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24 The Lying Cook

Author: Anna Potapenko
last update Last Updated: 2025-11-19 20:59:01

After changing into clean clothes, I stepped in front of the mage. He looked me over silently, then walked deeper into the cave, telling me to follow. And we were definitely not heading back to our camp—we were going in the opposite direction, lit by a torch that had appeared in his hand from who-knows-where.

“Where are you taking me?” I finally let curiosity win. “This cave is so deep… like a real labyrinth.”

“The Shinir Caves are a chain of interconnected caverns,” the brunette explained. “Long ago, the ancient Shinir lived here—a short people with highly developed trade. They connected many caves into a complicated labyrinth of rooms and tunnels. They did this so that thieves wouldn’t be able to reach them and steal the wealth their settlement earned. Plenty of those seeking easy profit died in here, because the Shinir themselves were not a warlike people at all. In battle, they posed no threat whatsoever. They were as defenseless as children. But thanks to their intelligence, they
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  • No Escape From Fate    160

    “But that was before the two of you opened up to each other,” my friend tries to reason with me. “I’ve read your books too, in case you forgot, and it says there that to break the curse you need a powerful feeling! And for it to be the strongest and truly effective, it has to come from both sides! Without his strong feelings for you, you wouldn’t have been able to lift the curse,” Io says gently, trying to comfort me.“I don’t know, Io. I don’t know anything anymore,” I wipe my tears with my sleeve. “That was true because she wasn’t here. But now that Bahira has appeared, his old feelings might flare up again—they never went anywhere.”“That damn pest!” the brunette snaps angrily. “Couldn’t she stay in the afterlife? If she died, she should’ve stayed a fine layer of ash!”“Turns out I’m the one who pulled her back,” I start sniffling again. “Did myself a real favor, didn’t I.”“You need to talk to Karadeylis,” Iolanta insists, and I know she’s right—but… I’m so afraid of that conversa

  • No Escape From Fate    159 The Extra One

    I never thought that a single word could make my soul grow this cold. I hear my heart pounding somewhere in my ears, leaping into my throat the moment I realize who it is.“Kays!” Bahira looks at my fiancé with emotion, anguish, and pain—and with tears, she rushes into his arms.The brunette stands frozen in mute shock, staring at the girl in his embrace in disbelief—then wraps his arms around her tightly in return.Inside me, everything snaps in that very second. The vilest, most repulsive feeling spreads through my body like a slow poison, seeping into every organ, every living cell of my existence, extinguishing the light within.And this isn’t jealousy. Not anger. Not the all-consuming despair that crashes over me in a second wave.It’s the feeling that you don’t belong.That you are extra.“Iza…” I faintly hear Iolanta address me softly, with worry. “Are you okay?”“Ah…” I’m as if in a trance—none of what’s happening feels real. I turn my lost gaze to my anxious friend.“Iza,” th

  • No Escape From Fate    158

    We left the king’s chambers, and to my surprise, we didn’t go down—we went up, climbing a spiral staircase into some tower. There were several doors there, and we stopped in front of one of them.“This is, in a way, my armory. But about it…” Kays paused, thinking, “…no one knows. There’s no access here.”When he placed his hand against the door, his palm glowed—and the door simply vanished. At my whispered “wow,” we stepped inside the small room. It was modest in size, like a storage chamber, but everything inside was perfectly orderly.There were no windows—only several shelves lined with various items.I’ll admit, I expected to see massive axes, muskets, firearms, blades, swords, and bombs—but not what I actually saw. Resting peacefully on the shelves were amulets, pendants, and rings of all kinds of colors.“This looks more like your jewelry box,” I snort, examining the glittering trinkets.“Appearances can be very deceiving at times,” Kays smirks. “Minerals, metals, and stones hav

  • No Escape From Fate    157

    “Nice talk, smooth operator,” I still grumble.“What’s a ‘smooth operator’?” he asks, and I roll my eyes.“Nothing. This world wouldn’t understand it.”“Iza, what are you even imagining now?” Kays sighs, gives up, pulls on his trousers, then gently wraps me in his arms, lifting my chin so I look at him. “We’re fighting over something that doesn’t even exist. Why?”“It’s just… I love you so much that I’m scared… scared you’ll regret being with me… scared you proposed out of a sense of duty—for lifting the curse…”I’m cut off by my beloved’s demanding lips crashing into mine.“Thinking really is bad for girls,” he smirks slightly as he pulls back. “No sense of duty would ever make me marry a woman I don’t love! And I definitely don’t plan to regret my decision. In fact, I’m counting on you giving me a few more beautiful little prepedollies and some brave princes,”At that statement, my eyes nearly pop out of my head.“I’m not a little boy who doesn’t know what he wants—I’m a very mature

  • No Escape From Fate    156 A Tiny Spoonful of Tar

    How wonderful it is to wake up in the morning wrapped in the strong, warm arms of my fiancé.How did I ever live without them before?After yesterday’s proposal, we loved each other for a long time—in the water, on the blanket beneath myriads of stars, and, it seems, in the bedroom after we returned. By then I was already almost out of strength and remember it all rather vaguely. I just know it was good. Very good—even half-asleep.And yet, despite all that, I can feel that his magic wand is charged again and full of energy. I wonder—does he use magic to make it stand so proudly, or did I just end up with a superman? Or is everyone like that here?“What’s my bride thinking about so early in the morning?” my fiancé asks lazily, pulling me even closer to his club.“Oh, nothing special—girly things,” I wave it off. I’m not about to admit I’m wondering how other men in this world manage their morning erections.“Go back to sleep. Thinking is bad for girls,” Kays mutters drowsily.“Sleep?

  • No Escape From Fate    155

    “Come on, just a little more, and I’ll take off the blindfold,” my man says, leading me by the hand.“Before you murder me somewhere in the bushes, remember—I broke your curse, by the way!”I hear Kays let out a heavy sigh.“Don’t get your hopes up. I might fuck you—but for that, I need you alive.”“Oh! I’m not against that!” I laugh. With this man, I’m never against it.“Alright—one more step… and that’s it.”Kays unties the blindfold, and I fall into absolute rapture.We were standing on a small ledge before a vast lake, surrounded by the most breathtaking forest scenery. The sun was already setting, casting orange reflections across the water. But that wasn’t what stunned me most.At the bottom of the lake lay millions of small stones—and larger ones too—glowing in different colors, creating an utterly unreal picture.“Kays, this is incredible!” I squeal with delight, taking in this natural wonder. “Look—there are even schools of fish visible!”I turn toward my beloved and lose my

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