Chapter 8: Chapter 8

IRIS

Enthroned before me was a huge painting, so lifelike that it almost made me shudder. My heart skipped a beat when I stopped in front of it… and my eyes widened.

In the painting was King Elior next to a beautiful woman. Beside him stood my father, hugging my mother, and in front of them, four children.

Looking at the children’s faces, I recognized myself, Ava, and Avery… the fourth child seemed to be my brother… Aidan. We looked happy, all with smiles on our faces.

So it was true… I had been here before because I was born here.

Avery stood next to me. “We’ve known you since birth, Iris,” he said.

He studied the painting in front of us, running his fingers gently over it. I looked up at him, meeting his eyes as he turned toward me… and saw only happiness and compassion.

“We were best friends when we were little. I have always loved you like a sister and waited for your return,” I heard Ava say.

She stood next to her father and smiled lovingly at me. And the King, he looked at the picture with pride.

“I would like to remember all of this again. My parents… my brother… and you. Can you help me, King Elior?” I asked while still gazing at him.

“You have already cast the reverse spell… it has been a long time, Iris… you must wait and let your memory take care of itself. It is as if you have amnesia now. The spell on you was cast by a very old being… your grandmother was a very powerful one of us.

And so any spell cast that could give you the memory back faster would damage you… so be patient, it will take time,” replied King Elior.

I didn’t quite understand what he meant by that, but I trusted him to know better than me.

“The people in this room are all nobles. Queens and kings, important warriors and powerful sorcerers… even you, Iris, are one of them. Because whether you like it or not, your father was once a prince… and so you are a princess,” added the king.

A what? A… princess?

I just stared at him, aware that my facial expression told him I was more than shocked.

“Maybe it would be best if she got some rest. She needs a bath too… And tomorrow, when her mind has settled down, she can ask you some more questions,” Ava suggested, looking questioningly at her father.

I gulped at her words, remembering again how I stood before the king. I was dirty because of the escape—who knew how disgusting I even looked.

The heat rose up my face; I could feel my cheeks burning.

“You’re right, my daughter… why don’t you bring our guest into her room?” he replied.

Then he turned to me and added, “Don’t worry, you’re safe here. Rest and take your time to process it all. And if you have any questions, I’m here to answer them.”

The king left to attend to royal business. I followed Avery and Ava out of the room.

We walked down a hallway that had many doors. Ava stopped in front of a door and opened it.

“This is your room,” she said as she walked in.

“I’m in the room just across from yours and Avery is in the large room down the hall,” she added, pointing the directions to their rooms with her finger.

“You should rest and try to get some sleep, my love. It’s getting late… if you need anything… we’re here for you… anytime,” Avery said.

Ava explained to me how I had everything in the room, and clothes in the closet; everything was even prepared in the bathroom.

A huge bed made of snow-white, ornately carved wood dominated the room, decorated with delicate flower tendrils that wrapped around the posts as if alive. The walls shone in pure white, but they were not bare—no, a lush climbing plant with blood-red blossoms was climbing up them, as if nature itself wanted to enchant this room.

Every leaf, every blossom seemed perfectly placed, as if someone had grown them there with magical precision. The light fell softly through the high windows and gave everything a warm glow.

The bedspread was made of silky ivory fabric, embroidered with golden threads that glistened barely noticeably in the sunlight. Even the air smelled of flowers and a slight sweetness, as if it were always spring here.

I just stopped and had to smile. As if from a different world.

My finger stroked the soft wood of the bedpost, almost as if I needed to make sure that all this really existed.

“We’ll take you to your brother tomorrow. He’s currently on the island where our young warriors are being trained… He doesn’t know you’re home yet,” Ava said as she came to me and hugged me.

“It’s nice that you’re back,” she whispered into my ear.

You could feel her gentle words and her warmth. When I held her in my arms, she took a deep breath and giggled.

Ava left the room and waved at me through the open door as she entered her room. “I’m here if you need anything,” she said softly to me before closing the door.

Avery had also started walking toward the door, but I stopped him by grabbing his wrist. When he turned toward me, he looked at me tenderly.

I didn’t know why, but it was more difficult for me to let ~him~ go than Ava. When he was next to me, everything didn’t seem so bad anymore.

And when he tried to leave my room, I felt almost physical pain. It was ridiculous… yet he seemed to understand me again.

His look was gentle, the smile on his lips even softer. I lowered my gaze to the floor, confused about my own actions. When I felt his fingertips on my chin, I felt a strange energy.

He lifted my chin slightly until our eyes met again. “What’s wrong, Iris?” he asked me worriedly.

My gaze wandered from his eyes to his lips. His mouth twisted into a mischievous grin, showing off his perfect white teeth.

And I dared to look up into his eyes once more. He was so beautiful, it almost hurt.

Yet his gaze was not mocking, not condescending. He just stood there, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to be looked at by me.

As if he was enjoying it silently, without greed, without expectation. Just… because it was ~me~ who was looking at him.

My cheeks burned. He was so close that I could feel the warmth of his body. I knew he saw it… this blush that betrayed me.

But instead of feeling ashamed, I just felt this tugging sensation in my chest, this magnetic desire that didn’t need words. I wasn’t bothered by his gaze.

I certainly didn’t mind his closeness. On the contrary… I wanted it.

I wanted him to get even closer, to make this invisible line between us disappear. There was no rational reason, no explanation… just this deep, instinctive knowledge that I was supposed to be right here.

Next to him.

I took a step back, nervously rubbing my palms against my thighs. When I glanced at him again, he was looking at me questioningly.

One of his eyebrows was raised, as if he was surprised at my behavior.

“I need…to take a bath,” I said quietly.

His mouth curled into a smile before he looked down at me. “Yeah…you need one,” he replied, laughing.

I bit gently on my bottom lip as I listened to his voice. It was warm and soft, a hint of familiarity creeping across my skin.

My breath hitched as I found the courage to seek out his face. Even though I knew that there was nothing beautiful about my appearance, he looked at me so piercingly.

His smile died away, not out of disgust, but because his gaze lingered on my lips. Focused, his eyes, glowing a soft purple, followed the delicate movement as if it were a secret he wanted to decipher.

“I… would ask you to stay with me for a little while longer,” I said. My voice was barely more than a whisper, as fragile as glass.

Suddenly he raised his eyes, met mine, and his smile returned, slower this time, more charming. It pierced me, this smile, as if I was something worth looking at.

“Take your time to bathe…” he said, his words sounding like an invitation. “I have to change too. And then I’ll come back again. Is that okay?”

I just nodded.

I was lost for words because this feeling in my chest was new. It was like I was breathing for the first time, like I had been sitting in the dark for years and now I could feel the sun on my skin.

I did not know what it was. But it was good.

It felt so indescribably good.