253 Old Wounds (2)

While sitting in the car, Iris stared at Kyro. He had explained the matter to her upon coming, but she still wanted to ask a million questions. What exactly was between Gale and that woman? Was it really just a broken pen?

It sounded overly childish even for him. He never seemed like an exemplary adult, but making someone suffer just because of something that happened when they were both five or so? It was a little crazy.

Yet Iris was a fox, and so her mouth was incapable of voicing all that she wanted to ask. Kyro didn't dare to have her be seen around him as a human for the time being. It was simply an unnecessary risk.

When they reached Gale's apartment, Kyro unlocked the door like it was his own house. Lily ran over to greet them, but noticing that it wasn't her brother, she stopped. Her lips puckered with displeasure.

"What are you doing here? My brother is not home."

"That's good," Kyro said, then caught himself and quickly changed his tune. "I'm here on Iris' orders."

'Wait, what? I myself am not too certain why I'm here!' But even as she called out in betrayal, her little body was extended for the girl to see. Lily's eyes lit up at the sight of her, and she bounded over to hold Iris to her chest.

The next moment though, she raised her high in the air, looking at her in the light. "It's so pretty!" she declared and pulled Iris back to snuggle her against her neck.

Right away, Iris felt for Lucy. In her mind, she said a thousand apologies to him for ever thinking that entertaining a kid wasn't that bad. It was way, way worse than anything she could've imagined.

With pitiful eyes, she looked over at Kyro who had just taken off his shoes. He had to help her! As much as she loved Lily, she was not a plush toy; it was impossible for her to last for a long time like that!

Seeming to have heard her pleas, Kyro took a step forward and pried her from Lily's hands. "Can you keep a secret?" he asked in a serious voice.

"What kind of secret?" the little girl asked, her eyes still on the fennec.

Iris already knew what Kyro was going for and didn't mind it. Gale already knew, and Lily had a good head on her shoulders; she would know not to share it with others.

"A very important one. Iris' life depends on it. So think very well before you agree," Kyro said in a heavy tone, his voice low.

The girl bit her lip as if she was really thinking hard about it. After a moment, her face became solemn. "She wanted me to know it, right?"

Kyro looked over at Iris, and she nodded. She hadn't planned on it, but why not. It was better to not have any secrets between friends.

"Yes."

"All right then. I want to know," Lily declared in a voice as if she was making an oath.

To the girl's surprise though, Kyro didn't say anything, but went toward the bathroom. He let Iris inside and placed a bag with clothes, then closed the door behind himself.

In a few minutes, Iris stepped out. Her gaze instantly went to Lily whose eyes were wide as saucers. She stood frozen in place for a time, then came closer to examine Iris, make sure that she was real.

"That's unscientific," she stated at the end, taking a step back. "You weren't there before."

"About that…"

For the next hour, Iris sat with Lily and told her about what had happened. She embellished a few details, and kept quiet about a few to not worry the girl, but most of it was the truth. Lily listened with disbelief at first, but then her curiosity won over. She started asking so many questions that Iris thought they'd need to stay the night there.

Luckily, Kyro interfered after some time.

Lily had never cared much for him, even having some dissatisfaction for being a bad friend to her brother, but her opinion had changed in the last hour. Who knew he could be so awesome?

He saved Iris from an evil kid and had searched for her for a whole day when she had gotten lost. When she was kidnapped, he looked for her day and night, barely sleeping!

That was how a true hero acted! He looked calm and unassuming, but was actually a superhero in disguise! And Iris was clearly his sidekick! Every hero needed a cute pet sidekick.

With such secret knowledge at her disposal, how could Lily not agree to whatever they suggested? If they said that her brother needed to invite some woman for a dance, then it had to be to stop some evil villain. However, her brother couldn't be told about the super secret mission, so they could only ask her for assistance when convincing him.

"I'll do it, trust me!" Lily swore with fire in her eyes. It was her first time having such an important mission, but she was going to accomplish it no matter what. Iris would have never given it to her if she wasn't capable of it.

-

Gale was exhausted. The defence minister was a tough nut to crack, and he had wasted the whole afternoon without gaining anything from him. Going through him would have been the simplest way, but that was if he actually agreed to share what they wanted to know.

Which he didn't.

"That old fart," Gale muttered, unlocking his door. He would have to go through other channels then. It would take more time and cost more, but there didn't seem to be a way around it.

His thoughts stopped in their tracks. Where was Lily? Whenever he returned, she would always run over to welcome him back. But there was not even a shadow of her in the corridor.

Still with his shoes on, he walked to the living room, wondering if she had gotten too engrossed in some show to even hear his return. It had happened a few times.

The moment he reached the doorway, he saw three people on the sofa. Flanked by Iris and Kyro, Lily sat in the middle, her hands clasped before her. Upon noticing him, she jumped to her feet and pointed at the armchair positioned right before her; the second one had been pushed away out of the picture.

"We need to talk," the little girl said imperiously, her voice not accepting a refusal.

"Can I still leave?" Gale joked. He didn't like the forces arrayed before him. Kyro would have never used his sister if it wasn't something to which he would never agree.

Lily crossed her arms. "Sit down."

Her eyes crackled with lightning, and Gale decided he was better off doing as she asked. It didn't mean, however, that he couldn't send a death glare to Kyro. 'You're dead meat', it promised him.

His friend ignored him. It wasn't unexpected, so Gale just went to the armchair and sat down, all prim and proper. "I've done wrong," he said, lowering his head.

It startled Lily, and Gale smirked. His sister might be his weakness, but he wasn't going to go down without a fight. Kyro should've known better than to reveal his cards right away.