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Silver
Silver sat by the crackling fire, holding the note her sister had slipped into her room beneath the door. The note she had already read ten times. Afton must have left before dawn, not bothering to wake her. Not bothering to tell her anything. Unfolding the paper, Silver read the words from her sister again and again.
Don’t do anything stupid. Don’t come after me. Shani and Javan are at my side, and we’ll be back in a few days from Enare. It will only be to deliver the proposal acceptance. Guard the territory as if you were its queen. I’m only taking Javan with me as my personal guard, so keep a close eye on Keelen. If he betrays you, don’t hesitate in killing him.
“She should have taken Keelen with her,” Silver grunted. “She shouldn’t have left me behind.”
The night before had seemed to tick by ever so slowly until Afton had knocked on Silver’s door, stopping by once she’d left Keelen’s room. Her sister had only mentioned that she’d gotten the herbs from Aris and that she explained the plan to Keelen.
Afton hadn’t appeared different, and there wasn’t a reason for Silver to believe her sister would be leaving the next morning.
The blood within her veins pumped with anxiety until she thought the thin canals would burst open. She would give Afton a few days, but if she wasn’t back by then, Silver would go after her.
With a heavy sigh, Silver tossed the note into the fire and watched it shrivel to black, then to ash. Pressing a hand to her scarred chest, she ran her fingertips across the raised flesh to her neck. Since their parents’ deaths, Silver knew Afton still battled her demons at times.
Silver’s gaze drifted to the empty jar on her desk, and she chewed her lip while looking at it. Keelen was still here... Something fluttered in her chest. She reminded herself she was a stranger to him, and perhaps she should do something to help him feel more relaxed.
Scooping up the jar, she headed out of the palace and into the foggy morning. Mist surrounded her as she entered the eastern gardens. White lilies, orange pansies, pink carnations, and red roses were all in full bloom. Thick green vines, covered in thorns and blue and purple flowers, ran the length of the obsidian castle walls, then continued across the curving ivory arches in front of its round windows.
A cool breeze ruffled Silver's hair as she knelt and pressed her hands into the damp soil. The magic rushed through her, causing her to catch her breath before it settled within her, thumping in sync with her heart.
Perfectly spun dew-covered webs draped the thorns of the rose bushes, their silky texture reflecting the sun’s morning light. She plucked several beetles, spiders, and grasshoppers, then placed them in the glass jar.
She tightened the lid and stared up at the window to Keelen’s room. Closing her eyes, she breathed in, the last time she’d seen him in raven form, months ago, coming to her in a rush.
“What would you do if I was in my true male form?”
Press my lips to yours, she thought. It wouldn’t matter what he looked like either—she would love him regardless. “Hold your hand. What would you do?”
“That’s my little secret.” He chuckled. “Maybe you’ll find out someday.”
She glanced at the window one more time. Or perhaps she would never find out... A frigid wind gusted by her, and she shivered at the change in temperature.
The mist slicked her skin as she dashed back into the castle’s warmth. Her skirts swished against her thighs when she came to an abrupt stop in the kitchens. It sat empty. Ragan should have been there. Had Afton confessed to him her plans?
“What did you do to your beautiful hair?” Jeanette gasped from behind Silver, making her jump.
Silver whirled around to find the older woman carrying a bundle of carrots. Jeanette hadn’t been working the kitchens as frequently since Ragan started, which left her more time to spend with family.
“I can’t discuss it, so talk with no one outside the palace of it.” Silver brought her blonde braid over her shoulder and inspected it. She wasn’t used to the color yet.
“Of course I won’t,” Jeanette promised, bowing her head.
Silver knew she would keep her word. “Where’s Ragan?”
“He’s taking time off to visit his family, so here I am.” Her eyes appeared tired with bags beneath them. “I know, I know, you want his tarts. You’re lucky—he left a batch for you before he left.” With a warm smile, she slipped a plate from beneath the counter and set it on top.
“Perfect.” Silver took the plate, a slight ache forming in her chest. Ragan had always been good to her, kind. If Afton left him in the dark about her plans, would it break his heart to learn she didn't trust him enough? “See you later, Jeanette.”
“Are those bugs in that jar you’re carrying?” she called as Silver started to leave.
“Why yes. Yes, they are.” She glanced over her shoulder and winked.
Jeanette’s forehead wrinkled and Silver continued to Keelen’s room.
As she passed several servants, they kept their eyes down as they did with her sister. It was only the change of her hair, but they didn’t seem to recognize her.
When she reached Keelen’s door, Silver’s palms were clammy with sweat. Blowing out a breath, Silver placed the jar beneath her arm and knocked on the door while tapping her foot.
No answer.
She knocked again. Waiting and waiting. Still the door didn’t crack. She hesitated for a moment before turning the knob, possibly even expecting it to be bolted, but the door easily swung open.
“Keelen?” Silver called as her eyes swept across the empty room, lingering on the rumpled sheets.
Taking measured steps into the bedroom, she rapped her knuckles against the bathroom door, then opened it. Empty. A towel rested on the floor, but other than that, it hadn’t appeared as if it had been used.
Where was he?
Her heart drummed, mimicking the hasty movements of the bugs in the jar.
The magic of the earth sang within her veins, her emotions tangling into knots. He wouldn’t have died again because she would have felt his soul leave as always.
Had he remembered? Had he run away? If he had, it was his choice to make, not hers. He wasn’t a prisoner, but he had agreed to be Afton’s guard, so why leave now?
As she looked at the disarrayed bed one last time, she wondered if he’d already found a servant to bed. Her heart plummeted at the thought.
Cradling the jar and plate, she bolted from the room and descended the staircase. There was one place he might be. Unless he took a horse and escaped the palace. Did he even know how to ride one?
Thwack. Thwack. The noise of hatchets striking their marks boomed from the weapons room. She exhaled a sigh of relief—she’d been right. Javan was already long gone with Afton, so the only other person who would have the gall to sneak into the weapons room would be Keelen. If anyone else had tried to do such a thing without consulting one of the sisters or Javan, they would be reprimanded by Afton’s hands and possibly teeth.
The moment Silver opened the door, her gaze settled on Keelen and his shoulders tensed. He spun around to face her, his gaze scanning her entirety. She took stock of the dark curly hair that had already grown to his eyes, then to where his lashes and brows were filled in.
His surprised expression quickly slipped into something else, masked. “Ah, is it not the dark-haired sister. One of light and one of darkness, but which is which?”
Was he being humorous or an ass? “So ... you’ve seen Afton’s hair, too?”
“No.” Face hard, as if trying to conjure up a thought, he stepped toward her. Just as close as he’d been with her in this same space the night before.
Ever so slowly, he lifted a lock of her hair and rubbed it between his smooth fingertips. He breathed, she breathed, and they watched one another, his violet irises brightening.
Finally, he spoke, dropping his hand to his side. “I’m not sure the blonde suits you.”
“Glad we agree,” she said with feigned nonchalance. But she did care.
“Afton left this morning. Did she tell you last night she would be leaving?”
“She did.” Why would Afton tell a stranger she was leaving but not her own sister who she had always told everything to? To protect me. Silver wanted to scream, shatter the glass windows in the castle with her magic. Instead, she inhaled slowly, calming herself.
“I’m not sure if you’ve eaten yet,” Silver finally said, “but I brought you breakfast.” She set the jar of bugs on the table and pushed it toward him, while still clutching onto the plate of tarts.
“I prefer to catch my own prey.” He cocked his head, yet she watched his throat bob, knowing he was yearning to crack open the jar.
“Is that so?” Silver wanted to smack him as she set down her plate, and she’d never wanted to do that before. But right now, he deserved it. She tilted her head to the side to mirror him—two could play this game. Unscrewing the lid, she dumped the bugs onto the floor and peered down at them as their fragile bodies scattered in different directions. Then she shooed her hands forward. “There. Go on. Hunt. And while you do that, I’ll eat tarts.” Lifting one of the delicacies, drenched in blueberry sauce, she placed it into her mouth and took her time chewing. “Mmm. Mmm. Delicious.” The sweetness hit all her senses just right, and she wasn’t even faking the euphoria it brought to her mouth. She would certainly miss Ragan’s cooking while he was gone.
Keelen’s head remained cocked while he stared at her, his gaze fixed on her lips.
“Do you have a favorite weapon?” Keelen asked as he knelt, shooting his hand forward and scooping up two of the grasshoppers. He plopped them onto his tongue, crunches echoing as he chewed.
Just can’t help himself. Her hand covered her mouth and she let out a small laugh. She shoved the plate in front of him, relenting. “Eat.”
And he did, his eyes rolling with bliss. Crumbs and strawberry jam stuck to his plump lower lip. She wanted to brush them away, but she controlled her desire and passed him the napkin from the bottom of the plate.
“My favorite weapons are my hands and teeth when I dip into the magic,” Silver finally answered once he finished eating. “I like that they are connected to me and I know what each of their movements will be. So I never carry a weapon since I don’t prefer one.”
“What do you mean you never carry a weapon?” Keelen perked up and scanned her over, as if he didn’t quite believe her. “Ever?”
“Sometimes I carry a mace, but I’ve never used it against an enemy. Just because I don’t carry them all the time doesn’t mean I don’t know how to wield them though.”
“If you could pick anything in this room to work with right now, what would it be?” He gestured toward the walls of weapons.
Taking the second to last tart, she observed each one before settling on what called to her. “The war hammer. It has a sharp end and a blunt one, so I could make a choice of how I want my enemy to be defeated. Either end will hurt, punish, and kill.”
“Ah, so you have a tender spot for violence. I think you might have a little bit of your sister in you after all.” His lips twitched.
Her brow furrowed. “Only when forced.” Silver pushed the last dessert toward him then moved for the weapon, running her hand over the smooth metal while letting the coolness absorb into her flesh.
“Anyway,” Silver continued, motioning him to follow her, “since you still look hungry, why don’t we go to the kitchens. You can tell me what else you and Afton discussed and I’ll help prepare you for Enare as best I can.”
“Why not?” He shrugged.
On the way to the kitchens, Silver explained how Ketill and Enare had been separate territories for years and how King Thorin wanted to unite them. About how Enare’s clan had fallen harder as each year passed under the old king’s rule. Keelen listened intently to all of it.
As they entered the kitchens, Jeanette lifted her head and wiped her hands against her apron. “Back already?” Her gaze settled on Keelen. “Who’s this?”
Silver shrugged. “Keelen is Afton’s new guard. He’ll be shadowing me until she returns.”
Her gray eyebrows lifted up her forehead. “Is Javan all right?”
“Javan’s fine. He hasn’t stepped down yet.” Silver skirted around the counter. “We’re going to take over the kitchens for a bit, so you’re free to leave for a while.”
Her brown eyes brightened. “Sure. I’ll go help Charly. She hasn’t had much time to herself since the babe. But if you need me to come back sooner, I can.”
“Thanks, Jeanette.” Charly and Shani were both of Jeanette’s daughters. Silver had always been surprised that the woman chose to stay after the deaths of the king and queen. This place had to still be a reminder that Silver’s parents had cut off Shani’s tongue and made her mute.
“You really think you can pretend to be your sister?” Keelen asked once Jeanette left.
Silver’s smile vanished, her eyes narrowing in a deadly manner. “Speak like that again and I’ll gut you from navel to throat and pull your intestines out through your mouth.”
He blinked, his lips parting.
She let out a high-pitched cackle.
A smirk crossed Keelen’s lips and he watched her as though he was attempting to figure her out. “From the few moments I’ve had with her, that wasn’t bad. But...” Worry lines creased his forehead.
“If you don’t believe in me, then believe in my sister.” Silver placed her hands on her hips. “She will accomplish this.”
“Oh, I’m certain she can play her role, but I’m just not so sure she can play yours.” He ran the tip of his finger through the specks of pale flour along the counter. “You have to remember that I don’t know anything about her or you, besides what I’ve seen thus far.”
“And you?” She drew a line in the flour beneath his, as if it was sizing the other up. “Would you be easily seduced by her?”
“If you’re wondering if my cock got hard by the sight of her last night, it didn’t.”
Silver’s eyes widened and she cleared her throat. “Perhaps one of the servants?”
“No.” He smirked.
“Hopefully it works then.”
“It most definitely works.” His voice came out low, deep, as he leaned closer to her.
In that moment, it was very hard to not let her gaze travel lower. Before her hands did things she didn’t want them to do, Silver turned to grab the sack of flour and set it beside the eggs. She cracked a few shells on the edge of a bowl.
Keelen scooped up an egg and cracked it over his open mouth, then placed the shell inside, chewing. She was at a loss for words as she studied the pleasurable expression on his face while he consumed the uncooked egg ... and shell. While Silver tried to fight a smile, she watched as he picked up another.
She ripped it from his hand. “Do you want to eat raw eggs all day? Or do you want me to make the tarts? Because I need the eggs.”
“Raw—”
“Only one more.” With a roll of her eyes, she handed him another egg then mixed the water and flour before adding the remainder of the ingredients.
As the tarts cooked for a long while, the silence between them was growing louder. Screaming. Screeching. She focused on the thrum of the magic inside her, the claws beneath her skin pushing in and out over her nails.
“Have you ever heard of Valgmyr?” she asked, when she could take the quiet no longer. “I know I’ve discussed Torlarah, the territories, but there are so many lands past the seas. Most don’t know or believe magic exists. One is a place called Kedaf and its surrounding territories.”
Keelen rubbed a hand across his jaw. “I don’t know. Maybe?”
“Valgmyr is said to be a secret place connected to Enare. A king of darkness supposedly lives there with his imps. The stars above us are the merciless ones, his watchers.”
“Hmm.” He arched a brow. “I suppose he likes to stay within his darkness, then?”
She shrugged. “It’s just a story to keep our people from going to Enare. For fear of being lured to his world, even though people could be plucked from anywhere. Most don’t remember it anymore. But it’s an interesting tale.”
“Go on.”
Silver had told him all of this before, when he was a raven. “The king is said to live in the earth’s depths, collecting lovers. It doesn’t matter if they are male or female, but it’s said they are needed to keep his garden alive.”
“What do you mean keep his garden alive? Aren’t all gardens alive?”
“Not a regular garden. But something different, darker. One that moves and breathes, with a living heartbeat. It would be interesting to see if it were real.”
Keelen frowned. “I can’t visualize it.”
“Think of a tree.” She straightened, slowly lifting her arms, then she moved them in swaying circles. “You see now?”
He cracked a smile. “You’re a tree. I see it now.” His tone was laced with sarcasm.
She rolled her eyes and dropped her arms. Before she could discuss any more of the tale, the sweetened scent of the tarts invaded her nose. She grabbed them from the stove, curls of steam rising off their golden crust.
Leaning forward, Silver blew on the edge of one and smothered it in honey. After allowing the tarts to cool a bit, she picked one up and held it to Keelen’s face. His eyes almost glazed over as he peered at the dessert. She pushed the pastry into her mouth and relished the savory taste.
“Let me know what you think,” she said as he took the treat from her, their fingers brushing in a soft caress, her breathing heavy.
He placed it onto his tongue and chewed slowly. A low groan escaped his throat.
“Good?” She grinned.
“It’s damn good.” He held her gaze for a moment and licked his bottom lip.
Silver looked away first, wondering what it would have been like if she’d woken into his world instead of him in hers.
