Kate showed up to clean up the cups and plates left behind. Iris swept them up faster than her and showed a rare stubbornness about wanting to help.
Iris was subjected to the word 'useless' so many times during the last decade that sitting was nothing less than a crime. However, Kate caught her red handed trying to be handsy with the dishes and sent her out of the kitchen.
"Alpha told me that you two were stuck in a forest for an entire night. Catch up on your sleep, don't be so restless. I'll call you for dinner."
Iris was left with no choice. She returned to the silence of her room, her ears still echoing the cheerful complaints of Zachary and the calm responses from Sebastian. Her tongue still carried the hint of sweetness from the tea.
The rest of the afternoon was uneventful f
