Flames Of Redemption

88

Regan finished fast because she didn't want to waste anymore time here. And she had to know where Iris was. But it seemed unlikely she had gotten caught. Because Sirius would've been informed by then.

"So, what's gotten into you?" Sirius asked weirdly, his tone confused, "Why aren't you talking?"

Regan struggled for words, for saying what she wanted to say. She felt like a fool, acting like she was being soft and cooperative. She knew she had to play along for now, but it was getting on her nerves. "I...I wanted to see what is like outside the....I mean behind the gate," she finally stuttered. But she forced herself to.

Sirius's expression was confused, not really believing the way she was acting. She wouldn't speak like that. Or maybe it was just one of those rare moments where she acted differently.

"Behind the gate, huh? Isn't the air here enough for you? And besides, you've seen before what lays behind the gate. And you've ended up in the dark forest, attacked by terrifying monsters."

His words struck when Regan remembered when she left with Artemis and stumbled upon those terrifying beasts. She had suspected Sirius knew about it since then.

"I don't want to go in the forest. I....I just wanted to have a walk. At least, around here," she said, trying to sound convincing.

"Fine. But you're going to have your walk with me, darling," Sirius declared, standing up from his chair.

But before Regan could do the same, she remembered something dreadful. She remembered when she heard Vesper telling a maid instructions about poisoning her. And she had already eaten food. What if it was poisoned?

"What's wrong?" Sirius asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Nothing," she blurted and stood up to reluctantly follow him.

He led her through the garden and Regan's heart was pounding with panic, both from what she ate and from where Iris could be. He wasn't talking either, his expression blank.

"So where do you wanted to go?" he finally asked.

"Just around," Regan muttered.

But then, just then, as she rounded a corner, she saw Iris hiding behind a bush. Iris's gaze catched hers and their eyes widened. Iris was probably going to yell, but Regan quickly shook her head and grabbed Sirius's arm, pulling him in the opposite direction. Sirius stumbled slightly, surprised by her sudden movement.

"Where to, kitten?" Sirius asked, his tone amused but also curious.

"I....I want to sit somewhere," she said, pointing to a bench nearby.

"Alright," Sirius agreed, his tone still laced with amusement. He led her to the bench and sat down, stretching his arms out along the backrest. Regan's panic was broken for a moment by embarrassment. She sat on the edge of the bench, trying to stay as far from him as possible.

But he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. Regan tensed immediately, her heart pounding even faster. "What the hell are you doing?" she demanded, trying to push him away.

Sirius smiled, his eyes filled with a mixture of amusement and mischief as he leaned closer, "The old Regan is back, I see. I was beginning to think you'd been replaced by a doppelganger. And...do you even know what you're still wearing?"

Regan's eyebrows furrowed and she looked down at her clothes. But then it hit. Was he talking about her wearing the clothes of his army? That realization hit like a ton of bricks. She should've changed her clothes.

But she hadn't even thought about it. Even before, she was preoccupied with the fact that her clothes were clean and her hair was styled, not with the fact that she was wearing his army's uniform.