Iris let out a shaky breath. The flames spent as fast as they appeared. She slumped on the nearest chair, buried her face in her hands and screamed. Everyone was silent. There was nothing to be said. There were no proper words to describe what she was going through, and nothing would make things better. When she finally raised her head, she let out a sardonic chuckle.
" I've been a fool! So gullible and stupid! I should have known!" Iris said to no one, in particular, staring into space.
Ian stood up, approached her and lowered himself at her level, took her hands in his and kissed them; cupped his face with her hands, looked into her tearful eyes but didn't say anything. Iris was trembling. Her hands shook even when glued to his face. She was tearing up but held them back. She was broken. Her trust was broken. The deeper they dug into things more came to light ugly things. Unspeakable things Seth's creation had done to cling to power. Fuck me sideways, Ian thought!
Iris inhaled deeply " I need to go!" she took her hands off his face, stood up, and stormed out of the dining room, walking past Haren, who looked at her and shrugged.
Haren casually walked in " What did I miss?" he nonchalantly asked, plopping himself in a chair, picking up a random plate of food, and began eating while his eyes roamed from face to face, waiting for someone, anyone, to answer his question.
Ian stood up " Thank you for your hospitality!" he said and nodded at Dakran.
Dakran nodded back " Come find me when you're ready!" he solemnly said, slumped into his chair.
" What the fuck happened?" Haren asked again, putting his plate down and thew the fork on the wooden table.
" Nothing that you should worry about! It's not like you give a shit anyway!" Dakran grumbled, displeased.
" Glad to see that you're finally sober, though!" Dakran threw Haren a dirty look and stood up from his chair.
He offered his hand to Maya, but Maya kept glancing at Haren, who looked rather smug, sitting in his chair. Whatever Dakran said to him didn't seem to have made a dent in his mood.
" Have you fucked her yet? I bet her pussy is so tight that it hurts!" Haren smirked, stood up and walked around the table, touching the backrest on each chair.
Dakran didn't reply.
Maya blushed and sank into the padded chair, ashamed.
Haren threw her a glance " She has nice tits too!" he bit his lip and hissed ", We can share her ! We are brothers after all!" he shamelessly continued to make crass comments regarding Maya, as if she were a pair of socks.
Haren took a step closer to Maya and reached for her hair, but that was as far as Haren got before Dakran fist bashed into Haren's face, and Haren hit the floor with a loud thud. Blood gushed out of his nose and trickled on his face.
Dakran stood at Haren's feet and looked at him " Lay one finger on her...!" he paused and snickered " Look at her the wrong way. I'll put you into the ground myself! Do you understand?" Dakran was calm despite what was said and done. Haren was his brother. The only family he had left, except for Edýia.
Haren nodded, stumbled off the floor with heavy steps and left the dining room, stopping in the doorway and looking one last time at Dakran.
Dakran watched Haren walk away. He knew Haren was just being Haren. His big foul mouth wouldn't stay shut no matter how many times he had told him to keep his thoughts to himself.
Maya took his hand in hers. Her delicate soft touch calmed his rattled nerves. He didn't want anyone to be disrespectful to her. She hadn't done anything to deserve those words.
" You should talk to him! He is your only brother!" her sweet voice caressed his wounded soul, soothing it like the most potent poultice.
Dakran took a deep breath, still staring at the doorway, "He shouldn't have spoken like that. He knew it would end with me punching him!" Dakran brooked, his shoulders slumped. He looked disappointed in Haren.
" I can handle him! He can say whatever he wants to me. Eventually, he will let it go when he sees that his words have no effect! So please, speak with him! He is just trying to irk you, poke at you!" Maya pressed him to mend his relationship with Haren.
She wasn't wrong. Haren did like to annoy the heck out of him and everybody else. He just liked being mean, like a rebellious child.
Dakran nodded after a few moments of silence and turned to look " Only because you asked!" he mumbled with a pout and pecked her lips.
" I'll take you back to the room! I'm guessing they are ready to go. I'll have to show them the way to the lake!" Dakran said, putting his arm around her shoulder and whipping his head towards the door.
Maya nodded " I can find the way myself! You don't have to take me!" she said with a bright smile, looking up at him, and his heart began galloping in his chest.
Dakran cleared his throat " I want to!" he smiled as they climbed the steps.
Maya hummed and nodded. The bright smile stayed, and her eyes raked his face " Have you always had a beard?" she suddenly asked with a frown.
Dakran chuckled " No, and why are you frowning?" he said with a breathtaking smile, showing his straight teeth, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. What was that? She asked herself. No, it can't be.
Maya cleared her throat " I was just trying to imagine how you look without it! I can't!" she admitted, scrunched up her nose at him and smiled.
He loved to see her smiles. It made his blood boil, his heart run wild, and his cock always woke up at the sight of it. She smiled, and his cock stood. Fuck! Haren's words rang in his head, and now he wondered if he was right about her tight pussy. Damn you, Haren! He cursed some more.
" I can always shave it off if you don't like it!" he pushed the door open for her and waved her to go in first.