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Silver
“Hurry up!” Afton hissed. “I don’t want Javan knowing about this yet.”
Javan was trustworthy but if he didn’t agree with Afton, he would ask too many questions. Silver never understood why Afton was constantly on edge with him. Perhaps it was the fact he’d worked for their parents first, but he never once defended them after Afton took the crown. He became her guard as though she’d always been his queen, and Silver had known he would be loyal to them and their territory. Even in the past, he wouldn’t have been able to defeat their parents if he’d tried, not when he couldn’t feel or use magic—the energy they’d used was pure darkness.
Before leaving the upper levels of the castle, Afton had collected her mace, and Silver had strapped one to her own back.
As Afton led her down to the tunnel, Silver regretted not telling Keelen they were leaving. But he’d been asleep, deep in slumber with heavy inhales and slow exhales. She wondered if he was dreaming, dreaming about his past life, dreaming possibly about ... her.
Javan would never be pleased about her using dark magic to conjure Keelen’s soul there. That sort of power was a fairytale to most of Ketill. Outside the castle walls, some of the people could draw a little earth magic but nothing like Silver or Afton could do. Once she’d met Keelen, using darker magic had always been worth the risk to bring him back, just as she would do if it had been her sister.
Silver rubbed her hands together to warm them in the cool hallway. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on now? You refused to tell me earlier about why you said I’ll be pretending to be you. After hushing me, as though I’d screamed the words across the territory, you said you would discuss it later. Well, here we are ... later.” Silver’s eyes had almost popped out of her head in surprise over the request. If she had to pretend to be Afton, that would mean seducing Thorin. Seduction was an art form that Silver knew nothing about.
They reached the mouth of the secret tunnel hidden beneath the castle. Afton lit a torch and handed one to Silver. Ignoring her question, she simply lifted her skirts and descended the stone stairs.
“Hmm. Hmm. Hmm,” Silver pressed as she followed her sister down the decaying steps. The narrow walls brushed her shoulders as she trekked toward the bottom. Their torches illuminated the darkness, the shadows from the flames dancing along the walls.
“All in due time.” Silver could hear the smile in Afton’s voice. “Now hush and stop being aggravating.” Afton adjusted the mace at her back. The weapon was the same one she always carried, dark gray and encrusted with blue gems around the handle.
Silver hummed an old melody, one that Afton hated, to nudge her sister more. Afton sighed in exasperation, but Silver needed answers. And sometimes pestering her sister as though they were children was the only way.
The thumping of their boots echoed around them, and Afton halted after taking the last step. Silver inched down beside her, the flame of her torch flickering. Afton stood still, seeming to hold her breath, and then she blew out her flame. Silver's torch extinguished at the same time, plunging the two of them into darkness for only a moment before the ones along the walls ignited in bright orange flames, fire bobbing cheerfully atop their metal bodies.
The tunnel reeked of mold and rain from the many times it had flooded. The scurrying of rats, most likely trying to lap up any remains they could find from the skulls and bones piled in the corners, reverberated off the stone. Silver thought of the fresh heads and appendages from their earlier ordeal with Thorin’s guards.
As she and Afton traveled farther into the tunnel, more shadows danced across the walls, this time ones of little creatures. Water dripping against stone echoed in the space ahead. With a flick of her wrist, Afton snapped the necks of all the rats, and their bodies collapsed to the ground. Unmoving.
Silence now enveloped Silver, except for the drip, drip, drip and the sizzling of the earth’s magic flowing through her. Deep below the castle, magic thrummed everywhere around her, synching with the blood pumping through her veins. She wanted to draw it in, spin the energy into something she’d never tried before, then wield it. But she ignored her impulse and instead let it linger inside her.
Silver cocked her head. “Was that really necessary?”
“You know very well all they do is spread disease to our people.” Afton rolled her eyes.
“I’m still surprised there are any left to continue breeding.”
Afton placed a hand on Silver’s shoulder and hauled her back. “You wanted answers? I suppose I’ll give them to you now that we’re truly alone.”
“I’m listening.” Silver wiggled out from Afton’s grip and set the blown-out torch on the ground. She clasped her palms together, her heart slamming against her rib cage.
“I need your help.”
Silver studied her sister’s tightened lips. “To pretend to be you.”
“Yes, so I can take care of King Thorin. It has to be you. Enare knows we’re the only two with eyes like ours. No amount of magic could alter another’s to match.”
Thorin couldn’t be that hard to kill, especially if one was betrothed to him. “I could kill the king just as easily as you.” Silver quirked a brow and didn’t remove her gaze from Afton. “So what’s the point? And who are you pretending to be? Me?”
“Yes. I’m going to be you.” Afton’s voice lowered. “You’re much better at reading people and seeing through their lies. The queen of Ketill can’t murder Enare’s king. If something goes wrong, well, you will be their queen and would have to continue the charade. I trust you would protect both territories just as I would.”
Silver gasped. “Afton, no.”
“There’s no arguing here. Together, we won’t fail.”
Silver believed that with her whole heart. Those were the words Afton had always spoken to her, before and after their parents’ deaths, to reassure Silver. Together, they were always stronger. But that didn’t mean Silver wasn’t worried. There was something crucial her sister wasn’t considering—the possibility of spies. “No matter how careful you think you’ve been, someone may still recognize us.”
“I’ve got everything covered if that were to happen. Besides”—Afton smirked—“I don’t think you have much experience in seduction.”
“You’re not wrong about that.” Her thoughts turned to Keelen, seeing his naked form—the muscular planes of his chest, and lower, and lower... Maybe her experiences had gone up a notch. Silver wrinkled her nose when she realized something. “You’re actually going to tumble Thorin? Does Ragan know about this?” She was completely certain that Ragan would not be all right with any of this, but in the end, it wouldn’t be his decision.
“He does not know, and doesn’t need to. Neither of us will be required to fuck King Thorin. The engagement will merely serve to get us—me, specifically—close enough to kill him. Out of everyone here, I trust you the most with this.”
“I trust you, too.”
“Now, I want to see you pretend to be me,” Afton said. “Put on a little of your ... charm.”
“Is that what you think I have?” Silver laughed softly. “Charm? Or a better word might be charisma?”
Afton batted a hand in the air. “Be regal, but not too distant, or else Thorin might know we’re setting him up. I’m sure he’s heard rumors of the ‘Ice Queen.’” The other territories believed that, but Ketill knew Afton was nothing but generous to her people—unless they made an enemy of her. But over the years, not many had caused problems.
“So, what are we to do?” Silver’s shoulders relaxed, knowing she wouldn’t need to spread her legs for the king. As for Afton, she said she wouldn’t tumble him, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t get close. Silver imagined having to kiss a king she’d never seen, yet, in that moment, the only face she could see was the one she’d just created—Keelen’s.
“You’re going to be more like me, unlikable, but a tad more hospitable.” Afton gripped the sides of her head.
“I like you.” Is that how Afton saw herself? Unlikable? She could seem distant, but that didn’t make her any less fierce and respected.
“I like you too.” A smirk crossed Afton’s face. Grabbing her mace from her back, she handed the weapon to Silver. “Protect this with your life.”
“Do you really think I can pull off impersonating you?” Silver inspected the mace, the weight heavy in her grasp.
“If you think like that, then no.”
She knew her sister better than anyone, her movements, the way she spoke, the way she carried herself. “So, you’re going to woo the king by pretending to be the queen’s sister, then let him have an affair on you ... with you. It sounds like the perfect tragic tale.”
“One that we’ll write together.” Afton took the other mace from Silver’s back.
“We look different.” Silver ran a hand over the scar just below her neck. The mark was something she was proud of. It was a reminder that her sister had defeated their parents to save them. She didn’t want to hide it, but she would if she must.
“No, we really don’t. It will be almost easy. Thorin doesn’t know what either one of us looks like anyway.” Afton paused. “Switch hair colors. Don’t smile.”
“That means you’ll have to smile,” Silver pointed out. “Practice that.”
Afton didn’t smile, only blinked. “Since we have that settled, we need to go visit Willem for herbs and a few other things to prepare ourselves.”
“I wonder if he has any love spells that he can conjure up from the earth,” Silver teased.
Afton must have thought she was being serious because her face softened as her gaze remained ahead. “Silver, you don’t need magic for someone to love you. You could make anyone fall in love with you if you wanted ... just by being you.”
Silver’s heart swelled in her chest. Afton had never spoken words like that to her. “Is that a compliment?”
“You know I love you.” Afton waved her off, then spun on her heels and sauntered away.
Silver chuckled and caught up to her sister while shoving the mace into the strap on her back. “I think you need to let Ragan know. He won’t be as angry if you warn him beforehand.” Especially if he knew Afton was doing it to save and unite both territories. There was a chance the Enarians would rebel after the king was dead, but under Afton’s fair rule, most would want to accept.
With an eyeroll, Afton walked faster down the tunnel, past the gray and white spotted bricks, casting a slight sheen. At the end, where the dark iron gate stood, Silver absorbed the magic of the earth. She let out a hard breath, watching as all the flames lighting their way flickered and died. The wind blew the ends of her hair as Afton unlocked the gate for them to head out into the night.
From the stables, the horses neighed when Silver and Afton approached. Midnight was used to nighttime rides, but not the others. As soon as she slipped in, Midnight inched out from his stall toward her, bowing so she could stroke his mane.
Silver led him outside and hopped onto his back while Afton mounted Ivory—a beautiful white mare with sky blue eyes. Together they sped through the darkness, the hooves of the horses pummeling the ground, as they traveled up the steep hill and across the meadow to the old cottage at the edge of the woods. The moon rested high in the sky, the merciless stars brighter than ever as owls hooted in the distance. Silver wondered if the Valgmyr King from the tale studied their world through the stars, or if they whispered to him of what they saw.
Within the windows of the cottage, the lights were already eclipsed, meaning that Willem either wasn’t home or was asleep. Silver bet herself that he was sleeping like a babe atop his hay mattress on the floor in the backroom. He was the one who usually supplied them with their remedies to keep the wax boiling—his were the strongest. Since they would be away from home while at Thorin’s, they needed a remedy to add to a jar of wax so they could amplify the magic of the land in Enare, the way they could in their castle.
Afton stepped to the crooked door and banged her fist against it. A few seconds later the entrance swung open—not to Willem’s wrinkled face, but his grandson, Aris. As he held up a flickering candle, the flame highlighted his shorn black hair and warm brown skin and eyes. Aris’s frown vanished when his gaze settled on Afton, taking stock of her.
“Your Highness,” he whispered, a blush creeping up his neck. Silver already knew Afton had taken him as a lover in the past. She’d seen her sister bring him to her room on several occasions, though not since Ragan.
“We need supplies,” Afton said in a low voice. “If you mention to anyone we came tonight, I shall remove everyone’s head you hold dear and save yours for last.”
At his sides, Aris’s hands trembled. Silver sighed at Afton’s failed attempt at jesting.
“I wasn’t serious, Aris.” Afton brushed past him into the cottage. “Where’s Willem?”
Silver stepped inside and followed Afton to the tilted cabinets against the wall. A string of scents enveloped her—lilac, rosemary, and citrus. The entire space was filled with tables, jars and herbs sprawled across them. Two wooden chairs sat beside a window, small stacks of fabric resting in their seats.
“He traveled to my uncle’s cottage for the week.” Aris tugged open the cabinets for Afton, then shuffled to the side to give her access. “My uncle hasn’t been feeling well.”
“I’m sure Willem’s remedies will help just fine.” Afton sifted through the cabinets, grabbing several glass jars of herbs and blessed pebbles to place in her satchel. “Do you have any barley?”
Silver studied Aris as he watched Afton with open longing. She took a deep swallow, feeling for Aris, but knowing that Afton hadn’t ever loved him. He’d known that.
“You should give him extra coin. For it being so late.” Silver nudged Afton, wanting to at least provide him something.
“Of course. I wasn’t planning on just taking things for free.” Afton straightened her skirts and glanced at Silver. “Give me a few moments alone while I give him payment.”
“You’re going to tumble him for this?” Silver whisper-shouted, glancing at Aris on the other side of the room.
“No! Am I a pleasure worker?” Afton spat. “But I do need to discuss a few things with him. Alone.”
With a nod, she stepped outside to give Afton her privacy. Then Silver did what she always did best, she pressed her ear to the now-closed door and listened to what was said.
