Page 71 of The Kingdom of Eternal Ice
I am in this room since-
No,where are you in reality?This is just a dream place.
He looks at me, surprised, but there is sudden understanding in his eyes.You… you are right, he mutters.Of course, you are right. How could I forget that this isn’t real?
What was the last thing you remember?
The woman in white, he says.And snow… lots of wind…He pauses.Mountains. Fire.
Alright, anything else?I urge.
I have this, he says, showing me a necklace. It’s gold, and on it there is a claw, wrapped around an eye, and three little stars above it. It looks creepy.It’s not mine, he says. It’s just there. He tugs at it to show me how he can’t remove it.
I can feel my senses getting more and more awake, frustrated that I can’t stay longer.I will be coming, I promise. I won’t rest until I know what is going on!
As I feel myself being pulled out of this dream, I can see Favia shift slightly. Her eyes open, and to my surprise, I’m looking into yellow eyes and vertical slit pupils. Her eyes look like a reptile’s.
I jolt awake, and without considering anything further, I jump out of my bed and grab a sheet of paper, scribbling down the medallion Favian wore. Then, I dress swiftly and hurry out of my door. It’s quiet and peaceful, as most people are asleep now. When I see a guard, I approach him. “Please link Royan for me,” I tell him. I’m not scared to head out alone, but King Gillean is worried for my safety, and I don’t want to disrespect him by being reckless or ignoring his wish to protect me.
Royan arrives five minutes later. He hasn’t even dressed properly, just wearing pants. He puts his shirt on while he approaches us. “Princess,” he whispers.
“I apologize for waking you up. Please, come with me,” I tell him. “And don’t ask any questions, please.”
He nods, flabbergasted, but to my relief he just follows me. I lead him away from the castle and towards the path that takes us to the small, secluded cottage. Royan’s surprise seems to grow. “The palace witch?” he asks.
I don’t answer him, just nod, hurrying up the small hill. Once I reach the cottage, I can see Aylin waiting at the door, a bathrobe wrapped tightly around her and a cup of tea in her hands.
“I have expected you,” she says.
“But how?”
“The night was eerie and dark,” she mutters. “And, then suddenly, one single star illuminated the sky.” She pauses. “It means a secret connection happened again, didn’t it?”
I nod. “I talked to Favian again,” I hurry to explain and hand her the sheet of paper. “He is wearing a medallion and can’t remove it. I think it might be binding him.”
Aylin stares at my outline, her eyes widening. “Are you sure this is what you saw?”
“Yes, absolutely. I drew it immediately after I woke up. Do you know it?”
“Damn it, yes!” she exclaims. “Princess of the Sun, this is the first real clue!”
“Should I link the king?” Royan asks.
“Yes, do so, and ask him to come here.” Aylin takes my hand and leads me inside. “Come, little Princess, you must be freezing,” she says surprisingly affectionately, while ushering me towards her kitchen table. Her cottage is small yet cozy, and this time, I let my eyes wander over everything curiously. There are lots of books and charms everywhere, dream catchers and herbs.
“Here you go,” she hands me a cup of tea and sits down next to me.
It’s not even ten minutes later that King Gillean and Royan enter the cottage. Before I can say something, Aylin looks at Gillean. “It’s the cultists of the all-seeing eye.”
“Are you sure?” Gillean exclaims.
“Yes, Azadeh saw a medallion that binds Favian’s powers or existence or life force, and it had their symbol on it.”
“There is more though,” I point out. “When I was about to return, Favia opened her eyes…. And I swear they looked like a reptile’s eyes.”
Aylin and Gillean both stare at me in shock. “Are you certain?” Aylin asks earnestly.
“Yes, Favia’s eyes turned yellow, and they just looked like a crocodile’s eyes for the lack of a better comparison. Vertical slits instead of a round pupil.” I pause. “The pupil was a bit broader than that of a crocodile, though, and it was a glowing yellow, but other than that it reminded me of a reptile.” I look at them curiously. “What’s so special about it?”
