Iris's blood was his, but sweeter. It gave her the great gravity of their bond, but also the nuance of painting perfect realities for her master. There was an ache in the soft thrum of her heartbeat that begged for affirmation, but his nostalgia had also whispered the whole of Naella to her. Or, the whole of Naella that he had come to believe in. It left her turning her face away from him and flinching when he squeezed her tighter. A gentle and wordless denial of the things that would slip past her lips like too much wine and heady smoke. "I love you, Brother." she said, like it was a thin excuse. Naella's blue gaze looked clouded with the daunting task he'd given her. How dare he demand such honesty from his good sister? "I didn't want to stop you. I was glad that you wanted to." She said the words so very carefully, the way his sister would when she wanted to be understood just so.<br/><br/>Iris looked back at him, again with those dazzling summer skies. "I know that it's not right for me to feel that way, but you made me feel worthwhile." She said. What a lovely admission. She was giving him the sort of expression that said she expected something of him now. Something worth holding her breath over. Trepidation, maybe, but also anticipation. Iris could wear Naella's conflict better than Naella could herself, but that was because the conflict was so sickeningly real for the Nymph. It didn't matter how chaste his sister might really have been, or how she might have been paralyzed in confusion and grief as she lay in her brother's bed. If Kedrick could dream of such a sweet conflict twisting Naella's petal pink lips, it would gloss Iris's kiss.<br/><br/>She squirmed in his grip. "I'm sorry if that's what's been upsetting you so much, but I didn't know what to say." She furrowed her brow. "What am I supposed to say, really?" She laughed a little helplessly. "Doesn't it make me repulsive?" she asked. She knew it did not. It could not, though she was certain he could wallow in Naella's shame for an eternity. Had he not realized that appetite? It was good to be someone else's demon. That was what his blood had sang. He'd revel in it if she could give him the chance. Naella's cheeks colored rosy. "Why did you want to?" she asked, though she knew that answer as well as he'd known what he'd wanted from hers.<br/><br/>Iris could feel her heart beat a little faster at that small challenge she offered. Would he love her as Naella the way he'd loved her as Greta? It made her warm, and the nymph seemed to have forgotten that he'd raged at her for the pleasure. It was difficult to separate the things she was forbidden from, when so many of them were outlets he craved. Even berating her made her tremble in such a confused way. Fear, because her greatest horror would be to displease him, but pleasure too, because there was satisfaction in threatening punishment. She could sense it in him, and so she craved it also. She licked her lips and took a deep breath. "Were you comforting me, Brother?"