How Shadows Turn to Ash

Chapter 7: Antonia

"Ready or not, here I come!"

Antonia wasn't sure she was on board with this plan.

Of course, she often thought that only to be played the fool when Octavia repeatedly proved herself a capable strategist. It was interesting to imagine how her sister might think of the world, filled with puzzle pieces instead of people. Antonia had once asked, but Octavia had gotten upset, claiming she felt emotion just as Antonia did.

It hadn't quite been what Antonia was trying to say, but she often wondered if Octavia really did feel things like she did. Right now, for example. What was Octavia thinking as they leveraged their brother as a pawn without blinking an eye?

Trajan had been thrilled that his sisters wanted to play with him and Lucius this morning. Antonia knew he had felt a little discouraged with how disjointed the family felt. Despite everything happening, Trajan remained a sweet boy. Long were the days when Antonia had found him a thorn in Octavia's future. Perhaps her sister would make the best queen, but Antonia had no doubt that Trajan would grow up to be a righteous leader.

Or he would if the Revolutionaries lost this war.

Another report had warned that Royalists were still fighting battles in the North. The Revolutionaries were slowly losing resources as their richer counterparts gathered more magic and weapons to fight back.

The dragonrider had even left to try and even the playing field. Antonia didn't think their lords had dragons, but she hoped they would be strong enough to take that monstrosity Dainn rode.

"Where could you possibly be?" Antonia called out, cupping her hands around her mouth as she spun around. The guards watched as she walked into a few rooms, checking wardrobes and exploring the parts of the castle that she wouldn't dare go near unless under this guise of playing.

Occasionally, a guard might stop her from entering a room, claiming nobody was hiding there and sending her away. Antonia made note of every place they blocked her from.

Nema knelt under a lemon tree as she passed the gardens, eyes closed as she prayed. Despite not seeing Antonia, her lips twitched as if she somehow knew she was near.

"Trajan!" Antonia called, forcing her eyes away. "You didn't leave the castle, did you?" she asked, ignoring the giggling somewhere further down the hallway. "What was that?" Antonia whispered, and the giggling stopped. Walking into an obscure library hidden off the side, Antonia looked around. "I thought I heard something...."

She walked around, already seeing two pairs of feet behind some curtains. Still, Antonia looked around, pausing to discreetly check the drawers of desks and any books out of place. Once her snooping was done, Antonia walked over to the curtain.

"Maybe it's too dark in here," she decided. "If I had some light, I could-" She flung open the curtains with a dramatic gasp as Trajan burst into laughter. Lucius looked far less convinced by Antonia's theatrics but smiled all the same. "That was lucky," Antonia greeted them, placing her hands on her hips. "I don't think I'm very good at this. Could you help me find Octavia?"

The boys both brightened. Lucius shoved Trajan as they raced away, shouting that he knew where Octavia was hiding.

Antonia smiled after them, taking a moment to relish in the smell of ink and parchment. Libraries had always been one of her favorite places. She liked the way sunlight streamed through the windows and how the room was always filled with the silent conversations of written words.

"Up here."

Antonia looked up to find her sister lounging on one of the upper platforms of the library, flipping through a book.