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Silver
A soft tapping came from somewhere... Silver lazily opened her eyes, the world still blurry. When she didn’t hear it again, she rolled to her side and shut her lids, wanting to crawl back inside her dream where a hand was feeding her tarts.
The noise sounded again, louder than before, and Silver jolted up in her bed with a start. Morning light trickled in through the window. Her eyes widened as she kicked the blanket from her body—she’d overslept!
Tripping over her own two feet, then a pile of gowns on the floor, she rushed to the door and yanked it open. Keelen stood outside, wearing a light brown tunic, tight pants, dark boots, his twin swords at his back, daggers at his hips.
“Come in!” she whisper-shouted, tugging him into her space.
He scanned her up and down, his bright eyes sweeping from her hair that she’d changed back to black, then to the thin material of her nightgown, where they lingered. “You aren’t dressed yet?” His voice bounced off the walls and echoed everywhere around her. “Afton’s waiting downstairs.”
“Shh!” Silver pressed a finger to her lips as if that would make a magical dress appear on her body. “Sorry, I couldn’t sleep last night.” She’d contemplated several times about going to Keelen to see if he would want to go with her to celebrate the full moon. But instead, she’d denied herself and celebrated from her balcony, alone.
“I know.” The edges of his lips turned up a fraction.
“You do?” Silver arched a brow.
“I couldn’t sleep either, so I went for a walk around the castle. You were standing on the balcony, peering up at the night sky.”
Curiosity nudged at her ... what part of the evening was it? She’d been staring at the stars and the moon for most of the night. “And why didn’t you say anything?”
He shrugged. “I didn’t want to interrupt. You looked at peace.”
Perhaps if he could read her thoughts, he would have known that she’d been anything but. For a moment, she wondered what might have happened if he’d called out to her. But there was no use in dwelling on something that hadn’t occurred.
The light spilling into her room shimmered in the mirror, reminding her she needed to hurry. No more chit-chat.
“Quick,” she breathed, “grab a dress from the wardrobe ... or floor. I don’t care which, as long as it’s fancier than usual.”
Before he could answer, Silver whirled around and tore off her nightgown, leaving her wearing only a thin slip. It was too late for her to call up a servant to help lace up a corset. She generally avoided wearing them, and preferred lighter and freer dresses that were a one-person task. But she wanted to look presentable when she confronted Thorin for not only deceiving Afton but her as well.
She would be bringing several weapons with her. Tugging free the drawer at her bedside, she pulled out two sheathed daggers. Normally she wouldn’t carry them, but without magic in Enare, she needed to be safe.
As she rolled up her slip, exposing her thigh, Silver glanced up and found Keelen standing there, watching. “Don’t just stand there, help me!”
Biting his lip, he turned from her and picked through the pile of gowns on the floor. “I don’t know what the fuck is the difference between any of these. A dress is a dress.”
She rolled her eyes. “A dress most certainly is not just a dress. Pick something dark, lacy.” With fumbling fingers, she strapped one of the daggers to her thigh, and the other she would place in the pocket of her dress. Even after her late-night rides through the moonlit hills, she'd never been late for anything. And, of course, the one time Afton demanded her presence at a given hour, she would be behind schedule.
The shuffling of fabric came to an end as Keelen plucked up a blue dress that was so dark it almost appeared black. There was a throat collar that connected to the front, leaving a diamond opening at the chest. Perfect.
“Wait.” She scooped up a corset beside her bed, that she believed was clean, and slipped it on. “Help me tie the back of this first.”
Tossing the dress on the bed, Keelen stood behind her as she faced the wall. So close, she could feel his warm breath tickling her neck.
“I don’t know what to do with this.” His fingers skimmed the corset, dangerously close to her skin, and she suppressed a shiver.
“Pull as tight as you can, then tie it.”
“Sure, just pull it, she says.” He gave a sharp tug and she sucked in a breath. “Just tie it, she says. I don’t know what’s going on here!”
“Just do something!” Silver wiggled her hands in a crisscross motion. She could feel him rolling his eyes behind her, but he must have figured out what to do because he didn’t ask any questions.
With one firm yank from his strong hands, performing some sort of miracle, he made her back straighten and her chest push upward.
“Thank you,” Silver said, collecting the dress from the bed and drawing it over her head.
“Ugh,” she continued. “Can you help me with this too? You chose one of the more complicated dresses. I can button the collar.” The sleeves were tight all the way down to her wrists, and the skirt flowed from waist to ankles.
Keelen huffed as he buttoned up the back and tied the sash behind her. “There.”
Spinning around, she peered down at herself and tucked her other dagger into the secret pocket inside her skirts. “Do I look all right?”
He took a step back and folded his arms, his eyes blazing. “Like Silver.”
She wrinkled her nose, not understanding if that was a good or bad thing.
“I mean,” he hurried on, “you look like you’re about to confront a king.”
“Good enough.” Silver straightened, her heart striking her sternum. It wasn’t that she was nervous about Enare or Thorin, but it was the longing for Keelen that never evaporated.
Taking her gaze from him, Silver slipped on her boots and collected the mace from the corner of the room. Shani had already taken her trunks to the carriage the night before—Silver had packed them with dresses, herbs, candles, and other tinctures she may require. She shouldn’t need anything else.
As Keelen walked beside her down the hall to the stairs, her hand grew clammy while gripping the mace. She switched it to her other hand and wiped her sweaty palm against her skirts.
Afton stood at the bottom of the stairs, her blonde hair hanging freely, except for a few braids in various places. A yellow satin dress, stitched with diamond shapes along the hem, covered her body. Golden skulls decorated her shoulders. Afton blinked as Silver stopped beside her.
“You’re late.” Afton glanced toward Keelen. “And why did it take so long for you to retrieve her?” Something about Afton was different today, distant. She couldn’t detect exactly what it was, but purple bags hung beneath her eyes.
“Are you all right?” Silver leaned in and whispered.
“It’s nothing,” Afton snapped, her razor-sharp teeth sliding out. She paused, softening her gaze. “I’m just ready to leave is all.” Then she looked at Keelen. “Grab her a couple muffins from the kitchens. Jeanette has a batch ready.” She turned on her heels and headed toward the front door.
Something was truly bothering Afton, and Silver chalked it up to her having to see Thorin again. She waited for Keelen to return, and he came back carrying a small basket of muffins.
He took one out and passed it to Silver. “Is Afton already outside?”
She nodded as they walked out the door to numerous clouds dotting the bright sky. The hair on her arms rose from the cool air of the morning.
At the front of the carriage, Shani held the door open for Afton. The queen spoke a few words, then lifted her skirts to climb inside.
Silver would miss Midnight over the next few days, but he and Afton’s horse would be safer at the castle anyway. Curling a smidge of magic from the earth, she shot it in Midnight’s direction and hoped he would feel her temporary goodbye.
Stepping into the carriage, Silver’s gaze fell to Javan seated across from Afton. She sank down beside her sister as Keelen unstrapped the swords at his back and settled next to Javan.
The carriage rocked when Shani took her seat at the reins, and a moment later they jolted into motion, the sound of hooves against cobblestones filling the air. Silver bit into her still-warm muffin and peered over at her sister, who was staring out the window with her face drawn into a scowl. She wouldn’t have thought anything about it, but normally Afton would have said a few exchanges before looking out at the scenery she’d seen a thousand times over. Silver glanced at Keelen who was studying Afton, too, as if he could tell something wasn’t right.
Silver poked Afton and held up the muffin. “Eat.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Did you even have breakfast?”
“I had tea.” She waved her off. “I’ll eat something later.”
Javan didn’t seem to be paying attention as he cracked open a tattered book and started to pore over its yellowed pages.
Perhaps it’s nothing. Silver leaned back in her seat and watched the scenery that she had seen time and time again as well.
The carriage ride seemed to last months upon months, though it was less than half a day. They had stopped only to relieve themselves and had eaten jerky inside the carriage. The closer they’d gotten to the castle, the more the scenery appeared to be withering or dead. Silver hadn’t been able to feel any magic in Enare just like her sister had said.
Silver was moments from shutting her eyes as exhaustion washed over her, but then out the window, in the distance, a structure loomed through the trees. King Thorin’s castle.
She straightened in her seat and turned to Afton, about to speak, when she noticed her sister was asleep.
“We’re here,” Silver whispered, nudging her.
Afton jerked forward, a high-pitched scream tearing from her throat. “Where did it fly off to?”
Keelen was in front of Silver just as Afton’s nails slashed forward, striking his arm instead of her face. Silver gasped. If Afton’s claws had been extended, Keelen’s arm would have been torn to shreds.
Afton’s eyes were wide as she peered around at the three of them. Javan even looked taken aback. She’d woken like this with Javan plenty of times in the past when they’d journeyed but never toward Silver.
“What flew off?” Silver asked, her brow furrowed.
Afton reclined back in her seat, her body shaking for a brief moment before she straightened. “It was a nightmare. I’m sorry, Silver. I didn’t mean it.”
“It’s okay.” But the haunted look lingering in Afton’s eyes told her otherwise.
Only a few hours of light remained before the sun scurried away for the evening, allowing the mystery energy Afton had experienced to fall across the land. When she’d been younger, Silver had traveled through the areas of Enare, but never near the castle. Even then, she’d been able to feel the magic thrumming in those parts.
Silver concentrated, tightening her fists, attempting to draw up any energy. Nothing here either.
“It really isn’t here,” she whispered. “There isn’t a speck of magic at all.”
“Only the energy that comes at night,” Afton said. “Promise me you’ll keep your guard up the entire time. No matter what you feel or see.”
“Of course. We will all protect each other.”
“I know you thought you trusted Thorin before. Keep the walls of your own safety stronger than that trust tonight. For me.”
If what Thorin had said was true, then he had a reason for being deceitful. But what of Afton? Did he truly love her?
As the carriage pulled up to the castle and slowed to a stop, Silver surveyed her surroundings. Thorin’s home wasn’t as pristine as theirs. Thick twisting brown vines covered the walls, and in between them, long cracks ran up the bricks. A few of the barred windows on the pyramid towers reminded Silver of how her parents used to keep their enemies—mostly innocent—trapped in cages. Around the castle, the dead bushes and shriveled trees were nothing like the blooming foliage in Ketill.
Shani opened the door, pulling Silver from her staring spell. Keelen picked up his blades and placed them at his back. Javan stepped out first, then Afton followed behind him.
“We’ll take it from here, Shani,” Afton said as Keelen and Silver exited. “Bring the carriage around the back, take one of the horses, and go home. Help protect the castle with the other guards while we’re gone, and Javan will drive the carriage home when we’re ready.”
Shani shook her head no.
“It’s not a request.” Afton’s tone made it known that it was the end of that discussion. Silver silently agreed with this—it would be for the best. For Shani’s protection.
Frowning, Shani nodded and retrieved their trunks from the back of the carriage. Javan and Keelen took them from her before she retreated to her seat.
Silver gripped her mace and tried once more to conjure any magic that could be rooted deep down, even dark energy. Only emptiness. A hollowness.
Keelen’s fists clenched around the trunks’ handles, and he glanced back at Silver, shaking his head. He couldn’t feel any magic either.
Up ahead, two red-headed guards stood outside the castle in front of the closed doors. A female, her hair in a braid over her shoulder, and a man with short locks. Silver padded toward them, and they remained still, silent. When Javan stepped ahead, the female tugged open the door, motioning them in. She then followed behind them.
It was just as Afton had said.
Inside the castle, a mild scent hit her nose, grass mixed with smoke, but the candles flickering on the walls weren’t giving off the smell.
“Where is the king?” Afton asked as they walked past vases of various shapes and sizes, a set of velvet chaises, and large quilts on the walls covered in a variety of different animals—elk by a waterfall, lions hunting their prey, deer bowing to tree spirits.
No answer. It was truly like the guard was under a spell. The Valgmyr King’s spell... She shuddered inwardly.
Dust tickled Silver’s nose, and she sneezed, the sound echoing.
“Bless you,” Keelen said.
She smiled at him in thanks, but something, all the way to her marrow, felt wrong here.
The guard led them up a flight of navy-carpeted stairs to an area filled with golden suns and moons hanging on the walls. In front of two doors, the guard flicked her hand for Afton and Javan to stay, then gestured for Silver and Keelen to follow her, a few feet down from the rooms, to the next set of stairs.
Javan stayed behind while Afton came with them up the staircase. It was a tight squeeze as the stairs curved upward, the bricked walls feeling like they would close in on her.
Once they reached the top, the guard waved at the two doors before turning around. She then went back down the staircase, leaving the three of them alone.
“I’m going to find out where Thorin is.” Afton lifted her chin. “Stay here until Javan and I return.”
“Be careful,” Silver said, but her sister was already disappearing down the stairs.
Silver picked a random door and pushed it open. A room with a large bed draped in ivory silk sheets greeted her. The walls were painted a deep blue and an ornate rug was spread out in the middle of the stone floor. Three wardrobes rested against the far wall, and on the opposite side stood a chair and a circular table.
Holding the handle, she looked at Keelen. “Do you want to come in?”
“I’ll stand guard out here,” Keelen said, inspecting every inch of the small area. “Just in case.”
She nodded. “Night should be falling soon.” Her heart beat to the rhythm of hummingbird wings, while she waited for what was to come.
