris. "That's... I've never drunk until I passed out..."

"And he can't cook. At all. If you get sick or something, you'll just have to hope he calls Mother to take care of you, because otherwise, you'll starve."

"That one's true," Char admitted. He gave Iris a sheepish grin, and to his surprise, she giggled. The golden flecks in her eyes were dancing against their backdrop as she looked from one brother to the other.

"Rath, you wanted to kill me when we first met."

He opened his mouth, closed it, and dropped his guilty gaze to his plate.

"And Char was pretty rough on me in that cave."

"I couldn't let you get away and run into him," Char muttered, also averting his gaze.

"Maybe I haven't seen him in every situation, but I think I've seen the worst and the best, and I can manage the middle."

"Hmph." Rath's blue eyes lifted to her, a frown line forming between his brows. "Well, if you end up regretting this, don't come running to me. I tried to warn you."