Ikemen Revolution: For Crimson Glory

Chapter 5

Time passed quickly. Sweltering heat cooling off into chilly temperatures. Leaves turning from lush green to brilliant shades of red and orange. As the season changed, the animosity towards me began to fade away. I was just another soldier.

Training became second nature, but I consistently found myself growing bored with it. Unlike the others under the Jack of hearts command, I had a higher goal than simply being in the army, and that was to take my rightful place as the ten of Hearts, regardless of their rules on women.

Until then, the only place I could truly relax was my quarters. Even here in the barracks bathroom, taking a bath brought stress to me. The doors don't lock. The men crass enough to walk in on each other and laugh. When the hour grew late and Sean stood guard outside, I had to rush to stay unnoticed by the other soldiers.

It had been some time since I'd actually soaked in a bath. Perhaps once I had my quarters in the main building...

Swiping my hand across the mirror to catch a glimpse of my reflection, one of the only times I got to see my real face without magic, I gave a long sigh. What I wouldn't give for better soap and some moisturizer. "It'll be worth it."

"What will be worth it?"

Through the mirror, I could clearly see those jade green eyes gleaming with exhilaration at the discovery he'd made. Blaming Sean would be ridiculous. He couldn't turn away the third highest ranking officer. It wouldn't have ended well for him. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?"

"Consider this a surprise inspection," Edgar replied, gaze falling down to my body clad only in a towel. His lips tugged up into an amused smirk. "This is quite the curious situation, isn't it?"

No more a secret that I'm a woman, not man. Without the crystals to hide my feminine features or the wrapping around my torso, that much was clear. "What are you even doing in here?" Something had brought him here, and it wouldn't hurt to ask. I'd soon be thrown out or arrested. Impersonating a soldier would yield a harsh punishment.

Edgar leaned back against the wall, humming softly to himself. "It's my duty to inquire about strange occurrences and you, dear Iris, have been a strange occurrence since the moment you arrived. Am I correct to assume you're Iris Adley, Ian's sister?" The question rhetorical. He'd likely done research on my family.

"Don't ask questions you already know the answer to. Your games don't amuse me, Edgar," I replied with a frown. What's he waiting for? He could drag me to Lancelot's office and turn me in. He could arrest me himself, lock me in the dungeon. So why is he just standing there?

Silence lingered between us, waiting for the other to make the first move. Drops from my wet hair fell down onto my bare skin, rolling down between the swell of my chest and disappearing beneath the towel. The steam from the hot bath beginning to settle in his brown locks as well.

Edgar lifted his hand to brush it back, leaving it messier than usual. "This is quite the predicament. Allow me a chat over tea in my chambers." An invitation posed as a command, as my superior officer. His gaze pierced into me, like he could read my hesitation. "I promise to be nice."

That is not my main problem, but he knew that. He's messing with me. I narrowed my eyes. It would be a pain to resist and have him use force that would result in a fight and ultimately end up with me arrested for either murder or my original crime of impersonating my brother. That doesn't mean I want to. "I don't know if you have a nice bone in your body, Edgar."

"Ah, you wound me, Iris. I'm not going to spill your secret," he replied, flashing a charming smile. One that said, not yet, at least. Of what use it would be to him...