Page 48 of The Kingdom of Eternal Ice
Alana giggles while Azadeh looks at us, confused. Endellion whispers something into her ear, making her laugh softly. She sits down next to the general, his stern face softening when he sees her. Aza refers to him as her family. I’m not sure how her family life truly was before she came here, but I doubt it was a happy one.
She is smiling a lot tonight, Endellion links me and Flinn.
She seems to be comfortable around us; I agree.But doesn’t that mean we have melted her heart? Or however Dad voiced it.
Yes, even without looking at us, I can see Flinn’s eye roll.Trust the old man to be sly.
So, you also believe something is up?Endellion asks.
Wait a moment…I pause.Does this mean we all have the same thought?
Whatever our father wants from us… it’s not as simple as having the princess be comfortable around us,Endellion points out calmly.There is more to it. I just don’t know what he truly wants.
Trust the sly, old man not to share his true intention, I growl, not able to hide how annoyed I am. I love my parents, but both of them tend to talk in riddles and play their games. I, for one, hate games and just like things to be straightforward.
I normally like a good prank, Flinn says.But I have to agree with you on this. Melt the heart of a maiden… I can’t believe that he spouted so much nonsense.
Maybe he meant it literally?I ask.Like melting the snow or something.
Flinn stares at me.Are you serious? Not even you can be so-
Flinn, Endellion interrupts him sharply.
Flinn takes a deep breath.I don’t think so, he says. I bet it’s a metaphor for something we don’t understand yet.
There is no use in overthinking it, Endellion says.We don’t know what our parents are up to. I originally thought he just came up with this on the spur of the moment, but now I think he has planned it for much longer.
Azadeh is the key, Flinn agrees.We just don’t know what she is the key to.
I take my place next to Ita, looking at my extended family. At least it’s going to be an enthralling few months now.
sixteen
The Two Sides of aCoin
*AZADEH*
It’s the moment between sleeping and waking that I see them again. This time I don’t waste any time in asking and wondering and questioning, what I see. I just force my mind to approach them. The woman is sleeping, but the man keeps looking at me.
His pale face and tired eyes light up faintly.
The Princess of the Sun.
Hello Favian, I say.
You remember my name, he says, surprised.
You told me, so of course I remember. I look him up and down carefully before gazing towards the woman sleeping next to him.Who is she?
Favia, he says.
I blink, almost expecting him to be joking, but nothing indicates that he is making fun of me.Are you twins?
It’s not that simple, he says.We are two sides of a coin. We look like twins, but weren’t born by the same mother, and yet our fate is intertwined.
Who are you?I demand.And what do you need from me?
I don’t know anymore…he says quietly.I don’t know how you can help us. We haven’t left this room in so long.
