[ ❛ ━ ♛ DEADLY SINS ❜ ]

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

Astrid walked into the office, looking around. She sat on the arm rest of the couch with her legs hanging over the edge, facing the woman. She folded her arms, keeping her eyes on her with a careful gaze. She was alert in case she was to do anything. She knew she couldn't trust these people. Not even to tell the truth. She didn't say anything, waiting for the woman to.

[Lᴇᴘᴜs]

Iris-Official
Dear Landlord
Please don't put a price on my soul.
My burden is heavy, dear,
And my dreams are beyond my control,
Oh yes, they are.

"How aware are you of what happened, with one of the recruits escaping?" Iris asked, her tone even. She was hoping the girl would be reasonable regarding the events, and maybe provide some insight on how they were all thinking but she knew her chances were slim.

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

"Someone escaped? I guess your security isn't as good as you thought it was." She had known about the shifter escaping, had seen him, actually. But she wasn't going to help them catch him. So she kept her expression the same, not showing that she knew anything about it and hoped that she couldn't tell. Why should she helped them at all?

[Lᴇᴘᴜs]

Iris-Official
Dear Landlord
Please don't put a price on my soul.
My burden is heavy, dear,
And my dreams are beyond my control,
Oh yes, they are.

Iris held back a scoff. "I was away handling personal affairs, I learned what was happening this morning" She said before pausing, thinking for a moment before fixing her gaze back on the woman. "I am not your enemy. I understand why you would hate me, or any of us for that matter. I can't speak for anyone but myself when I say my main focus is makong this, this entire project, as ethical as it can be as a war. Granted I don't have as much say as I would like, I fully intend to do what is in my power. I need you to tell me what you know about him, honestly, and what him leaving did to impact you and the others. If you don't want to talk to me, you are more than welcome to return to your quarters and I will find someone else" Iris concluded, her tone low. She didn't want to be entirely honest, but she needed to get a hand on the situation before things spiralled.

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

She narrowed her eyes at the woman but didn't say anything. She didn't need to know how she felt. She didn't care. If she did--if any of them did---her and the other shifters wouldn't be trapped here like criminal prisoners.
"I guess you'd better go to someone else, then. I'm not going to help you with anything."

[Lᴇᴘᴜs]

Iris-Official
Dear Landlord
Please don't put a price on my soul.
My burden is heavy, dear,
And my dreams are beyond my control,
Oh yes, they are.

Iris raised an eyebrow but didn't argue, standing
"Fine. But as long as I'm blind, nothing will change, and all of you -especially you, with that attitude- are at the mercy of the others who, frankly, would rather see you dead at the end of this than alive" She said, still speaking quietly before opening the door, gesturing for her to go ahead. If she wanted to be stubborn, fine. She didn't need her assistance, she would figure things out on her own.

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

"Wait." She had gotten up and was moved over to the woman, keeping a safe distance away from her. "I'll tell you anything you want to know, but under one condition. Take me outside. Please. I won't escape. You can put me on chains if you want." She couldn't take the begging out of her voice, or her eyes. She desperately wanted to go outside, not even to escape, but just to feel the wind and breathe in the fresh air. She missed it so much. "I saw him leave. Others might not have."

[Lᴇᴘᴜs]

Iris-Official
Dear Landlord
Please don't put a price on my soul.
My burden is heavy, dear,
And my dreams are beyond my control,
Oh yes, they are.

Iris didn't smile, it hurt some part of her to see what they were doing, and the desperation didn't help so she simply bodded. "Okay. I'm not going to chain you, but if you do run I won't be the one catching you" She said, stepping out the door and heading down the hallway, unlocking a back door. Being in the middle of nowhere had its perks, without a doubt, the tall pines out the back door providing a natural needle-floored canopy being one of those perks.

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

She couldn't believe that she had actually agreed to it. She hoped that it wouldn't turn into something bad. She held her breath as the woman unlocked the door. She stared at the forest when she opened it, in awe at what it looked like. It was amazing. She hesitated at the threshold, afraid that they'd do something to her once she stepped outside. But it was too tempting and before long she was out. She stared up at the sky, and around at the forest, a real smile spreading over her face, the first in a long while. The first smile since she's been here. She breathed in the fresh air, touching a tree with her fingertips, feeling the rough bark. She snuck a handful of pine needles into her pocket, a reminder of the outside. They'd still have their scent for a while after. Being outside seemed to calm her down, the tightness in her muscles relaxing and the crease between her eyebrows smoothing. She was still worried about being caught, since allowing her to go outside was against the rules, but it faded away a little.

[Lᴇᴘᴜs]

Iris-Official
Dear Landlord
Please don't put a price on my soul.
My burden is heavy, dear,
And my dreams are beyond my control,
Oh yes, they are.

Iris was very quiet, standing close to the door and watching Astrid. She stayed like that, silent, for some time before deciding to speak. "I never caught your name" she said, uncrossing her arms. She had managed to keep from glowering, but the amount of time she had spent so far and still had no word from any of the other officials was beginning to irk her.