Page 61 of Acedia

Iris’s lips twitched. “I don’t think harps are very common in the human realm anymore either. It was already sitting in the attic when we moved in. We had a video player—I don’t really know how to explain it, honestly. But Nana found harp video lessons that I listened to over and over again for years. My technique is probably terrible, but I found it very soothing.”

She said it so nonchalantly, like it was nothing impressive at all.

“That’s so amazing, Iris. I’m not sure you realize how incredible you are. I don’t tell you enough how incredible you are. I’m going to work on that.”

“You really don’t have to,” she said, her face coloring as red as Ophelia’s hair. It was quite delightful. As was her scent—which was a sweet mixture of joy and what I assumed was embarrassment.

“I think I do. Have you had many people in your life praising your accomplishments?” She shook her head. “Then I’m going to be the first—or at least, the loudest. I can tell you, it’s very rewarding. I’m praised constantly for doing very little, and I enjoy it immensely.”

Iris laughed. “You’re just modest. You probably have a list of accomplishments a mile long.”

There wasn’t a trace of dishonesty in her face. She wasn’t hinting at anything, or trying to discreetly push me into being a specific model of Shade or prince that she had in her mind.

It was a little unsettling to realize, but Iris might have just… believed in me. Exactly as I was.

There was a knock on the door, making us pause our meals.

“Who is it?” I called, wiping my hands on a napkin.

“It’s Soren. Are you up? You didn’t come to breakfast.”

Iris immediately looked worried. “Oh no, did you have plans already?” she whispered. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt them—”

“I asked you to stay for breakfast,” I reminded Iris gently, giving her hand a quick squeeze. “And I didn’t miss anything important. Do you mind if Soren comes in? I can go outside and speak to him if you’d prefer.”

“Oh no, that’s okay. I don’t mind.”

Good. I didn’t say it because I wasn’t entirely proud of the thought, but I wanted someone to see Iris in my space. To see us together. I wanted some kind of external validation that we were… involved.

Or whatever it was that we were.

“Come in!” I called.

He threw open the door impatiently, marching in clearly ready to complain about me skipping breakfast before stopping and observing us in silence for a moment. “Sorry to interrupt.”

“Hi Soren,” Iris said shyly.

“Hello Iris.”

Tilly trotted over and flopped down at his feet, immediately rolling onto her back and exposing her belly.

I didn’t know what that symbolized but it felt vaguely traitorous of her. Was I not the one who was constantly feeding her meat?

Soren lazily flicked a few tendrils of shadows from his fingertips to rub Tilly’s belly, making her tongue loll out happily, and I felt even more betrayed.

Later, I was going to give her the best belly rubs ever so she remembered that I was her favorite Shade.

“Tallulah sent a message to you at breakfast,” Soren told me. “She said Sebastian will be bringing Harlow Miles along to today’s meeting, and wanted to verify that you would be in attendance again.”

He sounded surprised by that. Apparently he wasn’t going to talk me up at all in front of Iris and impress her with my newfound diplomatic skills.

“Of course,” I replied. “It’s starting soon, I think. I should probably head that way.”

“I can head down to the nursery,” Iris volunteered, pushing her plate away.

“Finish eating first,” I instructed, not wanting to rush her. “And you don’t have to. You could come with me? As you pointed out, we’ve made a lot of decisions for you in who you meet and interact with, and that wasn’t fair of us. Of me. And I think it would be valuable for Harlow to meet you.”

“I’d like to meet her too,” Iris agreed with a gentle smile. “And the new arrivals in Elverston House. I’m a little nervous about meeting them, but I think I should.”

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