Page 77 of The Kingdom of Eternal Ice
The ride takes us almost the whole day. We only stop twice for lunch and to take a short rest. When we finally reach the Raon-Deighe pack, I feel like I can’t even move a finger anymore. The guys halt their horses, and Flinn is the first to dismount and come to help me. “You look absolutely dead, Azadeh.”
I can’t even argue, as I’m about to drop down from my horse in exhaustion.
“The last part was too long,” Flinn says. “Wait, I-”
“No,” Endellion interrupts him, possessiveness clear in his voice. Something flashes in his eyes, but soon he is back to normal. “I mean, allow me.”
Flinn doesn’t react the least bit insulted. Instead, his gaze softens and he steps aside for Endellion. The latter silently helps me down from Enora and catches me easily. I feel his arm beneath my knees and his other arm around my back as he carries me. This is the second time I realize.
“I’m sorry for worrying you,” I say. “Exhaustion truly just kicked in.”
“It’s our fault,” Endellion says bitterly. “We didn’t consider that riding the whole day would be too much.”
“Endellion,” I mutter. “Can we just not do that?”
“Do what?”
“Apologize over and over again,” I sigh as I lean against his warm chest. “I enjoyed this day a lot.”
“Alright.” He smiles. “I already linked the innkeeper. She will prepare a hot bath for you, and then something to eat.”
“But what about Enora?” I say. “She is my horse. I need to make sure she is tended to.”
“Caelan and Flinn offered to help with our horses,” he explains to me. “In the meantime, you will get some rest, and I will make sure we all get something to eat.”
“Right, I forgot I’m traveling with wolves,” I chuckle. “You don’t have stomachs, but endless pits.”
“Nothing I can say against that,” Endellion grins.
He only let me down once the innkeeper showed me my room. It’s a cozy little room with a bed that looks so inviting I want to jump right in and sleep. But, I also want to take a hot bath and then talk to the triplets some more. The fact that we are traveling around and I can see more of their lands makes me so happy. I relax into the steaming hot bath, feeling how my tired muscles relax and my head feels dizzy.
I don’t know how long I stay in the tub. I feel like I might have dozed off. I just wake up to some rustling in my room and a shy voice belonging to a maid, calling to me that she’s prepared some clothes for me.
“Thank you,” I say, dragging my tired body out of the water. I wrap a thick towel around me and peek into the room. “That is very kind of you.”
“It’s nothing.” The shy girl smiles. “I’m happy to help. Dinner is ready whenever you are.”
She retreats out of the room while casting me curious glances. We said we would be traveling incognito, but I doubt it will work for a long period of time. The people here know their princes, and feel their aura. I think we should focus on me staying undetected, instead, rather than them.
The thought of getting something to eat spurs me on and I soon find myself hurrying to the small dining room.
Caelan is already sitting at our table, while Flinn discusses something with the innkeeper. By the way the woman talks to Flinn, how her posture is, it’s clear she already knows who he is. I approach Caelan and sit down. “We weren’t undercover for long, were we?”
Caelan sighs. “Normally, when we travel on our own, we can suppress our aura, so that the regular wolves won’t detect who we are, but I guess because it’s all three of us…”
“This plus the fact that even if they have never met me, they know what you look like. It’s too much of a coincidence to meet three men who resemble the princes,” I say with a smile. “What about me?”
“Ende told them that you are a guest. A cousin of Beta Quinn,” he says.
“And they bought it?” I ask in disbelief. The people in these lands are all white, almost pale sometimes, and my skin tone is bronze. I stick out like a sore thumb.
“Ende told them that you are half human and are from another realm,” Caelan says. “He can be very convincing.”
I smile. “Well, I have no reason not to trust you three.”
Flinn drops down next to me and puts an arm around my shoulder before kissing the side of my head. “We like you too, Aza,” he grins. His grin only grows when Endellion appears and glares at him.
“What’s for dinner?” Caelan asks, completely oblivious to Endellion and Flinn’s little showdown.
