Page 79 of The Kingdom of Eternal Ice
I raise my head in interest. “You mean someone there has contacts for the cult?”
“That’s what Princess Kilah and Prince Nevyn are convinced about. They are currently talking to the king and the pack witch. So, you’d better be prepared to set out sooner rather than later.”
I feel my spirits rising again. My princess is out there with the triplets, doing her best to uncover the secrets that are connected to her mind. Now it’s on me to prove myself useful too.
twenty-six
The Attacked Pack
*ROYAN*
Iknow I’m an intimidating sight to behold, even on normal days, but Kilah went out of her way to make me look even worse. She has been working on me and Shayan for hours. It was Nevyn’s idea to make us look like criminals, and she was eager to show her skills.
“I always knew your knowledge would come in handy one day, Kilah,” Nevyn says gently. He is the ever so forgiving prince. He never allowed his resentment to rule him.
“Do you really think so?” Kilah asks, smiling proudly at his words. The last weeks have changed her. Kilah has always been the arrogant snarky princess, who looked down on people she deemed less than herself, even on some of her own siblings. Meeting Azadeh and being faced with her own shortcomings has started to change her.
I do think she still has a long way ahead of her, but every change starts with a first step.
“How is it going?” King Gillean’s voice reaches us as he comes into the room. He raises his brows when he sees me. “You look like you jumped out of my nightmare,” he says with a grin.
“I take this as a compliment,” Kilah says before grabbing Shayan’s arm and having him turn to look at the king.
“Goddess,” Gillean heaves in shock. “You look even scarier than Royan, and I thought that impossible. You two look like you are about to rob a whole village and then kill everyone in it.”
“That’s exactly what I was going for,” Kilah says.
“Prince Nevyn thought it would be wise to make me look like a rugged criminal, and Gamma Royan like a disgraced rogue,” Shayan explains.
“And then, Kilah worked her magic,” Nevyn adds. He has tied his long hair back, revealing his soft face. He hates looking so gentle, but it’s his personality, and I don’t think anything is wrong with looking the way he does.
King Gillean beams in pride. “Good work, Nev and Kilah.”
“They look great, don’t they?” Kilah asks.
“Very believable,” Quinn agrees as he peeks into the room as well.
“I was thinking,” Nevyn says, furrowing his brows slightly. “General Shayan is a human and can’t mind link, but maybe Aylin can do something about that, at least for a short period of time? And if not for the general, maybe she has a potion that makes it possible for Royan to use the link over long distances?”
“So, we can keep in contact with him?” King Gillean asks. When Nevyn nods, he smiles at him. “Very good thought, Nevyn.” He turns to nod at his beta, and Quinn hurries away, promising us he’ll be back soon. “Aylin told me she has information on a cultist lurking around in a village close-by,” he tells us.
“How did she find out so fast?”
“I have no idea, and I don’t intend to ask,” he admits. “She has her ways.”
I use this moment to look at Shayan, for the first time, seeing what Kilah did with him. I burst into laughter. “You truly look like someone out of one of Eibhlin’s horror books. Even I would be afraid to cross you in the darkness.”
“I’d say it’s even scary to cross him in daylight,” Nevyn chuckles.
Shayan stretches, furrowing his brows to a grim expression. “How’s that?” he asks.
“Really good,” Kilah says, sounding impressed. “Good that your arm and eye are missing, too. Makes it look more believable.”
Nevyn looks nervous at her words. I can see him opening his mouth as if he wants to say something to ease the tension, but Shayan doesn’t even wince in the slightest. “It’s good to use what we have, and I intend to make the best out of it.”
“You look like a cool pirate,” Nevyn says with a smile. “I know some of my friends said they have a crush on you.”
Shayan looks amused. “Am I not too old to have a crush on?”
