Chapter 33: soup and Comedy
Once her conversation with Carla ended, Iris could finally leave. With the majority of the Enforcers having departed, she no longer needed to conceal her comings and goings. The small group that was supposed to stay behind with her wasn’t her concern. She had left clear instructions with Carla to ensure she would properly select those who would remain to guard the children.
As she left the camp, Iris noticed how quickly people had rushed to depart. With their enthusiasm, she wouldn’t be surprised if they reached the Invictus Fortress by tonight.
The meeting point she had arranged with Lucie wasn’t too far from the camp—just distant enough to avoid detection. Among thousands of Initiates, there had to be at least one with a unique power capable of locating them if they weren’t careful.
When she arrived at the forest’s edge, the road and the camp were no longer visible. Of course, if she wished, she could still observe what was happening. But what captured her attention and occupied her thoughts were faint, silent whispers she had noticed as she exited the camp. These echoes weren’t caused by the parasite, but something different—something real, though quite stubborn, which, she had to admit, only made them more endearing. They stirred childhood memories within her.
She hesitated about what to do with them—and more precisely, how her brother would react when they met. She was both eager to see his reaction and filled with slight regret for what she had done. Yet every time she imagined the look on his face, that tiny guilt vanished instantly.
"Well, it’s decided," she concluded, stopping in her tracks so as not to alert the two amateur spies tailing her. "You can stop trying to hide. I won’t stop you from following me, I promise."
Once they emerged from their hiding spots, she resumed her pace.
"Let’s speed up a little. At this rate, the soup will be cold before we get there."
The sun was already at its zenith when Iris reached the rendezvous point.
"You sure took your time!" Lucie was the first to notice her, followed shortly by the others. Among them, Lucie had the best detection and stealth abilities—although, ever since Brenda awakened her resonance, Lucie had likely become second-best in stealth.
"Sorry, I ran into a little setback. To make it up to you, I brought some soup..."
As she opened the container, delicious aromas spread around them, overwhelming even their seasoned professionalism. They didn’t even bother to glance at the two teenagers accompanying Iris.