My blood turned to ice. I turned slowly to find my father standing at the top of the stairs, his silver crown gleaming in the dim light. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes held a mixture of disappointment and fury.
“Father,” I managed, my voice steadier than I felt. “I’m leaving.”
The words hung between us like a challenge, and for a moment, neither of us moved. My father descended the stairs slowly, each step deliberate, his robes flowing behind him like liquid shadow.
“You would defy me,” he said, and it wasn’t a question. “You would throw away everything—your birthright, your duty, your people—for a witch you’ve known for mere weeks?”
“Yes. I would.”
His eyes flashed with something I couldn’t quite read. Anger, certainly, but there was something else beneath it. “Do you have any idea what you’re asking me to do? What you’re asking your kingdom to sacrifice?”
“I know exactly what I’m asking.” I took a step forward, my hand still clutching Caldwell’s crystal. “I’m asking you to let me be happy. I’m asking you to understand that love isn’t something that can be negotiated away for political alliances.”
“Love.” He spat the word like it was poison. “You think love is enough? Love doesn’t feed your people. Love doesn’t maintaintreaties or prevent wars. Love is a luxury that princes cannot afford.”
“Then maybe I don’t want to be a prince.” The words came out before I could stop them, but once they were spoken, I realized I meant them. “Maybe I’d rather be nobody, living in the mortal realm with Ash, than be a king who has to give up everything that makes life worth living.”
My father’s expression hardened. “You speak like a child.”
“I speak like someone who’s finally figured out what matters.” I could feel my magic crackling around me as I stepped toward the circle, responding to my emotions. “You raised me to be strong, to stand up for what I believe in. Well, this is what I believe in. Ash is what I believe in. And if that makes me weak or foolish or whatever else you think I am, then so be it.”
For a long moment, we just stared at each other. I could see the conflict in his eyes, the war between the father who’d once played with me in these very halls and the king who had to think about kingdoms and legacies.
“If you leave,” he said finally, his voice low and dangerous, “you will never be welcome in the Twilight Realm again. The gates will be sealed behind you. You will be dead to us. And you will doom this realm to war. Thousands will die because of your selfishness.”
I felt the words hit me like a physical blow, but I didn’t let myself falter. “Then their blood is on your hands, not mine. You’re the one who arranged a marriage before I’d even finished school. You’re the one who built a kingdom on alliances instead of trust. I’m just refusing to be another piece on your political chessboard.”
“You selfish—” He cut himself off, his jaw clenching so hard I could see the muscle jump. “Do you think I wanted this for you? Do you think I enjoyed telling my son he couldn’t choose his own fate?”
“Then why do it?” I demanded, my voice rising. “Why force this on me if you knew it would make me miserable?”
“Because I am trying to save this kingdom!” The words exploded from him, raw and desperate. “The alliance your marriage would bring isn’t just about politics, Silver. It’s about survival. The realm is weak, our people are hungry, and this alliance is the only thing that could save us!”
I stared at him, seeing the fear beneath his anger for the first time. In a flash I realized that all the lessons I’d learned, all the hypothetical problems my mentors had trained me to solve… they were real problems the realm was facing, hidden from me in plain sight. But that wasn’t what stood out to me the most. “So, you’d sacrifice my happiness to save the realm.”
“I would sacrifice anything to save my people.” His voice was quieter now, but no less intense. “Including my son’s happiness. Including my own soul, if that’s what it took.”
The crystal in my hand pulsed, reminding me that I was running out of time. The guards could return any moment. Caldwell could be discovered. Every second I stood here arguing was another second Ash was out there thinking I’d abandoned him.
“I’m sorry, Father,” I said, and I meant it. “I’m sorry I can’t be the prince you need. But I can’t—I won’t—give up Ash. Not even to save the realm. Find another way.”
Something in my father’s expression crumbled. For just a moment, he looked old and tired and almost... broken. “Then you leave me no choice.”
He raised his hand, and I felt the magic gathering around him, ancient and powerful. But he hadn’t noticed the enchantment I’d been muttering under my breath. The moment I felt his magic begin to gather, I gave the silver ring a quick twist. There was a sudden burst of energy as a towering golem, at least fifteen feet high, materialized in front of me. The massivecrystalline form shifted into a defensive stance, using its body as a shield.
My father’s spell struck the creature, cracking its beautiful, gem-like facade. But still the golem stood, protecting me against anyone that wished me harm. Magic began to gather again, and the clatter of armor could be heard approaching from the surrounding halls. I knew the golem wouldn’t last forever. Rushing forward the last few steps, I chanted the activation spell for the teleportation circle. There was a vicious yank as I was pulled downward through the circle and out of the realm.
The last thing I heard was the shattering crystal golem and my father’s screams of fury.
Chapter 25
Silver
The moment I landed at the Widdershins Academy gate, I was off like a shot. I knew my father wasn’t far behind me. It would take him a moment to gather his men and there was a slight chance the academy security would hold them at the gate for a minute or two. But that still didn’t leave me much time.
I had to find Ash.
Thanking my lucky stars that I was smart enough to keep my student ID on me, I stepped through the wards without any issue, the familiar warmth washing over me. They were back up and running even though Ash had punched a hole in them the day before. However, security on campus didn’t look like it had been increased. That was a good sign.
