Page 151 of The Kingdom of Eternal Ice
“We still need the dragons, though,” Rona states.
Penelope turns around, her fiery red eyes glare at her when she slaps her. “Do you think I don’t know that, impertinent fool!?”
I hate Rona with a passion, but I can’t help but feel pity for her at that moment. She looks up at her sister and follows her like a little pup, and she is easy to manipulate. It doesn’t take away what she did, but her chances in life were limited.
“There are still dragons?” I ask to take Penelope’s attention away from her sister.
It seems to work because she shifts her attention back to me. “Yes, a few of them… hidden somewhere. Most of them went into hiding, but they aren’t of interest to me.” She frowns. “Just one I need. The dragon prince, the golden dragon, the heir to the throne. Only he has the power to gift shifter spirits. Imagine how powerful it would make us to have him follow me. He just needs to wake up, and I will put a spell on his mind.” She balls her hands into fists. “It will only work if he wakes up, though. I can’t put a spell on him while he is asleep. I tried it already. I need him with his mind fully capable and not broken. Cailleach is trying to invade his mind daily, to corner him, to make him wake up, but that little shit slips through our fingers all the time.”
By now, I have put two and two together. This young dragon she is talking about is probably the one Azadeh meets in her dreams.
“I’m sure you will be successful,” I tell her. “You have clearly put a lot of work and patience into this.”
“You are right,” she says, calming down a bit. “I’ve waited so long, I will just need to wait a bit longer.” She smiles dreamily. “Just imagine what I will do with all this power. I will rule this world, and the beautiful wolf princes will be mine. I will make them my slaves. Them, and the little princess they invited into their lands. She is truly special. Her beauty is one of a kind.”
My blood runs cold, and I have to battle my instincts not to lunge at her. No one will lay hands on Azadeh! I push my feelings down, though. If I attack her now, clearly I won’t stand any chance.
To my surprise, Penelope turns her head slightly. “Oh, they are back already.”
“They?” I ask.
“The men Rona sent to Roy’s secret little pack,” she smirks. “This will be interesting. Come with me, the both of you.”
Rona looks almost fearful, but follows her sister. Stripped of any other option, I follow the two women, too. I toss one last gaze towards the creature, trying to convey with my eyes that I will try everything to save it.
Cù Sìth tilts its head and looks at me curiously.
Back in the huge mansion, we are greeted by a few men who look completely roughed up. Penelope doesn’t seem to be surprised.
“There was no pack, but a blizzard,” one of them stutters. “And, a wild bear. We failed you, Madame Penelope.”
“No, you did everything right,” she smirks. “Go and have something to eat.”
“Really?” They look up at her, relief in her eyes.
When they hurry away, she frowns. “Fools. They won’t see another day.”
“Do you want me to poison their drinks, as usual?” Rona asks carefully.
“No, I need you to follow me.” She nods towards a guard. “He will do what he needs to do.”
The guard follows the few men who just returned. How can she be so cruel without even showing an ounce of remorse? A life doesn’t mean anything to her.
I’m soon getting distracted again, though, as Penelope leads us to the dungeons. To… to… Royan! My heart stops beating for a moment when I see him, and I’m glad I’m standing behind Penelope at that moment, so she can’t see my face. He looks… horrible. He is bleeding out of several wounds, his back is drenched in blood, his hand seems to be broken, and his leg, too.
“The guards just returned him from a second round of questioning,” Penelope says sweetly. “So?” She turns towards Rona. “A pack in the north in the Silent Forest?”
Royan laughs silently, though there is not much strength in his voice. It sounds more like he is gurgling. “Do you think that’s funny?” Penelope asks sharply.
“Yes,” he says.
“I do, too,” she answers, to my surprise.
“You really thought I was stupid enough to fall for the same trick twice?” Royan sneers.
“No,” she says shortly. “I think you are stupid, but not that stupid.”
She turns her head to Rona again, before reaching out her hand, and like a knife, moving her fingernails over Rona’s face, cutting a long gash from her eyebrow down to her chin.
