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“It’s perfect,” Liz said. “Dual purpose.”
“That’s what I thought.” Eli was definitely pleased with Liz’s feedback, and Iris leaned over to kiss his cheek.
“I agree. I’d use it,” Sally added. “I mean, honestly, I don’t need it now that I found all of you. And Ethel. But…”
“He gets your intent,” Rowan reassured her.
“It’s not a bad idea,” Henry Dale said, like the compliment pained him.
“Who wants pie?” Mira asked.
Iris groaned. She wanted some, but there was no room in her belly. “I think I need an hour or so. Let’s stream something while we digest.”
Eli gently took her hand, drawing her attention. “I thought you might like to fly?”
Oh. My. God.
“Cancel that,” she said at once. “I’m going out with Eli.”
“In the car or on the wing?” Rowan wanted to know.
“Wing,” Eli called over his shoulder, already hustling Iris toward the stairs.
“We’ll be back soon!”
The others continued to talk amongst themselves. As Iris raced up the stairs behind Eli, shedefinitelyheard Liz flirting with Mira. “I ship those two so hard,” she whispered as they went into Eli’s room.
“Liz and Mira? When she first got here, she said Mira was gorgeous—in the web comic—but I had no idea she actually planned to go for it in real life.”
“Right? I so admire her drive.”
Eli grinned. “What can I say? Liz wants what she wants.”
“It was nice of you to let her stay in your rental.” These days, Eli was back in his old room, letting Liz make use of the apartment while she was here.
“That just made sense. I hope she moves like she’s been talking about,” he added.
Iris gave him a sultry smile. It felt like foreplay when they slowly stripped, but instead of tumbling to the bed, they swooped out the open window. She couldn’t understand his hawkish cries in this form—maybe if she was a natural shifter and not fae, she could—but it didn’t matter. The joy in his wild dips and swoops told the whole story. Eli was alive for the first time, sharing everything with her as she shared everything with him. He’d never been up here with anyone before, and he said it was the biggest gift she could’ve given him.
And for Iris, it was more than enough, knowing nobody else could make him happier, as that was all she wanted in the world. She still didn’t talk to her old “family” apart from Olive and Dad; like Rowan, she was happier having purged them from her life.
Success wasn’t about money, after all. It never had been. And she would continue to share her life with Eli because she chose to. And they’d solve problems together, with nobody taking all the weight alone.
I love you,she sang to Eli in shrill, hawkish tones.
With all her heart, she sent thanks to Rain and Fen for creating her and giving her a life that she cherished, even if the path to happiness had sometimes been rocky.
But all of that badness led me here, so I wouldn’t change a thing.
Eventually, Eli could tell Iris was getting tired.
She wasn’t as used to long flights, and it took real effort for her to maintain that form. Though she could shift, she considered her human shape the “real” one, so he worried about her losing focus and plummeting from the sky. Since he wouldn’t survive losing her for good, he kept their flights relatively short.
In his room, she arched and stretched, giving him a scorching stare. While ordinarily he’d be all for taking her to bed, he heard soft footfalls; then a knock sounded. Rowan spoke. “Uh, not to interrupt, but Rain and Fen are here.”
“We’re getting dressed,” Iris called.
“TMI!” Rowan shot back.
