Page 188 of The Kingdom of Eternal Ice
Epilogue #1 The Mysterious Brother
*FLINN*
My mother makes sure everyone has something hot to drink while we settle in a huge tent we prepared earlier today. We are used to the cold, but none of us likes to spend a whole evening outside, freezing.
Everyone is chatting and talking, while I just have eyes for one person. My mother was very adamant that Endellion and Azadeh should pick a Beta outside of the family. Now her words make more sense.
Kiyan looks pissed off, he always does, I guess that’s his usual expression though. He has dark-brown almost black hair, and a wild beard. He looks deliciously hot and dangerous. Exactly my type.
“Oh, so that’s how it is,” I say, amused.
“Hm?” Alana turns to look at me. “Is something wrong?”
“Not at all,” I smirk. “I’ve always liked a good challenge.” I get up, strolling towards Kiyan. “I’m Flinn,” I introduce myself. “Endellion’s brother. We are triplets.”
“Very funny,” Kiyan grumbles.
I got the one with the attitude, and without any humor, it seems. “Well,” I grin. “I’m just glad it stays in the family.”
“What do you mean?” Kiyan demands to know.
“Oh nothing, just that you are Azadeh’s brother, and it’s nice that you are,” I say lazily.
Flinn,Endellion links Caelan and me at the same time.What are you doing?
It’s good that we still can do that,Caelan says.Talk just the three of us.
I assume Ende can do that with everyone now,I point out.As the king. That said,I pause,wasn’t it part of the peace treaty that King Naseem of the Everlasting Desert sent his daughter here?
Yes,Endellion says, warily.Why?
I was just thinking. Shouldn’t it go both ways? How about an exchange student for the Desert, just to learn from each other?I grin. I don’t trust King Naseem at all, so I don’t need to be sent there as a gift, but for research… I wouldn’t mind at all!You know, deepen our connection.
Endellion stares at me.He is your….
Yep. I got the cranky sibling. I hope you consider yourself lucky.I grin.So, what do you think, King Endellion? How about we get the exchange program going again?
We don’t have an exchange program,Caelan points out.
Duh, that’s the point,I smirk.
Actually, I think that’s not a bad idea,Endellion says.An exchange program…
See, you need me and my awesome ideas.
Don’t act like you thought this through,Caelan points out.
The best plans are spontaneous,I say.But, we can agree to disagree.
I shift my attention back to the man sitting next to me. The way he treats Aza shows his kind side. He is just hiding everything behind his gruff looks and attitude. I think it’s worth trying to get a glimpse behind the façade.
I don’t mind it being a bit of work. The others might not understand, but I’m sure Caelan and Endellion do. We have spent the first twenty years of our life not feeling a bond outside of our family ones. No one can understand the void we felt where the mate bond was supposed to be. All three of us came to terms with taking a chosen mate, since we never had a choice. Now things have changed. We have developed mate bonds. However, unlike my other siblings, I’m not obsessed over it. I’m willing to try it, to win Kiyan over, but if things don’t work out, it won’t kill me to look for a mate on my terms.
“How do you like it here, Kiyan?” I ask.
Well aware of what’s going on, my siblings handed me the task of showing Kiyan around. He has been staying for a few days now, and I’m proud to say that he stopped grunting at me, and instead talks… sometimes. He has some hard walls to crack, but every journey starts with a first step.
“Not bad,” he mutters. “Just cold.”
