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Afton
Afton sat in the empty porcelain bathtub, dress and all, folding and unfolding the letter the female guard had given to her before she could thoroughly search for Thorin. The letter read that the king was out hunting but would return soon for dinner and they could meet him then. Thorin hadn’t known that she would return, but something in her had still hoped he'd spent the time since her departure merely waiting for her, yearning for her presence. The realization that he hadn’t didn't sit well with her.
She’d gone upstairs to let Silver know the details of the letter. Silver had wanted her to stay with her, but Afton said she wanted to rest when all she really wanted was to be alone, sitting in the empty porcelain bathtub in her dress.
Setting the letter beside her, Afton cradled her face with her hands. She’d managed to pull herself together—mostly—but here alone, with only her thoughts, Afton’s body trembled as she thought about everything.
The withering trees.
The imp.
Its white eyes.
The way it flew through the ceiling.
She’d gone back and forth with herself about the choice to not tell Silver, but finally decided her sister didn’t need the added worry. Afton would shoulder that.
In that moment, she wanted her claws and her viciously sharp teeth so she could tear apart any enemy who got in her way, the same way she’d shredded Enare’s guards when they’d tried to take her.
Once she got a hold of whoever was behind the tarnished energy seeping into her territory—be it the Valgmyr King or his imps—she swore to herself that she would bask in a bath of their blood while eating their hearts.
A knocking came at her door—Afton jerked her chin up and quickly stood. She stepped out of the tub and straightened her dress. Grabbing her mace, she padded toward the door.
Another tap sounded and she wedged it open to find Javan with his hand in mid-knock, the other resting on his cane.
“I think we should see if the king has returned. Do you need more time?” Javan asked.
“No.” Afton frowned. She looked at Javan who leaned harder on his cane than usual, his face worn and wrinkled. Secretly, she hated seeing him that way, deteriorating. She preferred him as the guard he was before, where she could hate and seethe at him all she wanted to. His frailer state made her want to regret it at times. “Wait here, while I go and get Silver.”
Lifting her dress, she ascended the steps, the bare walls unbearably tight around her. Empty cobwebs lingered in corners of the ceiling.
At the top of the stairs, in the small square space, Keelen, eyes closed, sat at Silver’s door, his head pressed against it.
Useless.
“I know it’s you,” he said, not opening his eyes. “Just as I would have been able to tell if it was Javan or Silver.”
Afton frowned.
Keelen opened his lids and stood from the floor, popping his neck. “She’s napping.”
“How is it she can fall asleep at a time like this?” Afton bet her sister could even drift off on a bed of broken glass or sharp daggers. She moved toward the door and brushed past him to go inside.
Silver was on the bed, wearing only a thin slip, sleeping on her stomach on top of the covers.
“Are you ready?” Afton asked, her voice booming.
Silver’s eyes flew open and she quickly sat up with a yawn. “I was about to put another dress on. That one got too unbearable, so I cut it and the corset off with the dagger.”
“A bit dramatic?” Afton rolled her eyes and grabbed her sister’s hand, helping her up. “You still should have gotten ready before taking a nap.”
“I unpacked the dresses.” Silver pointed to a pile of gowns crumpled on the floor.
Afton sighed and plucked up a gray dress with a rounded neckline. The entire skirt was decorated in tiny white pearls, and crisscrossing ivory lace trailed up the sides of the bodice. She tossed the dress to Silver, who easily caught it, then tugged the fabric over her head. After Silver shoved her arms through the sleeves, she struggled with the ties at the back of the dress.
“Let me show you how to do it,” Afton groaned and turned her sister around. “Suck in.”
Silver took in a deep breath, and Afton pressed her foot against Silver’s lower back, then yanked the strings. Silver squeaked, and her body straightened while Afton tied the ends off into a knot.
“Thank you, but now I can’t breathe. This feels worse than a corset. How do you do this every day?” Silver asked, placing a black collared necklace at her throat before collecting the mace from the floor.
“You’ll manage. And it won’t unravel.” Afton smirked and opened the door.
Keelen glanced up as they both stepped out of the room. He peered straight past Afton toward Silver. “It’s a little off center.”
Afton looked to where his gaze was now lingering—Silver’s breasts. “Eyes up here.” She pointed at her face.
Keelen rubbed at his jaw, crimson creeping up his neck. “Not that. The collar around her throat. The sword piece in the middle is dangling too far over.”
“Oh!” Silver shifted the cloth until it was centered.
At that moment, pride washed over Afton. Her sister looked like a true warrior—confident, strong, and capable of slicing an enemy into two without a second thought.
Her gut tightened when she settled her gaze on her sister’s scar. Like always, she had to remind herself that if she hadn’t burned Silver, her parents would have done much worse.
“I think we’re ready now,” Silver said.
Afton led the way down the winding staircase, finding Javan no longer alone but waiting with the female guard.
Neither spoke to the other. Not surprising.
“What’s going on?” Afton asked, her skirts swishing, as she came up beside Javan.
He handed her a note on a small sheet of paper.
Afton,
I’m sorry I wasn’t here. Meet me in the dining room.
Yours,
Thorin
Perhaps Thorin should have come and sought her out as soon as he arrived instead of serving a note to her like a coward. Even though she’d loved the notes he would sneak under her door in the past... Taking a deep swallow, she had to remember where she was, and who he was.
The female guard motioned them forward, her blank expression only making Afton grow more curious. It seemed as if the guard had sampled too many wines, but, in reality, it was more than that.
The guard guided them down several more hallways, silent except for the sound of their feet against carpet, then marble. They passed the kitchens, which drew up the memory of Afton drinking tea with Thorin, when she’d told him she wouldn’t help Enare. He would have her sister to thank for this, not her—she hadn’t wanted to come back. But deep down she knew that was a lie. The truth was she wanted to see him, to be near him, to touch him, in spite of his treachery. And after the imp and the withering trees appeared in her own kingdom, Afton couldn’t stay away, no matter what she was or wasn't feeling for him.
They walked through an arched hallway with vaulted ceilings, covered in evenly-dispersed iron chandeliers, into a spacious dining area. Ornate silver and gold flowers hung on the walls, and a large rectangular table, suited to fit at least twenty people, stretched across the room. The chairs’ rounded tops featured sharp points, like thorns, at each end.
Wine-filled glasses, bowls of fresh fruit, and dried meat sprawled across the table. Afton wished instead for steaming platters of buttered rolls, vegetables, and meat slathered in gravy. But she supposed this was the most he could do after being left with no servants.
“You came back,” a deep voice said from behind her, driving a rush of lust straight to her center.
But she hardened her heart again as she whirled to find Thorin entering the room, wearing a crimson tunic and dark breeches that cradled his strong thighs deliciously. Mud covered the heels of his boots, and several tendrils of hair hung loose from the leather tie. It looked as if he’d just come in from hunting and hadn’t changed. His simple appearance, the familiarity, calmed her. Numerous times, she’d unfastened those pants, gripped him in her hand, and pumped him until he shouted her name.
He smiled warmly as he glanced from her to Silver, but his eyes returned to Afton. She didn’t smile back, even though she was tempted.
Before Afton could answer, Silver moved forward and brought a hand across Thorin’s cheek. His head slammed to the side, the sound echoing. Afton’s eyes widened—she hadn’t even done that when he’d revealed his true identity on her last visit. For whatever reason, she hadn’t been able to unleash true fury on him. Her heart swelled with pride that her caring, loving sister had done it for her.
“I deserve that,” Thorin said softly, pressing a palm to the reddened area.
“You should have told us sooner,” Silver replied in a low tone.
“I had my reasons, but I’m sorry.” Sincerity rang true in his voice as he kept his eyes trained on Silver.
Sorry? Sorry? The bastard hadn’t even told her that. Afton squared her shoulders, her jaw clenched. No, she refused to give him the satisfaction by pouting like a child about it.
“Don’t lie to me or my sister again,” Silver growled.
Thorin lowered his hand. “How about we discuss what’s been happening here? I’m sure you’ve heard everything from Afton.” His gaze fell to Keelen. “It seems you brought a different guard to replace Shani this time? He’s new?”
Silver nodded. “His name is Keelen.”
Keelen didn’t say anything, only watched Thorin with a hard stare.
“Very well.” Thorin pulled out a chair for Silver then drew out another, his eyes meeting Afton’s. “I really didn’t think you were coming back.”
“I didn’t either.”
“Maybe I can make you some tea?” Thorin gave her a small, almost boyish, smile.
Afton glared but couldn’t control the twitch of her lips as she took a seat.
Thorin moved to the head of the table, while Javan and Keelen both remained standing. Running a finger across his lower lip, Javan observed the dried meat as if it was doused in poison. He focused on Afton with an annoyed expression.
As she studied an apple, a rush of energy stormed through her, like a gust of winter wind accompanied by hail. Not white but dark, darker than any starless night. It was there, like last time. The smoky, grassy scent bloomed, but she didn’t let it show, didn’t even fidget.
The king blinked. “Do you feel it?”
“The magic you last spoke of?” She squinted, pretending to concentrate. “No.”
Thorin lifted his head and peered around the table, his eyes wide. “Do any of you? It can’t only be me.”
They all shook their heads. She could tell by Silver’s expression that she wanted to speak the truth, but she held back for Afton.
Keelen stood closer to Silver than he had been, maybe too close for her liking.
Thorin reached for a peach, exchanging a glance with the three of them. “Are you willing to stay and help?”
Afton tipped her glass of wine back, taking a slow sip of its sweetness. “For now.” She would speak to him alone later, to discuss what she saw in Ketill.
“Then we’re united.” The way he’d said united made it seem as if he didn’t want only Enare safe, but her territory as well. He brought the glass to his lips, and drank it down. His eyes lingered on her, and she liked that they did.
A loud screech sounded, horrid, reverberating around them. But it was only the five of them in the room. Stomping pounded down the hallway, and the red-headed male guard charged forward, his mouth open, skin cracking.
Afton reached for her dagger and was about to make the killing blow, when a weapon flew through the air, striking the male in the throat. Another dagger shot forward, puncturing the guard’s chest, driving into his heart.
Keelen had done it, his nostrils flaring.
Thorin stood, sword in hand. He didn’t go to seek vengeance on Keelen though, but toward the guard.
“What is this?” Afton seethed, unable to hold back her temper.
“It’s starting.” Thorin said as he knelt beside the guard who was wriggling, taking choking gasps, before lapsing into eternal silence. “I didn’t know it would be like this tonight, but it now means things are going to get worse. Go to your rooms and lock the doors. I promise you will be safe there. Let me keep watch for now.”
Afton pursed her lips, not knowing whether to believe him. She stared at the guard’s cracked flesh. “What’s wrong with his skin?”
Above them, the sound of something crawling on the other side of the ceiling stirred—something with long claws and impatient wings.
“Go! Now!” Thorin shouted.
Silver opened her mouth to speak when Keelen lifted her from the chair. “I’m taking her to her room.”
As he rushed Silver through the hallway, Afton was relieved he’d known what to do.
Turning to Thorin, she kept her voice steady. “I will see my sister safely to her room, then you will meet me in the garden later.” She didn’t wait for Thorin’s answer and hurried beside Javan to catch up with Keelen. The sounds continued to follow them until they made it up the stairs to the room where Silver was staying.
Keelen placed Silver on the floor, and she glanced up at him. “You killed the guard.”
“And I would again.”
“Thorin’s telling the truth.” Silver pressed her hands down her dress. “Whatever it is, I feel the sinister energy. He may have been a skilled liar in Ketill, but he isn’t lying about this.”
“I don’t trust any of it one bit,” Javan said, gripping his chest as he leaned heavily on the wall. He’d still managed to keep his pace with her the whole way.
“You’re staying in this room tonight, unless what happened downstairs occurs up here,” Afton demanded. It would be the final decision. “Promise me.”
“An order?”
“A direct one. And Keelen is staying inside your room.” Afton spun on her heels, gesturing for Javan to follow her. She was going to meet Thorin out in the gardens, then find a way to connect with this energy so she could put an end to it.
