Page 161 of The Kingdom of Eternal Ice
“I’m thinking,” I say. “We can’t do anything reckless. We need a plan.”
“So, we are doing something?” she beams.
I want to answer her, but before I can do so, I feel something pushing against my mind. Grabbing my forehead, I try to rub the feeling away.
“What’s wrong? Noemi asks.
“My head hurts, it’s… like something wants to push into my thoughts,” I explain, wincing as another wave of headache hits me. “Hopefully it’s not the witch.”
“Sounds like a mind link,” Noemi muses.
My head snaps up. A mind link? This could only come from the kingdom. “What am I supposed to do?” I ask her.
“You are fighting it,” she says with a smile. “Don’t fight it. Close your eyes, and imagine you have walls all around your mind. Then lower them one by one.”
I hope this won’t be the worst mistake I’ve ever made. Because if this is Penelope, I’m doomed. But then, if it’s someone from the outside, it will change everything. I do as Noemi said, lowering my walls one by one. It’s more difficult than I thought it would be…
“Wow, you are a control freak,” Noemi comments when she sees me struggle. “It would be easier if you had a mate.”
A mate? Her words hit me, and out of nowhere, I start thinking about Tynan. I have tried to shove these thoughts aside ever since I stepped foot into the witch’s lair, but now…
Shayan?
Unexpectedly, thinking of Tynan has lowered my walls, it seems.
Shayan, are you there? It’s me Tynan.
I have to fight hard not to chuckle. Of course, it’s him. I would be able to distinguish his voice from hundreds.Took you long enough, Tynan,I tease.
What!? I’m risking my life here! You almost didn’t let me in, and it could have killed me, you know? This shit is dangerous!
I hide my amusement. He is like a kitten sometimes. Hissy and gruff, and very adorable. And you think I’m not doing anything dangerous here?I ask.
Oh,he goes silent for a few seconds.Right! Are you okay? Did you get hurt?
His worry touches me; he truly is a kind soul.I’m fine. The witch bought my ruse and made me her bodyguard. Tynan, tell the others that she is enchanting old deities and creatures. She awakes them, traps them, and then breaks them.
Azadeh said something similar,Tynan says.
Relief fills me. She is fine, Aza is fine.Did she reach her potential?
You knew?He asks, surprised.
Yes, and no. I knew the stories, and we all knew she was born with the gift. She carried a mole shaped like a sun on her palm. We all knew that every now and then, one or two desert princesses would be blessed, but the knowledge about their powers vanished slowly as they mostly grew up locked away.I pause.I just read a lot.
This is crazy,Tynan ponders.
Yes, but we have more urgent matters at hand,I tell him.Royan is in the dungeons and in grave danger. I’m not sure if he will survive another day! The witch, Penelope, has not made the connection yet that we work together, but I don’t think I will be able to hide it much longer. You need to come fast!
Where to?Tynan asks, clear panic in his voice.
I go ahead and brief him on how Royan and I ended up here.The werebears are a problem, Tynan. They probably have been manipulated and enchanted.
We will get past them,he says.Even if it means having to fight our way through.
I frown. I don’t doubt that they could do it, but I think creating such a huge fuss will alert Penelope.
And it will also cost us important time. There has to be a better way. My gaze shifts towards Noemi. “Noemi,” I ask. “You said you know plenty of hidden passages. Do you know how to cross this area secretly without passing the bears?”
