“You’re Verdanian! Weren’t you born in ice?”

I roll my eyes. “How about something with long sleeves?” I say, opening her massive wardrobe. “Let me see. Oh! What about this?” I hold up a lacy white gown.

“No. Not that one,” Teddy says abruptly. She grabs the gown and pushes past me to return it to its place. She then half disappears among the dresses, muttering to herself as she evaluates options. Finally, she emerges and hands me a silver gown.

“It’s perfect!” I cry. Long sleeves, a jewel neckline, and billowing skirts. The fabric shimmers as I hold it up. I’ll look like a beam of moonlight cast onto snow and stay warm.

“I have a question,” Teddy announces, holding up the red dress and looking at herself in the mirror. “You said the Minea can go back into the past, right?”

I join her and pose with the silver dress, wondering how to wear my hair tonight.

“Correct.” I say, and decide a low chignon would look best.

“And prophets, like Nuri, can see into the future…”

Dangling earrings will pull the whole ensemble together delightfully. I wonder what options Teddy might offer.

“Do you think you could do both? What you said about Lorna seems to have been some sort of premonition, right?”

I catch her eyes in the mirror and spin to face her. “I told you,” I breathe. “I’ve no idea what I can do. I healed Braizen, but I don’t know how I did it! I had no prior knowledge that magic even existed outside of the gods and legends of the Wood.”

“And you really don’t know what The Pass is for? Or why anyone would be interested in it?”

The conversation hurts my head. “No! I’d never heard of it until you told me. Trust me, Teddy, if there were an opening between the mountains of Verdana, everyone would know. My kingdom is suffering! Our only way out is to the south. If there were a way to leave without going through Baelliles, wouldn’t we know?”

“It just doesn’t make sense. The books clearly state there’s an opening.”

“Books can be wrong, Teddy,” I say and wince as it’s clear my words wound her.

She flings herself into a plush armchair. “Maybe you should take a tiny peek into some memories? Then, we could know for sure.”

“I don’t want to go wandering through the delusions of the Herrah,” I huff. “Those women do not like to answer questions. Besides, according to them, I can’t see into the past alone. More than one Minea is required, and as far as I know, they’re all stuffed away in a hidden village deep in that demonic Wood.”

“Perhaps you could try it alone? Isn’t it worth finding out if The Pass exists?”