Page 14 of The Kingdom of Eternal Ice
“I’ve been more prejudiced towards them than they towards me,” I say.
“You didn’t know better,” he says.
“But what about the king and his children?” I want to know. “Certainly, it’s going to be different once we are with the nobility.” My chest churns at the thought of once again being confined to a castle without being allowed to go outside and meet other people.
Shayan tilts his head. “Why don’t you just wait and see?”
six
Secret Powers
*AZADEH*
The inn we stay in is a cute and comfortable little place. It’s nothing like the palace I grew up in; there is no luxury, but it feels much more homely. The innkeepers, an elderly couple, and their adult daughter with her mate keep it cozy, warm and welcoming.
Ita looks at me and Simin worriedly, while the old lady rushes off to retrieve some warm clothes and blankets. “Had I known you would come dressed like this, I would have brought clothes for you.”
“Unfortunately, we don’t have thick clothes in the Everlasting Desert,” I tell her.
She blinks. “Does it never get cold… at all?”
“It’s always hot,” I smile.
“Why am I even surprised?” Ita grins. “After all, it’s called the Everlasting Desert. Here, on the contrary, it’s always cold.”
“Speaking of cold.” The male innkeeper approaches Simin and me and offers both of us a huge bowl of soup. “Have something warm to eat, you two. You must be freezing.”
He is right. Now that I have something warm to eat and am covered in a blanket, I realize how cold I truly felt outside.
Being surrounded by food and warmth makes me wonder about someone else, though.
“What about Royan?” I ask Ita. “He has been in his wolf form all this time. Won’t he be hungry?”
“I will bring him some food later,” she promises.
“I can do that,” I offer. “I haven’t met him yet, despite the fact he was sent here to protect me. It doesn’t feel right not to introduce myself.”
I expect Shayan and Ita to be against it, but to my surprise they just look at me like I grew a second head. Shayan seems honestly flabbergasted, while Ita smiles brightly. “The triplet princes will be crazy about you,” she grins.
“Sorry?” I blink.
“Nothing,” she smiles. “I think Royan would love it if the princess came in person to greet him! He is staying away because he fears he might scare you.”
“I’m going to live with wolves,” I tell her. “I may as well start to get used to them now.”
Before I can go anywhere, though, they pack me into a warm jacket and a thick scarf until I feel like a puffed-up pillow. “Tynan and I will come with you, of course,” Ita says.
“I will come too,” Shayan says and gets up. “Simin is safe here. We don’t need to worry.”
I nod, actually feeling relieved that I have company and, together with my little group, I make my way out of the inn and back through town. As usual, my own warriors ignore me, but this time, I don’t really mind. I have my eyes set on a new goal, namely, a dark gray wolf pacing around the town.
Much to my surprise, Royan seems to be expecting us. He is sitting close to a tent, hidden behind a few huge rocks.
“How did he know?” I whisper toward Ita.
“I mind linked him,” she explains. “The three of us are part of the royal guards, which is the same as being from the same pack.”
“Right, I’ve read about this. It’s fascinating that you can communicate that way.”
