Page 35 of The Kingdom of Eternal Ice
“Yes, we try to do it with all our pack members,” Endellion explains, a hint of nervousness in his otherwise confident expression. He shifts around, before looking at her. “Do you want to come with me?”
“Wouldn’t that be weird for Ita’s parents?” she asks, sounding a tad unsure.
“Not at all,” Endellion assures her.
Azadeh tilts her head before she nods. “Then, yes, thank you, I will accompany you.”
Her friend Simin decides to stay with Alana while I watch Azadeh and Endellion walk off. Endellion seems to be more nervous than usual, casting careful glances at her and smiling. I can’t blame him; she is indeed a beautiful woman.
“He is so crushing on her,” Alana says aloud what I was thinking.
I snort. “You figure?”
“It’s hard not to see,” she chuckles.
“You mean Prince Endellion likes Aza?” Simin asks curiously, naturally starting to use the nickname as well. She seems to be excited all of a sudden, her shyness completely forgotten as she keeps rubbing her hands against each other with a grin. “Can we set them up? Can we?”
Alana chuckles. “Who knew this would get you out of your shell.”
“Aza is always putting everyone before herself,” Simin says. “I want her to be happy!”
Hearing her makes me remember my father’s words, his test to us as he calls it. He wants us to help Azadeh warm up to us. Is this what he meant? Endellion doesn’t have a mate bond, so if he is interested in her, maybe we could indeed help him.
I frown.
But, if Flinn and I help Endellion and Azadeh set up a date, if she even wants that, then who wins my father’s test?
My wolf, River, stirs inside me.Our old man clearly has other plans, he grumbles.
I’m surprised by his words.Why do you say that?
Because it doesn’t make sense, he groans.Don’t always be so gullible! No one can win his stupid test. It’s impossible. How does he even want to judge who won? Melt the princess’ heart,he said.How does he even figure out when and how that happened? No.I can see him shake his head, his eyes glinting slightly.Father wants one of us to become his successor, and the Desert Princess is the key. But there is something he isn’t telling us.
In what way is she the key though?I watch as Azadeh and Endellion disappear into one of the houses. The home of Ita’s parents, two kind-hearted wolves who are so proud of their daughter for receiving the rank of Gamma.
That we will need to find out,my wolf says.Maybe we should confide in our brothers. Flinn is annoying but cunning, and Endellion is a strategist.
I let his words sink in before I voice my agreement. I don’t know what my father is plotting, but at least the princess is adapting quite well. For now, that’s at least a little success.
twelve
The Dream
*AZADEH*
Walking next to Endellion, I realize he is quite tall, definitely taller than Flinn. His facial structure is even, looking like he jumped right out of a painting. He looks a bit stern but also more composed than Caelan… and those silver eyes.
He smirks. “Do you like what you see, Princess?” he teases.
I try hard not to look flustered. Luckily, I don’t tend to blush even when utterly embarrassed, unlike Simin, whose neck turns red then. “I apologize for staring,” I say quietly. “Of course, you are all very attractive.”
To my surprise, Endellion is the one to look flustered now. He turns his head away and mutters something. I can swear something flashes in his eyes, and for a moment his eye color changes to black.
“How are you doing that?” I whisper. “With your eyes?”
“Goddess,” he groans, the tips of his ears turning slightly red. “You noticed. It’s just… when our eyes change color, it’s our wolves who come forward. Normally, it happens when our emotions are strong, or our wolf is triggered by something… something they like or a threat they feel.”
“Did I upset your wolf?” I ask worriedly, staring right into his silver eyes.
