“He was lost,” Jorvan said. “And so was I. It was good that we...I believe Meleng called it, ‘team up’.” The Isyar was standing behind Meleng and Corvinian, who were seated with the others around the fire. Everyone, except Jorvan, was shivering from the cold.

Felitïa was shivering for other reasons as well, but at least she could blame the cold.

“I have a way of getting distracted,” Meleng said. The flickering shadows on his face in the dark made it hard to tell his expression, though his statement had sounded somewhat sheepish.

Not being able to sense his emotions terrified Felitïa. Which was weird because her powers did wane from time to time. There were many times when she couldn’t sense others’ feelings. Yet this was different. It was the length of time it had gone on. A day after Corvinian’s powers had done whatever they’d done, her abilities still weren’t back.

Her eyes fell to Corvinian. She’d been doing that a lot without even realising it. The fire mostly obstructed him, making his physical presence seem almost like his non-existent mental presence. Felitïa shivered some more.

“We travel together ever since,” Jorvan said.

“Meleng,” Corvinian said, “can you make the fire bigger? I’m still cold.”

“I...I guess I could try. Just give me a moment.” Meleng fidgeted for his bag.

“You sure that’s a good idea, kid?” Zandrue said. “Remember what happened to those books.”

“The books were a miscalculation,” Meleng said. “I just need to double-check some equations.”

Jorvan laid a hand on Meleng’s shoulder. “I will do it.”

“Good idea.” Zandrue smirked and nudged Felitïa with her elbow.

Jorvan began to raise his arm, but stopped. “Why do you disparage him?”

“Who me?” Zandrue said. “I’m just teasing.”

“Teasing?” Jorvan said.

“Yeah, making light-hearted fun. You weren’t there. He tried to make some books float, but they exploded instead. It was kind of funny. I’m just having a little fun.”

“It is cruel.” Jorvan raised his arm in a gentle arc, and the fire grew brighter and hotter.

“Okay, fine.” Zandrue looked to Felitïa and rolled her eyes. She mouthed something, but Felitïa couldn’t make it out. The brighter fire had also created more shadows.

Although Felitïa didn’t need her telepathy to tell that Zandrue was annoyed, it still terrified her that she couldn’t sense it.

“It’s okay, Jorvan,” Meleng said. “I know I’m not very good. I mean, she’s right. I couldn’t even make some books float.”

“I thought it was cool,” Corvinian said.

“Do not disparage yourself,” Jorvan said. “You had poor instruction, but you still manage. This shows you are good. In time, you will go far, especially if you get good instruction.”

“Yeah, but where am I going to get good instruction?”

“If you do not, you will work things out alone. You are doing that. You are very intelligent.”

Meleng shrugged. “I suppose. Asa, I don’t suppose there might be someone in Quorge who could offer me a little extra instruction? I mean, I don’t have much to offer in return, but, well...”

“There aren’t a lot of enchanters, but I do know someone who might be able to help. I want to consult him about Corvinian anyway, so I can introduce you.”

“Thanks! That would be great.”

“I suppose I should mention...” Felitïa’s eyes fell on Corvinian again and she shivered. Had she lost her abilities for good?

“Suppose you should mention?” Zandrue prodded.

Felitïa looked away from Corvinian. “Yes, my, uh...my name isn’t Asa. Well, it is. It’s my middle name. But my first name is actually Felitïa.” She waited for their responses. The bigger fire now made it virtually impossible to see their facial reactions.

“Which one do you want?” Jorvan asked. “I know humans sometimes have many names.”

“In Quorge, it will need to be Asa, but we still have a long way to go before we get there. Amongst ourselves, you can call me Felitïa.”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“As you wish,” Jorvan said.

“Why did you introduce yourself as Asa then?” Meleng asked. “And why do we need to use it in Quorge? Is it something to do with the missing princess? You’re not the missing princess, are you? No, if she was still alive, she’d be in her mid-twenties now, I think. I was really young when she disappeared, only three or four, I think.”

Zandrue started to laugh, put her hand over her mouth, and snorted instead.

“What?” Meleng said.

Zandrue pointed at Felitïa. “Just what age do you think she is?”

“I don’t know. Mid-... Oh.”

Felitïa looked to Rudiger. “See? That’s the reason I don’t tell people.”

Rudiger shrugged. “Bet things would’ve gone different if you’d just given them the name Felitïa from the start.”

Felitïa sighed. “Perhaps.” She looked at Corvinian again, blinked several times from the fire, then looked back to Meleng. “Yes, I’m Princess Felitïa. In Quorge, everybody knows me as Asa because I needed to go by a different name when I ran away. Felitïa might not be a unique name, but at the time, going by it could have brought greater scrutiny and I couldn’t risk that. Now, I keep going by it to not reveal to people I’ve been lying to them all these years. Although I use Felitïa with my closest friends, I’ve used Asa for so long, it’s become habit. That’s why I introduced myself originally as Asa. But you were bound to hear Felitïa at some point and that would create questions, so I figured I should just be open about it.”

She couldn’t see Meleng’s and Jorvan’s expressions. Were they angry at her? Disappointed? Did they hate her now?

Gods, she wanted her abilities back!

“I confess I do not understand human princesses and kings and queens,” Jorvan said, “so I do not understand why you...give different names. But I call you what you want.”

“Me too,” Meleng said.

Felitïa forced a smile, though they probably couldn’t see it. “Thank you.”

“So,” Meleng said, “what happened? I mean, obviously you weren’t killed. Were you kidnapped? If you were, how did you get away? I’ve got a ton of questions.”

“I ran away.” Felitïa looked at Corvinian again. She could hear the eagerness in Meleng’s voice, but she couldn’t feel it, and she wanted to. She held back tears.

“How did you pull it off?”

Felitïa shivered. Her teeth chattered. “If you don’t mind, I’m...uh...I’m going to turn in. I’ll answer your questions tomorrow, okay?”

“Uh, sure.”

Felitïa stood up, turned away, and did her best not to run to her tent, but just walk and look calm. Once inside, she wrapped herself in her blankets.

Zandrue arrived a couple minutes later. “You all right?”

Felitïa shook her head. “They’re not coming back, Zandrue. My abilities, they’re gone.”

Zandrue sat down beside her and hugged her close. She lay in Zandrue’s arm for the next several hours before finally drifting to sleep.

* * * * *

She woke angry, wanting to hit something. She struck out with her foot, only pushing blankets away from her and letting the cold air at her.

Wait. Why was she angry? Who or what was she angry at?

She rubbed her eyes and blinked several times. Focused.

It wasn’t her anger. It was Zandrue’s.

It was Zandrue’s!

Never before had Zandrue’s anger made her so happy.

Felitïa grabbed her cloak. She hadn’t changed clothes before sleeping, so no need to dress. She wrapped the cloak around her, opened the tent, and stepped outside.

Zandrue was standing just outside glaring across the snow at Jorvan and Meleng.

“What’s wrong?” Felitïa asked.

Zandrue’s lip curled. “That damn Isyar. All I did was make one little joke.”

“About Meleng?”

Zandrue rolled her eyes. “Well, okay, yes, but...”

“Maybe don’t!” Felitïa snapped.

“Oh come on, Felitïa. It was just a joke.”

“A joke they clearly don’t appreciate. Maybe you should think about that!”

Zandrue scowled. “What’s gotten into you?”

Felitïa grinned. “You have!”

“Huh?”

“Your anger is making me angry! Isn’t it wonderful?”

The confusion that had briefly emanated from Zandrue ebbed away. “You mean...?”

Felitïa nodded. “They’re back! My abilities are back! And I couldn’t be happier! And strangely angrier.” She grabbed Zandrue’s hand. “Come on, let’s go apologise to Meleng and Jorvan.” She pulled, but Zandrue didn’t budge. “Oh come on, Zandrue, it won’t hurt you to make a little apology.”

“Felitïa.”

Felitïa looked back at her.

Zandrue was pointing at her feet, which were completely covered by snow and ice. “He encased me in ice. I can’t get my feet out of my boots. He said he’d release me when we’re ready to leave.”

Felitïa pushed Zandrue’s anger aside and laughed.

“It’s not funny!”

Felitïa shook her head. “If you say so.”

“It’s not!”

Felitïa laughed again. “It is a little.”

Zandrue sighed, her anger ebbing. “Okay, maybe a little. But not when you’re the recipient.”

Felitïa patted her shoulder. “Maybe think of that when you tease Meleng.” She kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll go talk to Jorvan.”

She walked a few paces before turning back to face Zandrue. “They’re back!” She spun back round and ran—more stumbled—through the snow to Jorvan.