Page 88 of The Kingdom of Eternal Ice
Flinn seems to think the same because he just looks at the sky and smiles. “We are having a lot of sunny days recently.”
“Isn’t that normal?” I ask.
“No, usually we have a lot of snowstorms around this time of the year,” he grins. “I’m not complaining, though. I love that it’s sunny.”
“You would love the Everlasting Desert, then,” I say.
“Maybe you brought the sun along with you?” Endellion says. It would have been a cheesy line if it weren’t for his gentle smile and the warmth in his eyes.
Flinn looks like he is about to roll his eyes and say something sassy, fortunately Caelan saves the day, appearing at the right moment. “Let’s go,” he says. “The innkeeper said the witch, Erin, is living at the edge of the pack. Apparently, she likes her privacy.”
“Can we trust her?” I ask.
“The pack members here do,” Caelan states with a frown. “Who knows? Hopefully Aylin isn’t playing us.”
“I wouldn’t put it past her,” Flinn chuckles.
“Aylin is loyal,” Endellion tells me. “But she does like her games.”
“Let’s see for ourselves then,” I suggest. Caelan nods and leads the way towards a cottage at the border of the pack. Unlike Aylin’s, it looks less fancy and a tad more old-fashioned. Pretty much like I would have imagined what a witch lives in.
Before we have even arrived at her door, an older woman opens it. “I have been expecting you,” she says with a smile.
I look at her thoughtfully. Her eyes and her nose remind me of… “You are related to Aylin?” I ask.
“You have sharp eyes, my child,” she chuckles. “Aylin is my niece. My name is Erin, and I’m happy to finally meet four of the six people who are supposed to change fate.”
Endellion rolls his eyes. “Games. I told you so.” I can feel how tentative and skeptical he is, and in a sudden burst of instinct, I reach out to touch his arm. He looks at me, surprised, but then smiles. He takes my hand with his, squeezing it slightly while he leads me inside. Caelan and Flinn follow us, and to my surprise, none of them utters a word. They just exchange a curious gaze but remain quiet.
Inside the cottage, Erin shuffles off to prepare tea for us. “You know the prophecy?” Flinn breaks the silence.
She nods. “It seems like you uncovered some truths,” she says. “I don’t want to know any details, though. It's better not to know too much if I’m not directly involved.”
“Can you help me open my mind?” I ask her when she returns with the tea. “For me to reach out to someone who visits me in my dreams?”
“You want more control over it?” Erin asks.
I nod. “At the moment, it’s just when I’m between sleeping and waking that they come to me, and our minds connect. I need to be able to reach out to them on my own.”
“We can do that,” she says. “But it means your mind will be more vulnerable.”
“What does that mean?” Endellion asks. “Will it hurt her?”
“No, but it means we are going to lower her walls, and there will be no protection anymore.” She pauses. “The mind is not a door you can just open and peek through. It’s much more complicated, and the princess has a strong mind. Lowering her walls will open more doors than just one for her.”
“It has to be done though,” I say before anyone else can argue with her. “I will need to learn how to put up my walls myself.”
“That’s the goal,” Erin says, sounding content. “And the right spirit. So, without further ado,” she turns to the guys. “You three have to leave.”
I almost snort into my tea at the expression on the triplets’ faces. Caelan looks like he is willing to put up a fight, Endellion like he wants to grab me and run, and Flinn like he wants to throw something at Erin.
Erin sighs. “She needs quiet to focus.”
“We will be quiet,” Caelan argues.
“No one can concentrate with three guys staring a hole into your head,” she deadpans, making me laugh.
“It’s alright. Aylin wouldn’t have sent us to Erin if she didn’t trust her,” I calm them.
