Page 13 of The Kingdom of Eternal Ice
“Sorry,” Tynan says, looking flustered.
“Ah, you are boring, tonight,” she whines.
“You heard him,” Ita intervenes. She sounds firm but I can see her tossing Tynan a curious glance. “Just get moving, everyone.”
She waits for everyone to leave before she turns to look at Simin and me, as we catch up with her. “Is this a town or a pack?” I ask her.
“Both,” she tells me. “Most packs here are self-sufficient, though not all of them are built like a town. This is one of the bigger packs.”
“But they are all under King Gillean?”
“He is their Alpha King,” she verifies.
“The people here, they are really nice,” I tell her quietly.
She smiles. “Are you surprised?”
“I don’t know much about shifters, just what I read in books and what I was taught,” I admit. “I didn’t expect them to be so friendly when they saw me.”
“You thought we would devour you?” Tynan asks as he jogs towards us. I’m surprised he heard us.
“No, that’s not it,” I turn to watch the townspeople who still cheer and wave. “It’s more…this.”
“But, you are a princess,” Ita says surprised. “Surely people everywhere react that way?”
“It’s different,” I say solemnly.
“They have been very excited about your visit,” she tells me. “The Kingdom of Eternal Ice is quite secluded from the other kingdoms and realms, and it’s the first time an actual foreign prince or princess has visited us. To them it’s all very exciting and exotic,” she winks. “You should see them when one of our Triplet Princes visits.”
Tynan rolls his eyes. “It’s like every unmated woman in the town turns crazy then.”
“You are one to talk,” Ita huffs.
“Mates,” I say. “You have said it a few times. It’s the equivalent to a husband or wife?”
“Yes and no,” she explains. “Mates are connected through a bond our goddess gifted us with.”
“So, it’s true?” Simin beams. “I thought it was just a legend. How romantic!”
“That is unless you are mated to a brute like Tynan,” Ita grins.
“Excuse me,” he splutters. “I would make a fantastic mate! I would serenade my mate day and night, and hunt for them, and bring them the fur and head of my prey. And then we would spend the night together just like the goddess made us to.”
“Covered in blood from your hunt?” Shayan asks, much to my surprise. Simin looks a bit flustered, but I can’t help a grin.
“That’s what I meant,” Ita grins at us. “He is barbaric.”
I watch them in awe as they continue to bicker while leading us to an inn.
“And Princess,” Shayan puts his bionic hand on my shoulder, “what’s going through your head?”
“A lot of things,” I admit. “Do they truly know who I am?”
“Of course.”
“Have they heard the rumors?”
He nods.
