EXTRA from Crimson King (Book 1)
(In the Chapter with 'Lion and the Liar' after Iris talks to Gabriel.)

I will probably work this chapter into the original story at some point – but for now you can have it dumped here for your reading pleasure, and because I miss Darius too much.

It always bothered me, when I was re-reading, how little time Iris and Darius actually spent together, just existing. This extra was me playing around with a few ideas that I had, but never got round to adding in.

The other one I have in mind is a visit to Arlo's gravesite, which (oversight on my point) I never worked into the story but should have definitely been included somewhere.

________________________

Extra | The Gilded Cage

-

'Blood on your hands,' they say.
As though it stops there;
at your wrists, like a glove.
As though you could do this,
and there could be any part of you
that wasn't stained or
dripping.

-anon

-

IRIS

"Have you been outside today?" Iris asked, sticking her head around the edge of the study door.

Darius glared at her from between two thick stacks of paperwork. "Does it look like I have had time to go outside?"

Iris grinned ruefully. "No," she said. "Do you want to?"

"Want to what?" He growled. He had already begun working again. Iris padded over to his desk and sat on the edge. His pen paused.

"Go outside," she insisted. If she was honest, her motives weren't entirely pure. She had been sent by Ezekiel – according to the advisor, his Majesty's mood had been 'utterly foul' in the past few days and so Iris had been sent in with the task of figuring out why.

However, as she eyed the stacks of work that Darius still had to complete, Iris decided that Ezekiel was an idiot for not realising the issue himself. Darius was a Lycan- a very powerful one at that. And Lycans were not meant for sitting behind desks, day after day, signing off documents- even if they were the King.

Placing a gentle hand over his, she removed the pen from his grasp. "Come with me," she requested softly. There were purple shadows under his steel grey eyes, and Iris felt a sudden rush of empathy for him. Vandor had said that Darius' seizures had been more frequent recently, but Darius would never disclose exactly how often they happened. This was the other reason that Iris had, for freeing him from this prison of duty and obligation that he had forced upon himself.

"I do not have time." Darius said curtly. He reached for his pen, but she held it out of reach. "Iris," he looked at her warningly.

Iris smiled sweetly- it was the smile she used to reserve for Arlo, but now used on this grump of a lycan instead. "Please?" She wheedled.

Darius faltered for a moment, but then his frown returned in full force. "No, Iris."

"Oh alright," she sighed, jumping off his desk. "Gabriel is busy too, so I guess I will just go alone. It shouldn't be too dangerous." She waltzed for the door, counting back from three.

"Wait." He groaned. "Where are you going? You should at least take a guard."

Iris turned and stuck out her tongue. "No." She chirped.

And then she was out the door escaping down the hallway and pausing only to snag her backpack from her room. When she straightened, Darius was there- as she had expected. His expression was thunderous.

"Where are we going?" He snarled.

Iris feigned surprise. "I thought you weren't coming?"

Darius slammed a hand into the opposing wall to prevent her from leaving. "It doesn't look like I have much of a choice now, does it?" He growled down at her.

Iris ducked under his muscular arm, catching his free hand in her own as she tugged him down the hall. "No, you don't." She declared. "Let's go before Ezekiel sees."

-

They exited Aether without much trouble, the guards at the gate to the bridge turning a blind eye to the hulking mass of their King being led grudgingly by Iris's lithe form.

As they stepped off the path and into the forest, Iris inhaled deeply. It was cool and green, here in the shade. Iris felt the earthy scent fill her lungs deliciously.

"I want to go and see the first of the twin falls," she told Darius, her smile wide and carefree.

Darius was pacing through the undergrowth, agitation strong in the set of his powerful shoulders. His grey eyes swept from side to side, searching for danger – even though they were barely on the outskirts of Aether.

"Fine," Darius said irately. "Let's go." Without pause, he began to unbutton his shirt, his fierce gaze drilling into the surrounding forest. "Shift over there," he added abruptly, pointing to a dense clump of foliage. Unbuttoning his shirt the rest of the way, Darius pulled the white material from his shoulders and folded it aggressively. "Where is your bag?"

Iris quickly held out the backpack she had brought, and he stuffed the shirt inside. Noticing her silence, Darius met her gaze, raising one eyebrow in query.

Suddenly he seemed so tall, looming over her, all golden skin and hardened muscle. Heat radiated off him, threatening to melt the remaining distance between them. Iris found her gaze lingering on the scar she had noticed last time, the one that divided him diagonally- shoulder to hip.

"Is there a problem?" Darius asked lowly. He took a single step towards her.

Iris's hands tightened on the bag involuntarily. "No," she managed to force out. Spinning, she marched towards the thicket. "No," she said again, her voice stronger this time. "Give me a minute."

Undressing quickly, Iris stuffed her clothes into her pack, tying the bag loosely around her leg. Putting her unnecessary thoughts aside, she made the shift to her lycanthropic form easier than expected. It had been so long since she had resumed her natural state; the relief she felt was immeasurable. A mass of tension lifted from her shoulders, and for the first time in a long while, Iris drew a full breath.

Beneath her thick silver paws, the earth sung- each vibration and hum of the forest resonating through the pads of her feet and into her bones. She felt the heavy tread of something much larger than herself and knew that Darius had shifted as well.

Her pointed, wolf-like ears twitched as she emerged from the thicket. Darius was waiting for her, his own silver ears pricked and alert. The rest of his clothes were tied to one of his hind legs.

His head swung around as she appeared, sleek muzzle twitching as he scented her approach. His lycanthropic form was larger than she remembered, and he towered above her, lithe muscles rippling beneath a coat of starlight. Despite the wolf like form, it was the same piercing grey eyes that stared down at her- unchanged in their intensity. As she came into view, his top lip curled softly and a deep rumbling growl vibrated through the clearing. The thick ruff around his neck bristled.

Unlinked- they could not communicate telepathically, but Iris approached him, unfazed by his show of dominance.  She bumped her head up under his chin and nuzzled into his fur. It had been a long, long time since they had seen each other in their most primal of forms. The last time in fact, had when she had been running from him. And animosity was not an unusual reaction with Alphas, least of all the King.

Some of his tension relaxed as Iris rubbed her cheek against his jaw firmly, assuring him that she was not a threat. He snarled lightly in reply, but gradually the territorial instinct calmed, and he responded, his great head dipping to scent the back of her neck. Iris remained still until he pulled away with a huff.

Her ears pricked up- if she could've laughed at his stubbornness, she would've. As it were, she trotted after him as he led the way forward through the forest, reaching out to nip at the end of his long tail as it swished through the undergrowth. He turned to glare at her, but she pushed into his side, nudging him sideways playfully.

Darius growled, the noise low and threatening, however, Iris was already bounding ahead and out of his reach, her silver eyes gleaming with mirth as she looked back to see if he was following.

He was.

Iris laughed internally and broke into a sprint. She heard Darius grumbling as he followed after her, and she expected him to try and take the lead. Instead, he matched his pace to hers, running parallel through the forest beside her.

It had been a long time since Iris had felt this free. The cool wind rushed through her fur, the view through her eyes sharp and clear. The soft earth beneath her massive paws masked any sound as she leaped forwards, eating up the distance as though it meant nothing.

Glancing over at Darius, Iris found her gaze lingering. His piercing grey eyes were trained forwards, and even in his lycanthropic form he appeared on edge, his ears pricked alertly atop his head. For his sheer size, and the speed he was travelling, he was impossibly silent. Every step he took powerful and assured. Even now, Iris watched him stretch a little further as he upped their speed unconsciously, the muscles beneath his silver coat flexing as he changed pace.

Despite their speed, his breath was steady- even as her own began to shorten. His pale fur shimmered in the dappled sunlight that creased through the trees. In this form, he was the deadliest of hunters. A perfect balance of stealth, precision, and strength. Iris thought she had never seen any lycan so beautiful.

Their pace picked up again and Darius pulled ahead as he guided them towards their destination. Iris was happy to follow after him as they rushed past where she had reached last time.

The forest held no memory of the incident that had occurred between them, so long ago now. Even Iris could not tell exactly where she had first come face to face with Darius's lycan form. All she felt was a tingling certainty that she had never ventured this far. For a split second, her steps faltered.

As though sensing her unrest, Darius looked back briefly. Iris felt her heart stutter in her chest as she caught the tenderness in his gaze. She was safe with him, without a doubt.

Her stride lengthened and the earth rushed beneath her feet. And Iris moved forward.

_

"Spar with me," Iris demanded.

Darius gave her a look. "You dragged me out here for this?"

"Tch," Iris tutted. "Of course not."

They had reached a clearing, just a little way from the rushing falls when Darius had indicated for them to shift back. Surrounded by the ever-pressing green of the forest, Iris could hear the thundering of water just beyond the edge of the treeline. But before that, she had something to settle with him. And now was probably the only chance she would get.

"I have told you before, Princess," Darius said coldly, "there is no point in a match between us."

Iris sneered. "Scared?" She asked, daring to hold his gaze. "No-one is here to see if I beat you."

Darius stared down at her imperiously. Finally, he let out a huff of air that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. "Impertinent." He dismissed. But he did not look away. "Very well," he said, after a long pause. Iris thought she detected the beginnings of a smirk. "Let us see just how much my General has taught you, hmm?"

-

In hindsight, Iris admitted that she should have known better. Triumph rapidly dissolved into frustration as she paced around him, looking for openings. It wasn't as though she hadn't landed any hits on him- but rather more that Darius was letting them land without caring.

She lunged again now, feigning right, before switching to the left- and at the last minute she changed again, sure that this time- this time she had him. But Darius caught her fist with ease, trading the next four blows with her and staunching out the kick that she aimed at his thigh. Her foot cracked into his leg with enough impact to cause the air around them to shudder, but Darius didn't even flinch.

Instead, he bore down on Iris, his grey eyes piercing as he stepped forwards and forced her to retreat. She ducked under his arm, hoping to use her smaller stature to her advantage, but he simply turned with her, his reflexes on an entirely different level.

"Come, Princess," Darius teased, as he caught her next punch on the full. His hand enveloped her fist, and he tugged her towards him. Iris stumbled against his chest, and he held her there, his hand pressed against the small of her back. His head bowed, golden hair tickling her cheeks as he murmured in her ear. "I thought you could do better than that."

His words left her breathless, and she was pushing him away before she realised, embarrassed by her own reaction. Eyes full of amusement, Darius let her go, watching as she prowled around him. He beckoned her tauntingly, one eyebrow raising. "Finished already?"

Iris snarled fiercely. "As if." But this time, when she sunk her fist into his abdominals, she could have sworn she felt a finger fracture.

"You are taking this too seriously," Darius told her plainly, deflecting her next attack with ease.

"You aren't taking this seriously enough," Iris growled irately, her hackles rising. He wasn't even attacking her properly. "I thought I told you not to go easy on me!"

"If I took this seriously, it would be over too quickly, and you would end up hurting yourself."

Iris gritted her teeth. If anyone else had said such a thing it would have sounded incredibly condescending. But there was no such emotion in Darius' tone. He wasn't exaggerating at all; he was merely stating the truth.

However, she had not waited this long to spar against him for it to end like this. Curling her hand into a fist she rushed forwards again, channelling all of her power into the strike.

Darius lifted his forearm to block her, and this time when they collided Iris really did feel something break. She hissed and recoiled, clutching her wrist in anger.

Darius was looming over her in an instant, "What did I tell you?" He snarled. His eyes were fierce, but his touch was gentle as he took her injured hand.

"Why are you talking like I did it on purpose," Iris grumbled.

Darius glared at her. "Because you did do it on purpose," he snapped. "I told you a fight between us was pointless."

Iris scowled. "I didn't expect to break my hand."

The sigh he gave was one of defeat. He cradled her hand carefully, his fingers running over her skin as he felt for the break. Iris felt the pain fade as her bones healed. "It's fine now," she said lowly, attempting to extract her hand. His touch was causing her heart to beat erratically.

Flipping her hand, Darius bowed his head, his lips brushing across the underside of her wrist. "My apologies Princess," he looked up at her through thick golden lashes, his solemn words whispering against her skin, "it was not my intention to cause you harm."

Flustered, Iris pulled her hand from his grasp. "What are you apologising for," she scowled. He never apologized for anything. Annoyed, she rubbed her wrist discretely. Her skin burned where he had touched, as though his lips had pressed a brand into her skin.

Darius did not answer, but his grey eyes were brooding. "Are we done now?" He asked, after a moment.

Iris conceded with a sigh. "I suppose," she sulked. She had hoped to at least be able to fight him seriously, after putting up with Vandor's shit for so long- but it seemed that Darius was still far, far out of reach. Inexplicably, his strength made her think of Arlo- and her scowl deepened. As Vandor said, there was always someone stronger.

Her pouting made Darius chuckle. "Come on then," he said, "I will take you to the river. Isn't that the real reason you wanted to come here?"

Grumbling, Iris nevertheless had to admit he was right. She followed him reluctantly, as he led her further into the forest. They walked in silence for another ten minutes or so, before the thundering of water gradually grew too loud to ignore.

Iris felt her mood lighten as they stepped through the last few trees and emerged onto the edge of the riverbank.

"It's beautiful!" She gasped.

Unlike the second waterfall that guarded Aelin, the first of the twin falls was larger, but slower flowing. An outcrop halfway up the cliff face broke the thundering stream halfway, dividing it in two before allowing it to continue downwards. The pool at the bottom was far larger too, allowing the current to slow before it continued into the river.

"This is the first waterfall," Darius came to stand beside her. "It is older than the second, and the pool below is much deeper."

"We can swim here?" Iris asked in excitement, already planning to do just that.

"If you wish," Darius agreed. "Take your time, I will wait for you here."

Iris slid him a side-ways look. He cut a stoic figure; his arms folded across his broad chest as he looked out over the water. A sly grin broke across her face. Here was her opportunity to get back at him for that humiliating defeat.

Without care for the consequences, Iris lunged at him, pushing them both off the edge of the riverbank.

Darius grunted in surprise, and Iris had the pleasure of seeing his eyes widen in shock as she pulled him down with her, her gleeful laughter ringing out across the water.

The cool water closed over her head and Iris was surrounded by a rush of bubbles as she let momentum carry her down. The feeling was unbelievably refreshing after the journey to get here and their short sparing session. She enjoyed the feeling of weightlessness for a moment, before breaching the surface with a gasp. 

Something grabbed her abruptly, and Iris let out an involuntary shriek that quickly dissolved into laughter as Darius surfaced next to her, his blonde hair sticking wetly to his face. He was furious.

"You," he growled, his hand tightening around her arm as he tugged her towards him. "You cheeky little-

She laughed in his face, using both of her hands to push him back under the water before swimming out of his reach. He spluttered as he rose to the surface again and Iris thought her sides might split from laughing so hard. She had never seen him so uncomposed.

With a snarl, Darius ripped his saturated cloak from his shoulders, tossing the heavy material back to the shore. Free of the weight, he lunged towards Iris and she shrieked, dodging his attack in the nick of time.

"Get back here," he roared. Swiping a hand, he caught her ankle and dragged her through the water towards him, catching her up against his slick chest. "Where do you think you're going?" He snarled down at her irately. "You think you can make a fool out of me?"

Iris dissolved into laughter as he accidentally tickled her in an attempt to keep her still. "No, no!" She protested between giggles, "I'm sorry! I'm-

"You're not sorry," Darius said darkly. His breath was hot in her ear as he pinned her arms to her sides. "If you were, you wouldn't find this so funny."

"It tickles," Iris gasped, squirming in his grip, "please-!"

"Does it just," Darius growled, his hands moving mercilessly up her sides. "Where? Here?"

"No!" Iris shrieked with laughter. "Please," she begged. "Haha! Please stop-

"Say you give in," Darius demanded.

"I give in," Iris panted, "I give in!"

She felt his hands relent for a moment and took the opportunity to dunk him under again. Pushing off from his shoulders Iris scrambled to swim away, breathless with laughter.

She heard Darius curse as he resurfaced and at the sight of his bedraggled and furious expression, Iris laughed hard enough to bring tears to her eyes. "Yeah right!" She yelled, sticking out her tongue. "I'll never give in to you!"

The glare Darius sent her sent a shiver down her spine. "Mark your words," he said dangerously. And then he began to shift.

Iris knew he would never hurt her, but as she watched him double in size, she felt a rush of adrenaline. He ... knew she was teasing right?

"Wait," Iris stammered, letting out a stream of nervous laughter as two furry silver ears flicked out atop his head. "I was just playing ..."

"Oh?" Darius snarled. Silver fur sprouted to his forearms, his fingernails lengthening into black claws. "Just playing? Well then ... let me play too, Princess." The wicked gleam in his grey eyes told Iris she was being hunted. She swallowed thickly. 

"Not so brave now, are we darling?" Darius surged towards her, and Iris shrieked as she evaded him.

Swimming backwards, Iris felt her heart beating irrationally fast. She should've felt afraid, but it was not fear that consumed her. The heat in her chest only rose as Darius closed in on her.

Barely dodging his attacks, Iris stammered as she tried to reverse out of the situation. "W-wait! You don't need to-

With a low growl Darius lunged, catching her by the ankle. He gave a firm yank, and Iris suddenly found herself out of the water and upside down. Darius lifted her higher, until she was level with his grey eyes.

"Caught you." Darius smirked, baring his fangs in a wolfish grin. "No escaping this time, Princess."

Chest heaving, Iris tried to calm herself down. But it was difficult when the Darius she was facing was one that was completely unknown. She dangled from his grip, utterly at his mercy while he stared down at her as though she were prey to be devoured. His piercing eyes caused an inexplicable heat to rush across her face, and Darius's smirk darkened as he ate up her flustered appearance.

"What are you going to do?" Iris squeaked. She scrambled to hold her wet shirt down from where it had begun to unstick from her skin, suddenly self-conscious.

He brought her closer and nipped at the end of her nose in an action that was almost playful. Her eyes went cross-eyed as she tried to keep those dangerous fangs in view. "Scared?" His deep voice was uncharacteristically teasing, and Iris's heart skipped a beat.

It was difficult to look serious while upside down, but Iris managed. She folded her arms stubbornly across her chest. "No."

Darius chuckled lowly. "Very well then. Prove it."

-

"I have to jump from here?" Iris eyed the drop dubiously.

Far below, Darius floated leisurely as he watched her creep closer to the edge. His voice was smug as he replied. "If the Princess is scared, she can come back down."

"It's not scary," Iris scoffed. But as she shuffled closer to the edge of the ledge, she swallowed thickly. She was poised on the outcrop, a little higher than halfway up the falls. The thunderous stream of water poured down on either side of her, making the jade stone beneath her feet slick and smooth. She thanked her lucky stars that she was too high up for Darius to notice the tremble in her hands.

It wasn't as though the distance was dangerous for a lycan, Iris thought idly, as she peered over the edge. And she had certainly overcome greater heights before. So, then her body's reaction was rather irrational. But regardless of what she told herself, a mixture of excitement and fear ran through her as she eyed the drop.

"Vandor has done it before." At the remark, Iris's gaze flickered back to her King. His expression was definitely smug. "If he were here, he would've called you a chicken."

Iris gritted her teeth. "Goading is unbecoming," she called down to him.

"So is dunking your King and then running away," Darius replied, amused.

He had her there.

Iris squared her shoulders. Fine. It seemed she had no choice. She took a deep breath, and threw herself off the edge.

To her credit, she held in her scream as the fell. The suspended feeling of weightlessness made her stomach swoop, and her eyes widen as the water rushed up to meet her. Mercifully she kept her body straight enough that when she hit the water, the impact did not sting as much as she had expected.

She plunged deep into the pool below, a rush of triumph filling her chest. Deep in the pool, she spotted the form of her King, treading water not too far away. Iris struck out towards him before he could cotton on, her fingers wrapping around his ankle as she gave him a yank.

Unfortunately it seemed she had pranked him one to many times now, and he was expecting the surprise. He ducked under the water swiftly and caught her wrist, pulling her up to the surface with him.

"Cheeky," he growled, as she gasped for air, pushing her dark hair back from her face. Darius flicked her nose lightly as she laughed at him. "Didn't you learn your lesson?"

"No," she laughed. "That was too much fun."

His grey eyes were amused. "Not as scary as you thought?"

Iris shook her head. "No." She smiled.

"Hmm," he hummed, "I will have to think up a better punishment for next time then." Darius shifted to float on his back, pulling her with him. He was solid beneath her and Iris rested more of her weight on him comfortably.

"Next time?" She teased. "Who says there will be a next time."

Darius grunted. "There is always a next time with you." He scowled at some memory. "I'm beginning to think it's impossible for you to stay out of trouble." 

Iris tutted. "Rude," she reprimanded him, "you're no fun." She poked his cheek teasingly. "I'm sure you got into plenty of trouble when you were younger."

Darius raised an eyebrow. "Are you calling me old?"

With a mischievous glint in her eyes, Iris pinched the edge of his strong jawline. There was a shadow of stubble there, the facial hair coarse to touch. Her fingertips curled as she scratched lightly. "I never said that." But her smile was sly.

Darius eyed her dubiously, before choosing to ignore the jib. "What are you doing?" He asked suspiciously; but he angled his head back slightly, allowing her to continue.

Iris thumbed over his chin and his moody grey eyes slipped to half-mast. "I am not a dog," he rumbled irately, pulling her a little higher up on his chest. She scratched a little harder and his eyes slid closed.

"Oh really?" She teased. "You're pretty scruffy at the moment though."

"If that is your way of telling me to shave," Darius grumbled, "then it is noted."

"I'm only teasing," she smiled, fondly this time, "it doesn't make a difference to me."

Iris pushed her hands through his wet hair, massaging his scalp slowly. The action was natural, and she thought little of it. His arms tightened around her waist, holding her firmly as they floated down the river and she felt his heavy chest rumble in pleasure as she increased the pressure, kneading small circles around the shell of his ears.

"You know," Iris said quietly, "The last time I went swimming was with Arlo, when we lived back at the cottage."

If she was honest, Iris half expected him not to answer. She was used to it now, the way Darius avoided talking about Arlo as though the emptiness her guardian had left behind didn't haunt them both, every single day. So, when he gave a quiet grunt of acknowledgement, she was genuinely surprised.

"Arlo always liked to swim in the river. We went down there often when we were still young." Darius's deep voice was halting, as though he were afraid of being overhead. Iris remained silent, but her fingers kneaded gentle encouragement into the back of his neck.

"I feel like his youth was taken from him sometimes," Darius continued eventually. "He was only fourteen when Aelin fell. And I was ... gone, for three months afterwards. Our Mother ... well." His tone hardened. "I'm sure Arlo told you of the fate that befell her. During that time, and for a long time afterwards ... Arlo was left to pick up what was left."

"But he never blamed you for that," Iris whispered fiercely. "You have to know that."

Darius swallowed. "I know," he murmured, but Iris didn't think he sounded convinced.

Emboldened, Iris pressed a kiss to his forehead. Darius's grey eyes flung wide as she caught his face in her hands. His surprise made him more vulnerable somehow, his wet hair slicked back from his forehead, a dusting of uncertainty softening his features.

"He didn't blame you," Iris told him firmly. "And when I look back on everything now, knowing what I know, I think you made the right choice to send the two of us away together when you did."

Darius looked troubled. "How so?"

Relaxing back down on his chest, Iris looped her arms around his neck. They were floating further down the river, but neither were concerned.

"Well," Iris mused, "Arlo was always so attentive to me, while I was growing up. It was just the two of us, so there was nothing that we didn't do together. And when I got older, I'm sure I rebelled against him plenty of times, but he was always patient with me- it was rare that I could make him truly angry." She smiled ruefully, "it's not as though I didn't try."

Darius chuckled lightly. "Now that, I can imagine."

"Excuse you," Iris laughed. "You aren't supposed to agree so easily."

He snorted. "Why not? We both know you aren't exactly level-headed."

"Coming from you!" Iris exclaimed in outrage. "You're just as bad."

"Tch," Darius scowled at her, but didn't attempt to refute.

Iris grinned. "You know it's true," she taunted. "That's why you can't say anything."

"Ridiculous," he growled.

Gratified by her win, her smile widened. "Anyway," Iris sung smugly, "what I was saying, was that Arlo always seemed carefree when I was growing up. I'm sure he hid things from me – things he didn't want me to worry about, but he was a genuine person. I think if he was truly unhappy, I would have been able to tell. And if he hadn't wanted to be there, or if he had felt forced into anything, I don't think my upbringing would have been as wonderful as it was."

Darius was staring at her intently. There was a hollow sort of hunger in his gaze that it seemed only her words could fill.

"I grew up being loved," she told him,  "and perhaps, or rather, I hope- that any childhood Arlo might have lost- I hope he got to experience that freedom through me. I never felt wanting ... even though it was just the two of us. And he made me feel that way." Her voice wavered slightly, "I loved him so much. He was my entire world."

Compelled by the ache in her voice, Darius reached up to smooth her dark hair back from her face. "He loved you too," he told her firmly, "don't ever forget how much he loved you, Iris. And ... thank-you. For taking care of him too. For cherishing him."

Iris sniffed. "You know how scared I was when I first found out about the bond between our families? I thought that he had been compelled into loving me."

"No," Darius's voice was hard. "He loved you beyond that bond."

"I know," pulling herself together, Iris gave a watery laugh, "he told me straight away – when he came to see me. You know, I would like to apologise again to you- for that time," she added suddenly.

"For what?"

"For accidently ... commanding you," Iris peeked at him from under her lashes, "back at Aelin. I know I said sorry before, but I ..." didn't feel then, as I do now. She had been embarrassed before. But now that she knew Darius more fully ... a hot rush of shame encompassed her. "I was so foolish," she mumbled.

It was a moment before Darius replied. "It's fine," he said gruffly. "You didn't know."

"No," Iris sighed, "but I should still learn to stop running my mouth."

Darius raised an eyebrow. "Self-reflection from the Princess? How rare."

Iris sent him a half-hearted glare, but the weight on her shoulders lightened somewhat.

"I should apologise to you too," Darius said after another pause. This time, Iris really was shocked.

Darius was looking away from her again, his expression pensive. "I was too harsh on you," he seemed to consider each word carefully before he spoke, "when we first met. I had a lot of anger towards you, that was misdirected." His brows pulled together in frustration. "My life has been ... complicated. Things related to Aelin- to what happened there, they are ... difficult to talk about."

"I understand," Iris replied eventually. Because she did understand. Perhaps now more than ever. "I didn't at the time, but I was more ignorant than I am now." She smiled ruefully, "And perhaps I was a little jealous."

"Jealous?" Surprise was evident in his tone.

Iris nodded sheepishly. "It felt like you were taking Arlo away from me," she laughed. "It's embarrassing now, but it felt like that at the time."

Darius did not laugh though- his expression as serious as ever. "It wasn't my intention," he said slowly, "but I suppose I was unwilling to accept the connection that the two of you had. Like you thought also – I assumed the worst of the Greyson/Silvon bond and sought to lessen its impact by having Arlo keep his distance from you." His jaw clenched. "Obviously, I was an idiot."

"If you wanted to stop that from happening, why even send Arlo away with me in the first place?" Iris wondered. "Couldn't you have sent anyone? Like Balthazar?" She laughed at the thought.

"Can you imagine," Darius grumbled, his eyes slipping closed. "The old man never would have gone."

Iris hummed softly. Unconsciously, her fingers had resumed their circles, carding through the hair at the back of his neck and kneading against his scalp gently. 

"So?" She pressed, "why then?" She watched his expression slowly relax again under her touch, and a deep rumble passed through his chest as he considered her question.

"Well," Darius said idly "I suppose that part of it was that it was already hard enough for me to let you go after rescuing you - let alone leave another random lycan in charge of your safety. Arlo is my brother, and another Greyson. He is the one I trusted most at that time."

He shifted his grip to find better purchase on her back, and Iris's shirt ballooned in the water. Suddenly his palms were pressed flat against her bare skin and Iris's fingers stuttered in their ministrations, a high flush skittering across her cheekbones.  His skin was hot against hers, and she could think of nothing else.

Darius opened his eyes lazily at the interruption, luminescent crescent moons considering her through a halo of thick golden lashes. "Hmm?" The velvet rumble was a query for her to continue. Arching his neck, Darius nosed at her jawline idly. "Why did you stop?" He murmured.

"I-" Iris couldn't seem to formulate a reply. His hands shifted a little higher, his large palms spreading a fire wherever they touched. She shivered despite the heat, her skin prickling in response.

"Cold?" Darius wondered, seemingly unaware of the havoc he was wrecking on her heart. His deep voice was as lazy as the midday sun, and Iris could not formulate the words to explain that she was so far from cold.

"A little," Iris agreed, blush deepening at the transparent lie. Lycan's rarely felt the cold- a fact she was sure he was aware of. And yet, he had asked her first.

"Hmm." The hum was a deep vibration in his strong chest. As she had hoped, Darius pulled her closer and she clung selfishly to his broad shoulders as he struck out for shore. "We will go in then," he acquiesced.

"I don't want to go home yet though," Iris mumbled, pressing her face into his neck. The tan skin beneath her cheek was comfortably warm. Iris felt his muscles shift as he gripped her thighs and lifted her up. She clung to him obligingly, legs wrapped tightly around his waist as he stepped out of the river.

Darius held her with one hand and snagged a towel off the ground with the other. Throwing the material over her head, she heard him chuckle as he ruffled her dark hair dry.

"What?" She grumbled, reaching up to push his hands away. Peeking out from under the towel she saw laughter caught in his grey eyes.

"Little limpet," He teased. His expression was the most relaxed she had ever seen it. "You dragged me all the way out here; I'm not returning to that stuffy office just yet."

Flustered, Iris loosened her grip as he did the same. She slipped down his chest, trying not to notice the strength of the torso beneath her hands. "I'm not a limpet," She denied crossly, the towel falling back over her eyes to hide her blush.

"Oh?" Darius swiped another towel from her backpack and began to dry his own hair vigorously. Catching Iris peeking at him, he offered her a wide, lazy grin. "Is that so."

Iris was annihilated by his smile. The expression illuminated his whole face, like the sun breaking through heavy clouds after a storm.  He was so devastatingly beautiful that Iris felt a tangible ache in her chest.

It was a fleeting beauty though, disappearing too soon when Darius realised she wasn't replying. He tugged the corner of her towel. "Is there a problem, darling?"

Iris's heart tightened with a cruel sense of loss as she stared at up him. She had never seen him smile like that before- not even when Arlo was still alive. How long would she wait before he showed such an expression again?

"No"- she blustered, "-it's just," you should smile more often. Iris swallowed back the ridiculous comment. There was something wrong with her. "It's nothing," she said hastily. She stuffed her towel back in her bag. "What time is it?"

"Good question." Darius's attention shifted to the sky, allowing Iris a moment to collect herself. "Perhaps just a little after noon." His grey eyes slid back to her. "Do you have somewhere else to be?"

"You're asking me?" Iris was surprised.

He raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you the one who wanted to come out in the first place?"

"Well, yes," Iris faltered, "but I didn't think that you would actually..." she trailed off, realising anything she had to say next would come off as horrible.

"You didn't think that I would actually agree," Darius said bluntly, and Iris hated how he suddenly seemed so closed off from her, his relaxed expression from before slowly being locked away behind layers of stone.

"No," she reached for him automatically, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. "Well, yes ..." she admitted sheepishly, "but I was wrong. Don't leave. Please."

He appeared genuinely surprised. "I wasn't planning to."

"You weren't?" 

His expression softened again, and her heart skipped a beat. He reached out to smooth her ruffled hair. "No, Princess."

Iris gave a light sigh and leaned into his hand, stepping closer as she did. Darius seemed more within reach today and- selfishly- she wanted it to stay that way.

He leaned down to meet her eyes, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. "Now that we have established that I am not going anywhere, what would you like to do?"

Stay with you. The words danced on the tip of her tongue and Iris longed to unleash them.

Darius pinched her chin lightly and her lips parted at the familiar gesture. "Oh?" He prompted; his grey eyes amused. "Lost for words, little one?"

She frowned and nipped at his thumb as the digit pressed against her bottom lip. She bit a little harder than necessary, nicking the skin.

Darius didn't even flinch. His thumb swiped across her bottom lip, staining it red. "Fierce." He murmured.

"I'm not little," Iris glared at him. But her tongue flicked out automatically to lick at the wound she had inflicted upon him. An apology. His hooded gaze fell heavily upon her lips, and Iris suddenly realised what she had done. She flushed, withdrawing from his hold. "I don't know," she confessed, after a moment, "I don't know this area well." The excuse was lame, but it worked.

"Well," Darius said, "if you're up for a climb, we could go to the top of the falls." He straightened, his hand falling away to chart a course from the falls to a place beyond the forest. "From there, you will be able to see the ocean that divides us and the Elven Kingdom." He told her.

The earlier tension fell away, and Iris's eyes lit up. "The ocean? Really?"

He nodded. "Yes."

It was decided. "Then let's go," Iris declared.

-

The climb to the top was not a difficult one for lycans of their stature, but it still took them a little over half an hour to reach the summit. Well, it took Iris half an hour – she had the distinct impression that Darius was slowing down to match her pace. She had indeed gained back some of her stamina, since she had begun training again, but she still keenly felt the distance between where she had been before, and where she was now.

Darius offered her a hand, pulling her up and over the last ridge and Iris turned back to look at the view.

Just as magnificent as Darius had promised, Iris was in awe as she gazed at the ocean of greenery, laid out before them. Beyond the tumble of the forest- far, far in the distance- a sparkling suggestion of water danced teasingly, and further still- the ocean horizon meshed with the skyline, creating a boundless expanse of blue.

"How incredible," Iris breathed.

"It is," Darius agreed. He pointed towards the northeast. "Across the ocean that way, lays the Elf Kingdom, Elysian. And that way," he pointed north, "The Water Kingdom, Lilura."

"Arlo told me about Lilura," Iris looked at him excitedly, "that's where you went, isn't it? The City of Enchantment?"

Darius nodded. "Yes."

"What is it like?" Iris wondered wistfully. "Is it as beautiful as they say?"

"I suppose," Darius mused. He had reached up to tame her dark hair as it tangled in the wind. His heavy palm rested atop her head, flattening the defiant strands absentmindedly.

"You don't think so?" Iris turned to him in surprise. "I suppose you have visited many times," she corrected, "and seen many places. Arlo also told me that the Air Kingdom of Arcelia is also a sight to behold."

Darius looked at her broodingly. "I have been to many Kingdoms," he agreed, "all magnificent in their own right." His thumb brushed along the line of her cheekbone, "But I think you and I have different definitions of 'beautiful', darling."

His words pulled an intense blush from her. What was wrong with her today? She gazed at him helplessly, but his blank expression made it impossible to interpret the meaning of his words. How could he say such things, with such a straight face? Did he even realise what he was doing to her heart? She didn't dare to assume. She couldn't- especially with one such as him.

Darius eyed the spreading redness across her cheeks silently. His expression was unchanging as he smoothed his thumb up and over her brow. He pushed her hair aside, his hand scooping to cradle the back of her head as he drew her towards him. Gently, he turned her around and pointed back out to the ocean.

"Beyond Lilura, lies the Kingdom of Arcelia, Princess." His voice was a deep, velvet rumble in her ear. "And neighbouring them, the tundra and frozen forests of the north. To the west lies volcanic lands of ash and fire, as well as deserts of sand that stretch as wide as any ocean. The world is full of impossible wonder, Iris. One day, when you have seen it all, can you decide for yourself, what true beauty is."

There was a profound sense of loss in his words, that overshadowed all else. Iris shivered and nestled back into his warmth. His chest was solid behind her, an immovable, grounding presence. She took his arm and pulled it around her, sinking further into him.

"Is there any place that you would want to visit again?" She wondered.

Darius's grip on her tightened. His seemed to encircle her on all sides. A cage of protection, with the door wide open. And she was teetering at the exit.

"No," He replied, and his voice was as cold as the mountain wind. "It has been a long time since I have felt at ease elsewhere. Now when I leave, I think only of returning home."

*