MOONLIGHT SPILLED ON THE floor, bright enough for our eyes. In that silvery light, the redness of my skin was barely visible—I looked the same as a Silver. Benches scrape against the wooden floor as Cal rearranges the living room, making room for us to practice. The room is secluded, but the buzz of cameras is never far away. Elara’s men watched, but no one came to stop us. Or rather, stop Cal.

Cal took out a strange device, a small box, from under his jacket and placed it in the middle of the floor. He looked at her expectantly, looking forward to something.

“Can that thing teach me how to dance?”

He shook his head, still smiling. “No, but it could help.”

Suddenly, a punchy beat boomed from the box, and I realized it was a speaker , like the ones in the village arena. Only it’s for music, not fighting. Life, not death.

The melody is light and fast, like a heartbeat. In front of me, Cal’s smile widened, and his feet tapped to the beat. I couldn’t resist, my own toes swaying to the music. The rhythm is light and upbeat, not at all like the cold, stiff music from Blonos’ classroom or the sad songs about the village

page. My feet shifted as well, trying to remember the steps Lady Blonos had taught me.

“Don’t worry about it, just move.” Cal laughed. The beat of the drums stirred the music, and he spun around, humming along. For the first time, Cal looked as if he didn’t have the weight of the throne on his shoulders.

I felt the same way as my fear and anxiety lifted, even if only for a few minutes. It’s a different kind of freedom, like the thrill of flying on Cal’s bike.

Cal is a lot better at dancing than I am, but he still looks like an idiot. I can only imagine what an idiot I looked like. Even so, I felt sad when the music ended. As the beat fades into the air, it feels like I’m crashing back into reality. A cold understanding crept over me; I’m not supposed to be here.

“This might not be a good idea, Cal.”

He tilted his head, looking confused. “So what?”

He’s really going to force me to say it . “I’m not even supposed to be alone with Maven.” I stammered the words, feeling myself blush. “I didn’t know if dancing with you in a dark room was allowed.”

Instead of arguing, Cal just laughed and shrugged his shoulders. A new song, slower with a haunting beat, fills the room. “The way I see it, I’m helping my sister.” Then he grinned mischievously. “Unless you want to step on his feet all night?”

“Sorry about that, I have great footing ,” I said, crossing my arms.

Slowly and gently, he took my hand. “Maybe in the ring,” he said. “On the dance floor, not so much.” I looked down to watch her feet, moving to the beat of the music. He tugged at me, forcing me to follow, and despite my best efforts, I stumbled into him.

He smiled, happy to prove me wrong. He was a soldier deep down, and a soldier always liked to feel victorious. “This song has the same beat as most songs you would hear at a dance party. It is a simple dance, easy to learn.”

“I’m going to mess it up,” I grumbled, letting him push me around the floor. Our feet moved along an imaginary square. I tried not to think about the closeness of his body, or his calloused hands. To my surprise, his hands felt the same as mine: rough from years of work.

“It could be,” he muttered, all his laughter gone.

I’m used to Cal being taller than me, but he seemed shorter tonight. Maybe it was because of the darkness, or maybe it was because of the dancing. He looked like himself when I first met him. Not a prince, but a human child.

His eyes wandered over my face, tracing where my wounds had previously been. “Maven healed you well.” There was a strange bitterness in his voice.

“Julian was the one who helped me. Julian and Sara Skonos.” Even though Cal didn’t react as violently as Maven had before, his jaw still tightened. “Why don’t you two like it?”

“Maven has his reasons, proper reasons,” he muttered. “But that’s not a story for me to tell. And that doesn’t mean I don’t like Sara. I just don’t—I don’t like thinking about it.”

“Why? What has he done to you?”

“Not to me.” He sighed. “He grew up with Julian, and my mother.” His voice lowered when he said his mother’s name. “Sara is his best friend. And when he died, Sara didn’t know how to grieve. Julian is such a mess, but Sara ”

His words were interrupted, he didn’t know how to continue. Our steps slowed to a stop, frozen as the music echoed around us.

“I don’t remember my mother,” he said sharply, trying to explain himself. “I wasn’t even a year old when he died. I only know what my father and Julian told me. And neither of them likes to talk about him at all.”

“I’m sure Sara can tell you about herself, that they used to be best friends.”

“Sara Skonos can’t talk, Mare.” “At all?”

Cal continued slowly, in the calm, even voice his father usually used. “He said things he shouldn’t have, terrible lies, and he was punished for it.”

Horror swept over me. Can’t talk . “What did he say?”

In an instant, Cal was cold beneath my fingers. He moved back, stepping out of reach of my arm as the music finally stopped. With a quick move, he turned on the speaker , and there was nothing but our heartbeats to fill the silence.

“I don’t want to talk about him anymore.” He exhaled heavily. His eyes seemed strangely bright, burning between me and the row of moonlight-filled windows.

Something twists my heart; the pain in his voice hurt me. “Okay.”

With quick, careful steps, he moved towards the door as if trying hard not to run. But when Cal turned and looked at me across the room, he looked the same as always—calm, calm, emotionless.

“Practice your steps,” he said, sounding very much like Lady Blonos. “Same time tomorrow.” Then he went, leaving me alone in a room full of echoes.

“What am I doing?” I muttered to myself. I was halfway to my bed when I realized something was really wrong with my room: the cameras were off. Not one buzzed around, watching with its electric eyes, recording everything I did. But unlike the previous outage, everything else around me was still buzzing. Electricity still pulsed along the walls, into every room but mine.

Farley.

However, instead of the revolutionary warrior, Maven stepped out from behind the darkness. He pulled back the curtains, letting in just enough moonlight to see.

“Late night walks?” he said with a cynical smile.

My mouth was agape, struggling to find the words. “You know you shouldn’t be here.” I forced myself to smile, hoping to calm myself down. “Lady Blonos will create a big scandal. He will punish us both.”

“Mom’s bodyguards owe me a thing or two,” he said, pointing to where the hidden cameras were. “Blonos will have no evidence to convict.”

Somehow that doesn’t calm me down. Instead, I felt my skin crawl. Not out of fear, but rather anticipation. The shudder grew stronger, zapping my nerves like lightning as Maven took slow steps towards me.

He looked at me blushing with a look of satisfaction. “Sometimes I forget.” He mumbled, letting his hand rest on my cheek. His touch was long, as if he could feel the color pulsing through my veins. “If only they didn’t paint you every day.”

My skin buzzed under the touch of his fingers, but I tried to ignore it. “I am also like that.”

His lips twisted, trying to form a smile, but it never came.

“What is the problem?”

“Farley contacted again.” He moved back, tucking his hands into his pockets to hide his shaking fingers. “You’re not here.”

Unlucky. “What did he say?”

Maven shrugged. He walked over to the window, looking out at the night sky. “He spent most of his time asking questions.”

Targets . He must have pressed her again, asking for information Maven didn’t want to give. I knew it from reading the way his shoulders slumped, the tremor in his voice, that he had said more than he intended. Much more.

“Who?” My thoughts drifted to some of the Perak people I met here, Perak people who were kind to me, in their own way. Will one of them be sacrificed for the sake of his revolution? Who will be tagged?

“Maven, who did you sacrifice?”

He twisted his body, a wildness I’d never seen before flashing in his eyes. For a moment, I was afraid he would burst into flames. “I didn’t want to do it, but he was right. We cannot just remain silent; we have to act . And if that means I have to give up names, then I will. I don’t like it, but I’ll do it. And I have done it.”

Like Cal, he took a shaky breath in an attempt to calm himself. “I sit on the council with my father, in charge of taxation, security and defense. I know who the figures are considered important by my people—by the Silver People. I gave him four names.”

“Who?”

“Reynald Iral. Ptolemus Samos. Ellyn Macanthos. Belicos Lerolan.”

I gasped, before I felt myself nod. This death will not be hidden. Evangeline’s brother, the colonel— they were definitely important figures . “Colonel Macanthos knows your mother is lying. He knows about the other attacks—”

“He commands half the legions and heads the war council.

Without him, the battlefield would be in chaos for months.” “Battlefield?” Cal. His legion.

Maven nodded. “My father will not send his heir to war after this. With an attack so close to home, I doubt even Father will let Cal leave the capital.”

So Macanthos’ death will save Cal. And help Barisan.

Shade died because of this. His struggle is also my struggle now.

“One oar, two or three islands have passed,” I said softly, feeling that hot tears would soon be shed. As difficult as it may be, I would willingly trade Macanthos’ life for Cal’s. I’ll do it a thousand times.

“Your friends are part of this too.”

My knees wobbled, but I managed to keep my body upright. I felt anger and fear alternate as Maven explained his plan with a heavy and strong heart.

“And what if we fail?” I asked as he finished explaining, finally saying out loud the words he had been trying to avoid.

He just shook his head weakly. “That won’t happen.”

“But, what if that were to happen?” I’m not the crown prince, my life hasn’t always been easy. I know to always expect the worst from every situation and every person. “What will happen if we fail , Maven?”

His breath rumbled in his chest as he exhaled, trying to remain calm. “Then we would be traitors, both of us. Tried for treason, impeached—then killed.”

During my next lesson session with Julian, I couldn’t concentrate. I couldn’t focus on anything but what was coming. So much can go wrong, and so much is at stake. My life, Kilorn’s life, Maven’s life—we all risked our lives for this.

“It’s none of my business, but,” Julian started, his voice startling me, “you seem, well, very attached to Prince Maven.”

I almost laughed in relief, but I couldn’t help but feel stabbed at the same time. Maven is the last person I have to worry about in this nest of snakes. That suggestion alone was enough to make me furious. “I’m engaged to him,” I replied, trying my best not to bully him.

But instead of leaving the topic, Julian leaned forward. His calm demeanor usually calms me down, but today it just makes me frustrated. “I was just trying to help you. Maven is his mother’s son.”

This time I really exploded. “You don’t know anything about him.” Maven is my friend. Maven sacrifices more

from me . “Judging himself by his parents is the same as judging myself by my blood. Just because you hate kings and queens doesn’t mean you can hate them too.”

Julian looked at me, his eyes straight and fiery. When he spoke, his voice sounded more like a growl. “I hate the king because he couldn’t save my sister, because he replaced her with that poisonous snake. I hate the queen because she destroyed Sara Skonos, she took the girl I loved and destroyed her. He cut Sara’s tongue .” Then her voice was quieter, a lament, “She used to have such a beautiful voice.”

A wave of nausea hit me. Suddenly Sara’s painful silence, her sunken cheeks made sense. No wonder Julian asked himself to heal me; he couldn’t tell the truth to anyone.

“But”—my voice was weak and hoarse, as if it were my voice that had been ripped away—“she’s a healer.”

“Skin healers cannot heal themselves. And no one wanted to fight the queen’s punishment. Therefore Sara had to live like that, humiliated, forever.” Her voice echoed with memories, each memory worse than the next. “The Silvers don’t care about pain, but we are a proud people. Pride, self-respect, honor—these are things that no ability can replace.”

As much as I felt sorry for Sara, I couldn’t help but feel afraid for myself. They had cut off his upper tongue

something he said . So what might they do to me?

“You forgot yourself, Lightning Girl.”

The nickname was like a slap to the face, shocking me back to reality.

“This world is not the same as your world. Learning to bow will not change that. You don’t understand the game we’re playing.”

“Because this isn’t a game, Julian.” I handed the notebook back to him, pushing the list of names of the dead into his lap. “This is life and death. I’m not playing to win a throne or a crown or a prince. I didn’t play at all. I am different .”

“Indeed,” he muttered, running his fingers along the pages of his book. “That’s why you’re in danger, of all people. Even Maven. Even myself. Anyone can betray anyone .”

His thoughts wandered, and his eyes wandered. In this light he looks very old, a bitter man haunted by his deceased sister, in love with a damaged woman, condemned to teach a girl who can only lie. Over his shoulder, I glanced at the map of the past, the map before this time. The whole world is haunted.

Then, the worst thought I ever had came to me. Shade has become my ghost. Who else will join him?

“Don’t make a mistake, kid.” He finally spoke softly. “You are playing a game as someone’s pawn.”

I don’t have the heart to argue. Whatever you want to think, Julian. I’m not a fool.

Ptolemus Samos. Colonel Macanthos . Their faces danced in my head as Cal and I spun across the living room floor. Tonight the moon is waning, fading, but my hope has never been stronger. The dance is tomorrow, and after that, well, I’m not sure where that road leads. However, it will be a different path, a new path to guide us towards a better future. There will be huge damage, injuries and loss of life that we cannot avoid, as Maven said. But we already know the risks. If everything goes according to plan, the Red Front will raise its flag where all eyes can see. Farley will release another video after the attack, laying out our demands. Equality, freedom, independence . With a full scale rebellion in action, that sounds like a good deal.

My body dived, moving towards the floor in an arc

slow which made me gasp. Cal’s strong arms wrap around me, pulling me back upright in seconds.

“Sorry,” he said, half embarrassed. “I thought you were ready for that.”

I am not ready. I’m scared . I forced myself to laugh, to hide what I couldn’t show him. “No, it was my fault. My mind is wandering again.”

His attention wasn’t easily diverted and he lowered his head slightly, looking me straight in the eyes. “Still worried about the dance?”

“More than you think.”

“One step at a time, that’s the best you can do.” Then he laughed to himself, guiding us back to the simpler steps. “I know it’s hard to believe, but I wasn’t very good at dancing either.”

“How surprising,” I replied, matching his smile. “I thought princes were born with the ability to dance and make small talk.” He chuckled again, quickening our pace to match the movement. “That doesn’t apply to me. If I had a choice, I’d rather be in the garage or the barracks, putting something together and practicing.

Not like Maven. He is twice the prince I could be.”

I thought of Maven, the kindness of his words, his impeccable manners, his impeccable knowledge of court etiquette—everything he tried to show to hide his true heart. A double prince, that’s right. “But he’ll just be a prince,” I muttered, almost lamenting the thought. “While you will be king.”

His voice lowered after me, and something dark clouded his gaze. There was a sadness in him, which seemed to grow stronger every day. Maybe he didn’t like war as much as I thought . “Sometimes I wish things didn’t have to turn out that way.”

He spoke softly, but his voice filled my mind. Even though the dance was fast approaching the next day, I found myself thinking more about him and his hands and the faint scent of woodsmoke that seemed to follow Cal everywhere.

go. The smell makes me think of warmth, autumn, home.

I blamed my racing heart on the melody, on the music that was full of the excitement of life. For some reason tonight reminds me of Julian’s lessons, the history of his world before our time. It was a world of empires, corruption, and war—and far greater freedom than I could have imagined. But the people of those days were gone, their dreams had collapsed, remaining only in smoke and ashes.

It’s in our nature, Julian said. We destroy. That is our people’s decision. Whatever the color of blood, humans will always fall.

I hadn’t understood that lesson a few days ago, but now, with Cal’s hands in mine, guiding me with the lightest of touches, I began to understand what he meant.

I could feel myself falling.

“Are you really going to go with the legion?” Even those words scared me.

He just nodded weakly. “A general’s position is with his men.”

“A prince’s position is to be with his daughter. With Evangeline,” I added hastily. Good, Mare, my mind screamed.

The air around us thickened with heat, even though Cal didn’t move at all. “I think he’ll be fine. He’s not that close to me anyway. I won’t miss him either.”

Unable to look him in the eye, I focused on what was right in front of me. Unfortunately, it happened to be her chest

and a shirt that is too thin. He took a deep breath.

Then his fingers touched my chin, lifting my face to meet his gaze. Golden flames burned in his eyes, reflecting the heat behind them. “I’ll miss you, Mare.”

As much as I wanted to stand still, to stop time and let this moment last forever, I knew it was impossible. Whatever I may feel or think, Cal is not the prince chosen for me. More importantly, he was on the wrong side. He is my enemy. Cal is truly off-limits.

So with hesitant, half-hearted steps, I moved backwards, freeing myself from his grip and out of the circle of warmth I had begun to grow familiar with.

“I can’t,” was all I could say, even though I knew my eyes were betraying me. Even now I can feel tears of anger and regret, tears I swore I would not shed.

However, perhaps the thought of leaving for war has made Cal act more bravely and recklessly, the opposite of his previous self. He grabbed my hand, pulling me closer to him. He betrayed his only sister. I betrayed my cause, Maven, and myself, but I don’t want to stop.

Everyone can betray anyone.

His lips touched mine, hard, warm, and urgent. The touch was like an electric shock, but not what I’m used to. This is not a spark of destruction, but rather a spark of life.

No matter how much I wanted to pull away, I couldn’t. Cal was a cliff, and I threw myself over the edge, without thinking about what it would do to either of us. One day he’ll realize I’m his enemy, and all this will be a faint memory. But that hasn’t happened yet.[]