I’ll Give You Three Guesses. Iren Etro

the houses. Some were roofless, while others covered with thick fabric umbrellas. Arina craned her neck, trying to get a better look at the flying objects. A platform of white stone, half-open like a sea shell, passed below.

      «Okay, stop sleeping, wake up,» – Arina commanded herself. No, she’s probably gone crazy. Is she poisoned by the toxic fumes of the strange metal cube? Hallucinations are the complication…

      Her feet were freezing on the cold stone. Arina once again examined the rocking bed hanging in the air. Interaction of magnetic fields? So far it is the only explanation, and even it sounds rather loose, Arina Sergeevna. Now she was studying the hall. Large crystals were attached to the smooth walls, a couple of meters apart from each other. Arina decided to touch one and stepped towards the wall. But suddenly it moved away. Arina took it for a wall mistakenly. The beige fabric in the aperture was withdrawn.

      The dark-haired man from the portrait entered and caught her eye immediately. He’s exactly like on the picture, only much better, damn it. Without royal pathos. Anxious eyes. Long hair is slightly disheveled, the forehead is intercepted by a metal headband with a four-leaf clover. The girl’s fantasies animate in her dreams. Arina was angry with herself.

      – Are you awake? Great. Please, come with me.

      Something was wrong in this conversation. Arina stared at the King.

      – Please. We need to figure something out as quickly as possible.

      The King’s lips did not move. But his voice sounded inside Arina’s head.

      – Eh… who are you? And where am I, anyway?!

      The man chuckled slightly, but his mouth remained closed.

      – Don’t bother answering me out loud. I do not know your language. What you are saying is speech sound structures incomprehensible to me. I read your thoughts. It’s faster and more efficient.

      – Are you reading minds?! – Arina was horrified. But how? After all, I also think in Russian. – How do you read thoughts?! – she asked already out loud.

      – You can relax and be silent, – the stranger smiled slightly again. His voice was in Arina’s head, although he did not open his mouth. – I don’t even read thoughts, but pro-thoughts. Vibrations. This is an energy flow from your current state of consciousness. It changes every fraction of a second. And I convey my thoughts to you… – Here he suddenly became a little embarrassed. – Those that I consider necessary to convey to you. Because I’m carrying on the conversation. Please name yourself.

      Arina finally gave up trying to answer the stranger out loud.

      – Great, Arina, – The King narrowed his eyes cheerfully. – My name is Klios. Are you ready to go?

      He stepped behind the fabric curtain, which apparently served as a door. What an interesting manner to hang rags on the windows and doors. Arina hurried after Klios. He was slightly taller than her, when she was only 156 centimeters heigh in an earflap. He was wearing cream trousers, light moccasins and a sleeveless vest. Broad shouldered, what sport does he play? On his right hand there was a large metal bracelet made of small links. A boyish, swift gait.

      They found themselves in another spacious stone hall. Here you can freeze, walking barefoot on the cold marble of the tower.

      – Here are your shoes, – Klios nodded to the right. Her furry high boots stood on a white stone platform suspended in the air. Yeah, the tables here also have no legs?

      – Although, you may be more comfortable with this.

      Clios clicked a metal lever in the wall. No, this is not a wall, but a whole control panel! Hundreds of shiny knobs and buttons protruded from the white stone. Silently emerging from around the corner, another platform with metal side compartments flew up to Arina. Inside each there was a pair of shoes in different light colors, made of soft canvas and with small metal heels on flat soles. With a puzzled chuckle, Arina chose pearl gray, decisively refusing white slippers, says you! Her feet finally felt warm and comfortable.