I sat Iris down and she gave my old friend a shy smile. “Thank you for your kindness. It’s appreciated.”
Again, Elric dipped into a bow. “It’s my pleasure. After all ya’ve been through, it’s the least I can do. Let me fetch Marta. You’re just in time for supper.”
I sat next to Iris, waiting until Elric had disappeared into the kitchen before speaking. “Are you alright?” I asked quietly, and placed a comforting hand on her thigh.
“I’m fine.” She placed her hand overtop of mine and gave me a reassuring smile. “I promise.”
I gripped her hand and brought it up to my lips, placing a soft kiss on the back.
My angel had been through so much, and here she was, in a land where magic was real, sitting in a stranger’s house dressed in nothing but her tattered dress with an animal fur draped over her shoulders. It was enough to rattle any human—but not Iris. She was strong beyond measure.
“Selvyn!” Marta howled and bustled into the living room. Her bright red hair was piled on top of her head, her face flushed from the heat of the kitchen. She wiped her hands on her apron before wrapping her arms around me. “It's been ages. Oh, how I’ve missed you.”
“I missed you too, Marta,” I grunted through her crushing hug.
She released me, allowing her hands to linger on my forearms as she looked me over. “Are you eating enough? You look thin.”
“I’m fine,” I assured her. That was the thing about Marta; she loved fiercely and with her whole heart.
Marta turned her attention to Iris. “Well aren’t you a pretty little thing.”
A light pink blush coated Iris’s cheeks and she ran her hands along the length of her braid. “Thank you.”
“Marta, this is Iris. She was Grafberg’s latest sacrifice.”
Marta tsked in disgust. “It’s been so long I was hoping they’d abandoned the practice. It’s a shame they’re still stuck in the old ways. I am truly sorry, m’dear.” Her face was sympathetic as she looked down at Iris. “I hope you’re hungry. You’re just in time for dinner.” Marta focused her gaze on me. “Will you be joining us Selvyn? Or do you have other plans for supper in the caves?” There was an edge to her voice, one that came to be after the countless times she’d tried to get me to stay with her and Elric.
“I’ll stay tonight.” I couldn’t help but look at Iris, my heart shattering at the glimmer of hope I found in her eyes. “But tomorrow I’ll return to the caves.”
“Alright then,” Marta said curtly.
She went to help Iris up, but I placed a hand firmly on her shoulder. “Marta, could I have a word?”
Marta nodded and followed me to the bottom of the staircase.
“Is everything alright?” she asked with a dark expression clouding her features.
I scrubbed my hand along the nape of my neck and stared down at my boots. “Iris is in need of a contraceptive.”
“Selvyn.” Marta gripped my arm and I glanced up at her.
She didn’t ask me any questions, but she didn’t need to. My face told her everything she needed to know–that I’d slept with Iris and spilled inside of her.
“I have something I can give her–but it’s her choice if she takes it or not. It’s no one’s choice but hers.”
“Of course,” I said, knowing full well that I’d never take that choice away from her.
“I’ll fetch it for her after dinner. Let’s not keep her waiting.”
We rejoined Iris and Elric to find the two of them making small talk.
“Ah, there they are!” Elric said and rubbed his wrinkled hands together. “Let’s eat.”
Before I could help Iris up, Marta had already taken her hand and was gingerly leading her toward the dining table. She leaned over and whispered something in Iris’s ear that made her laugh, and I was thankful for it, thankful that her and Elric were welcoming my angel with open arms. Because after tonight, they’d be all she had.
Chapter11
For a land full of magic, Belden seemed surprisingly normal. Sure, I had only seen Elric and Marta’s home, but I’d expected something different.
