A Dance of Silver and Shadow: A Retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses (Beyond the Four Kingdoms Book 1)

by Melanie Cellier

  The group at the end of the track grew as the group at the beginning shrunk, until eventually only Sophie and I remained. No one had succeeded in outrunning the chime, and Pearl and Marigold were both crying from their falls.

  Finally I took my place, springing away before the chime had faded from the air. The golden glow of the track made it easy to follow, and the path behind me was soon swallowed by the trees. It twisted and turned, and I soon came upon an obstacle—a downed tree across the track. I leaped over it, but had to slow my pace or risk serious injury if I came upon another obstruction too fast. I wondered uneasily if a few bruises from being flung from the path was the only thing making Pearl and Marigold cry.

  I pushed them from my mind. I could do nothing to help them, and I needed all my attention to try to beat the race and leave Sophie forewarned. If she knew when to expect the obstacles, maybe she really could run faster than the rest of us and escape the fall. I kept up a constant projection to her, warning her of each obstruction and twist of the track.

  My lungs and legs burned by the time the track turned back in the direction of the path. I continued to push myself, though, thinking of Sophie every time I felt my steps slow.

  I’ve circled all the way back, I said to her, keeping up my account of the track. I can actually see a stretch from the beginning of the track. I didn’t notice it passed so close when I was running the other section.

  Thank goodness I didn’t need my breath to project since I had none left. Now I’ve made another turn and I still can’t see the end of the track.

  It had been too much to keep count while also talking to Sophie, but I had a sinking feeling that five minutes must nearly be up. How could anyone complete the track in the allocated time?

  I had no sooner finished the thought, than the chime sounded, and my feet slid out from under me. The golden dirt of the track solidified into a surface as slippery as ice, and the ground immediately behind me seemed to rise, the raised portion moving forward like a wave and propelling me down the slide that was thus created.

  By the time it dumped me onto the main path, I had gained enough speed that it hurt. A lot. I lay there, not even attempting to sit up as I tried to regain my breath. I had five minutes to get out of the way, and I didn’t see how Sophie could possibly finish in that time, even with my warnings. I had slid a long way.

  Anger and frustration at the impossible task welled within me, buoyed by the pain from where I had landed. I took several deep breaths and made myself sit up.

  Millie and Lilac appeared and held out their hands to help me up. I had just grasped the proffered assistance when they both looked over my shoulder, their eyes widening. I tried to twist around to look as well, but they dragged me quickly forward, not waiting for me to get my feet under me.

  I finally managed to regain my balance and turn around just in time to see Sophie jog across the end of the track onto the path. As she stepped over to join us, everyone’s voice was freed.

  “That was so fast!”

  “How did you do it?”

  The other girls crowded around her, calling out questions, but my shock was too great to be put in to words. She laughed and shrugged. “I knew I didn’t have the energy for a full run, and I would never have made it before that chime. So, when I saw another section of the track so close, I took a chance and jumped across. I ended up cutting out most of it, I think.”

  “Jumped it?” Marigold sounded half-shocked, half-delighted. “Are you allowed to do that?”

  “It just said our body couldn’t touch the ground outside of the track, it didn’t say you had to actually run the whole thing. And once I’d done that, I found I was almost here.”

  “I’m impressed,” said Emmeline. “I didn’t even notice the track doubled back so close until I was on the second section.”

  “Me neither,” said Snow.

  “I didn’t notice it either,” said Celine. “But then I was already sliding by the time I must have come back past it.”

  Sophie met my eyes and grinned before shrugging again. “I was watching really closely.”

  I had to force myself to smile back. I had only wanted to protect her from injury, not to allow her to leap ahead in the scores as she would surely do now.

  When we collected the scores, I was relieved to see that I had been the third fastest after Sophie and Emmeline. Emmeline now trailed Hazel closely, but Sophie and I still considerably outstripped them. I had lost most of the lead I had previously gained on my sister, though.

  The usual small crowd awaited us when we emerged from the small room, but Helena’s efforts focused on Sophie given her current frail state. I trailed behind them, still too tired after my intense run to offer any assistance.

  “You’re planning to win, aren’t you?” The words, that I had already heard once that night, emerged from the shadows. I jumped. I tried to move away without responding, but his hand shot out and gripped my arm, pulling me into the shadows with him.

  It’s Jon, I sent to Sophie. He wants to talk to me about something. I’ll try to catch up in a minute, but give some excuse to Helena if you have to.

  Very well. I could hear her curiosity, but she refrained from asking me questions. Another area in which her virtues exceeded mine.

  “Look at me.” His voice was so anguished, I couldn’t help but comply. “And don’t try to hide it from me. I know you too well. You would never let someone else take on the responsibility. I can’t let you do it.”

  I sighed. There was clearly no point denying it. “You can’t do anything to stop me.”

  “Can’t I?”

  His intensity scared me. “No, Jon, you can’t! The law is clear, remember? You can’t get around the magic, your life would be forfeit. It doesn’t matter who you are. Think of your kingdom. Think of your parents and your sisters. They need you. Especially now.” I clutched the front of his jacket with both hands. “You can’t do anything foolish. You’ll only get yourself killed.”

  He pulled me closer. “I’m always responsible. For nineteen years I’ve been nothing but responsible. And I love my people. I just love you more. I’ve already told you—in this one thing I can’t be responsible. I would do anything to save you.”

  “Don’t say that,” I said, my voice small. I looked up into his eyes and felt like I was suffocating. “I don’t want you to save me at the expense of yourself. It would break my heart.”

  He leaned down so our faces nearly touched. “You’re already breaking mine.” His lips pressed down hard against mine, and his arms swept around me, locking me against his chest.

  I embraced him back, I couldn’t help myself, but silent tears poured from my eyes, and the salt water mingled with the taste of our kiss. Could you die from love and sorrow and pain?

  Lily? Sophie’s voice in my head made me stagger backwards from the kiss. Helena’s coming back for you.

  I mopped at my face, desperately trying to scrub away the tears before the baroness found me. Gentle hands reached out and gripped mine, stopping me, but I wrenched myself free and fled down the corridor.

  “Lily,” he called after me, his voice hoarse. But I didn’t stop.

  I could barely sleep, haunted by Jon’s words. Sophie had instantly seen my distress, and this time had pressed me to explain. The encounter with Jon had broken down some of my carefully constructed defenses, so I had told her my most pressing fear—that Jon would attempt to interfere with the Tourney.

  I could tell, though, that she didn’t think it likely. “All of them get heated up, sometimes,” she said. “But Jon is always the most sensible. If anyone was going to try, it would be Gabe.”

  Except that you succeeded, I wanted to tell her. We broke through his responsibility and restraint, just like you told me to do in that ballroom so many days ago. Only, we did it more than the little bit you were aiming for. And now I’m terrified he’s going to end up destroying his life, and it will be all my fault.

  But I remained silent, even
in my mind.

  The next morning, I refused to leave our room. “I’m saying in here until I come up with an idea,” I told Sophie. “We have to think of a way to save Marin.” If I could give Jon some hope for his duchy, perhaps he would give up whatever desperate plan he had hatched.

  But no brilliant revelations came to me. Eventually, in desperation, I convinced Sophie to come with me to talk to the head of the Lanoverian delegation. “The Duchess of Sessily is shrewd, but she has compassion. Perhaps she will agree to help Marin.” I lowered my voice. “Perhaps she would consider a marriage alliance between Celine and Jon, without requiring Marin to hand themselves over to Lanover.”

  “Lily! How can you even think of such a thing!”

  But Sophie’s horror didn’t sway me. My desperation had grown as I spent the day cooped up in my room, and I knew that nothing would be so terrible as seeing Jon struck down by the magic that had destroyed Palinar and Prince Dominic.

  Reluctantly Sophie accompanied me and listened in silence to my halting explanation to the duchess. I told her of Marin’s troubles and their need, but I didn’t mention the coup. I thought she might be more likely to offer Lanover’s help to the duchy now if she didn’t know a better offer might be coming. Although, given the noblewoman’s reputation, I considered it more than possible she already knew, anyway.

  “I’m sorry, Lily,” she said when I had finished. “The duke and duchess seem like good rulers, fallen on hard times through no fault of their own. But I serve Lanover’s interests, not theirs. Marin is smaller than all the kingdoms of this land and only a duchy. I could not, in all good faith, recommend a marriage alliance with them over Talinos or Trione.”

  Her face softened slightly and she gave a small sigh. “If love were involved, that would be a different thing. We still serve under the High King’s laws, of course. But I have seen no sign of that between the Marinese prince and Celine…” Her voice trailed off, her eyes gentle but all too knowing.

  I fought to hold back tears. I had never meant to doom Marin’s only chance by attracting Jon’s attention. I had always imagined that when I fell in love it would be something beautiful, a pathway to peace and prosperity for many. This reality was nothing like I had pictured it.

  I excused us both then, Sophie still not having said a word, too dejected to attempt conversation. But at the door I paused, looking back at the older woman. I tried to make my voice light, keeping my face clear of emotion.

  “Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask you. Has Sir Oswald approached you at all? I’m afraid I may have encouraged him in your direction in my efforts to avoid the younger members of his family.” I wrinkled my nose as if it was no more than a matter of my less-than-deft dealings with an unwanted suitor.

  A veil seemed to descend over the duchess’ expression, reminding me that while she had something of a soft spot for me and Sophie, she was also a master diplomat. “He has, as a matter of fact. He is a man full of passion for his business. I was forced to remind him that the king and queen of Lanover have made their position clear. Like Arcadia, they wish only to make treaties through the rulers of this land. While Duke Philip rules, all alliances with Marin must go through him.”

  “Apologies, Your Grace, for putting you to that trouble.” I gave her a respectful nod, as seemed appropriate toward someone below me in rank, but well above me in age, experience and wisdom, and shut the door behind me.

  Well, that was clear enough, said Sophie.

  Yes, she definitely knows about the plans for a coup. And her position is exactly as we suspected. She won’t aid it but, if they succeed, she’ll profit from it.

  Perhaps we should have told her about Sir Oswald being behind the fire? Sophie twisted her hands together. About what sort of ruler he would be. If she expects it to be a bloodless coup, with the support of all the nobles and merchants, she may even think it’s a good thing.

  I shook my head. How likely is she to believe us, when we have the information from Prince Jonathan? If Duke Philip had any evidence, he would have arrested Sir Oswald for conspiracy to commit arson by now. It would have been a nice solution to his problem, in fact.

  Sophie slammed her hand against the stone wall. This is infuriating!

  I haven’t given up hope. There’s still time. But maintaining any optimism was getting harder and harder.

  Chapter 28

  After my reaction last time, and my weakness in the corridor, I didn’t trust myself to dance with Jon at the next ball. I caught Teddy as we were walking in and had agreed to dance with him before he knew he had asked.

  Despite the lack of any real danger in the race challenge, we still passed through the groves with a far more somber air than three nights before. The events had returned to more physical challenges, and we all remembered the dangers we had faced before. And something about Sophie’s surprise win had unsettled everyone. A reminder, perhaps, that the unexpected could still happen with the scores.

  And, sure enough, the instructions for the challenge were far more detailed than usual. We had to race to the tallest tower of the mirror palace, a different structure from the high keep we had visited in the first challenge and, once again, take a piece of jewelry. Only this time, the winner would be the one to bring back the superior piece.

  When Opal timidly asked what that was supposed to mean, no one had any answers. And, to complicate it further, we were only to be allowed to leave the table one at a time, with the princess with the lowest rank leaving first. A list of our current ranks had been provided, and a series of bells would indicate each princess’ release.

  “It looks like the Tourney is giving us an opportunity to even the scores,” said Celine. “It won’t make much of a difference for me, though, given it’s another race.”

  I ground my teeth together. After all the hard work I had put in to gain my lead, it seemed I would have to continue to struggle to keep it. But the scared faces around the table reminded me why the effort was worth it. Hazel, in particular, looked terrified at being given the chance to catch up.

  “Opal, it looks like you’re to leave first,” said Celine, just before a chime sounded through the room.

  Opal froze, panic taking over her face, but her twin gave her a shove and she leaped from her chair and rushed from the room. Pearl, only a few points in front of her, almost immediately received the chime signaling her own release.

  One by one, princesses fled the room, the table emptying until only a handful of us remained. My leg jiggled beneath the wood, the tension rising in my middle. I kept picturing them all gaining ground, and the images made it hard to sit still. Celine had long gone, and soon only Sophie, Emmeline, Hazel and I remained. Sophie kept sending me reassuring projections, in an effort to calm my tension, but the other girls wouldn’t meet our eyes. Despite this challenge, we were the four most likely to win the Tourney, and I could only assume they were both hoping it would be anyone but them. As usual, our voices had been silenced.

  Then Emmeline was gone, and soon afterward Hazel. The next wait seemed interminable, though in reality it must have been less than a minute. When the next chime sounded, Sophie leaped to her feet and raced from the room, with a single backwards glance for me. Calm down! Our scores are close enough that your chime will sound any second.

  She was right, of course. The final chime released me within moments. I jumped up so violently that my chair clattered to the ground behind me. I ignored it and dashed from the room.

  Sophie still hadn’t regained her full strength from the fever, so I quickly overtook her. And I easily remembered the path to the tallest tower since three of my clues had been located there during the treasure hunts. The room at the top was accessed by a long spiral stone staircase that wound through the center of the tower, and I hoped to pass most of the girls struggling up the endless flights of stairs.

  I kept reminding myself that it wasn’t a straight race, either. It all came down to our choice of jewelry, and none of us knew what sort to expect,
or what might be considered significant.

  I passed Hazel on the first stretch of stairs, and Celine not long after, struggling up with her crutches. I sent her a sympathetic smile but didn’t slow. Pearl and Opal were next, despite having left first, and then Giselle. I kept expecting to see Marigold but saw no sign of her.

  I was panting hard and wondering how much farther when I passed Blanche and, shortly after, Emmeline. Like me, she had gained a lot of ground, but now seemed to be struggling to catch her breath.

  Still, I wasn’t far ahead of either of them when I burst into the room. A table filled the center of the small space, and Millie stood beside it staring down at an array of crowns. I hurried over to join her. Only eleven items lay on the table. I looked around again, as if Marigold would suddenly emerge from one of the walls.

  Have you seen Marigold? I asked Sophie who I guessed would be more than halfway up the stairs by now.

  No. Why?

  I didn’t pass her at all. But there’s already a crown missing.

  Oh, they’re crowns are they?

  Yes. I kept my answer short, my mind divided between concern for the mysterious disappearance of Marigold, and confusion over which of the crowns I should take. Millie seemed to share my indecision. Twice she reached out a hand only to draw it back again.

  When I gazed at them more carefully, my eyes caught on one in particular. One so familiar, I didn’t know why it hadn’t leaped out at me immediately. Sitting on the table of this strange mirror tower was an exact replica of the Arcadian royal crown worn by my father at important functions and state occasions.

  Now that I knew what to look for, I easily identified the others. Arcadia, Lanover, Northhelm and Rangmere were all represented from the Four Kingdoms. And I had spent hours on the voyage on the way over learning about the local kingdoms of this land. I recognized the crowns of Eldon, Eliam, Palinar, Talinos and Trione easily enough. The table even included the circlets worn by the heirs of Palinar and Talinos.