Chapter 11 Divorce proposal 2

Chapter 11 Divorce proposal 2
SILVER'S POV

Arthur stared at me like I'd spoken a foreign language. "What?" The word came out strangled.

"Divorce," I repeated calmly. "Either you let me leave, or I file tomorrow."

"You can't—that's not—" He moved around the desk, closer. "Silver, you can't just threaten divorce because I won't let you leave the palace."

"I'm not threatening. I'm informing you of my options."

"Why?" His voice cracked slightly. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I need to leave, and you're trying to stop me."

"Then tell me why you need to go!" His hands clenched into fists. "Give me one reason. One honest reason."

I met his eyes. "I don't owe you explanations anymore, Arthur."

"Silver, we're married! If you have anything—"

"Which part of my word didn't make it clear that I owe you any explanations."

Silence.

He looked at me like he was seeing me for the first time.

"Like I said, I'm telling you, not asking permission." I turned toward the door. "Three days."

"Wait." His voice stopped me. "Take guards. At least take—"

"I have someone accompanying me."

His eyes narrowed. "Who?"

"Someone I trust."

I left before he could respond.

~ ~ ~

I walked back to my chambers and closed the door behind me.

Then I collapsed onto my bed.

I was just acting out of survival, I told myself. None of it meant anything.

So why did I feel a pang of something—guilt? regret?—for what I'd just done to Arthur?

I didn't have time to examine it.

"Terrible performance," Raven said from the shadows.

I lifted my head from the pillow. "I got what I wanted."

"You look like you lost a battle."

"I'm just tired," I said softly.

I sat up. "I don't get it," I said, more to myself than to him. "He doesn't love me. He has another woman. But he doesn't want a divorce."

"Humans rarely want to lose things," Raven observed. "Even things they don't value."

"That's not helping."

"That's reality." He tilted his head. "Did you lose your nerve? Do you still want to leave?"

I stood up. "Yes. More than ever."

"Good." He smiled. "Because I'm curious where this journey leads."

I moved to my wardrobe and started pulling out clothes. "We leave at dawn."

Raven settled into the chair by the window. "Though I suspect the Crown Prince is too confused to do much of anything right now."

"He'll recover." I folded a dress into my travel bag. "He always does."

"You seem to know him well." Raven's voice was casual, but his eyes weren't. "I don't like the woman who slapped you. Don't you think we should even the score?"

I didn't answer. I didn't want to think about Cateline right now.

Raven sighed. "There you go with the silent treatment again."

I had enough to worry about without adding his entertainment to the list.

I packed light. A few dresses. The Book of Awakening wrapped carefully in cloth. A small pouch of coins. Everything I needed to survive a few days away from the palace, and hopefully, everything I needed to finally unseal Silver's magic.

"We leave at dawn," I said. "Get some rest if you need it."

"I don't sleep, remember?"

He vanished into the shadows.

I looked around my chambers. Silver's chambers. This had been her prison for a month.

Tomorrow, I'd be free of it.

At least for a little while.

I climbed into bed fully dressed, too anxious to bother changing. Sleep felt impossible, but I needed to try.

\~~~

Dawn came too quickly.

I stood in the palace courtyard, a travel bag slung over my shoulder. The air was cold. Mist hung over the grounds like a veil.

A carriage waited. Simple, unmarked. Nothing that screamed "Crown Princess fleeing her marriage."

Perfect.

Raven appeared beside me, silent as smoke. "Ready?"

I looked back at the palace. Tall. Imposing. Beautiful in the early light.

Somewhere inside, Arthur was probably still asleep. Or maybe he was awake, watching from a window, wondering if I'd actually leave.

Part of me hoped he'd come down. Stop me. Say something that would make this make sense.

But the courtyard remained empty.

Just me, Raven, and the Driver who studiously avoided looking at either of us.

"Silver?" Raven's voice pulled me back.

"I'm ready."

I climbed into the carriage. Raven followed, settling across from me with inhuman grace.

The driver clicked his tongue and the horses started moving.

The palace began to shrink behind us.

I watched it disappear through the small window. Watched the walls grow smaller. Watched my prison—no, Silver's prison—fade into the mist.

The early morning light caught on the towers. For a moment, I thought I saw a figure in one of the upper windows.

But then we turned a corner, and the palace vanished completely.

Raven glanced at me, something almost playful in his expression. "Don't worry. This will be fun."

I chuckled despite myself. "Come on."

Somehow, over the past few days, we'd started to understand each other. An ancient vampire and a girl from another world, bound by impossible promises.

I met his eyes. "I will save her. The witch. I meant what I said."

His face shifted—the amusement fading, replaced by something raw. Something he quickly buried beneath his usual mask.

"I know," he said quietly.

I turned back to the window. The palace was gone now. Just trees and road and fog.

The carriage hit a bump in the road, jostling us both. The Book of Awakening shifted in my bag.

"So," Raven said, leaning back against the seat. "Are you going to tell me where we're actually going? Or shall I guess?"

I pulled the book from my bag. Set it on my lap. Stared at the blank pages I couldn't read.

"We're going to find the one person who can help me unlock Silver's magic."

"And who might that be?"

I closed the book and looked up at him. "My father. The head of House Noir."

Raven's eyebrows rose. "Interesting choice."

I tucked the book back into my bag and watched the landscape roll past. Fields. Forests. Villages I'd never seen.

Silver had lived her whole life between House Noir and the palace. She'd never traveled for herself. Never seen the kingdom she was supposed to help rule.

I just had to convince Silver's father to unseal her magic.

How hard could it be?

The sun rose higher, burning away the mist. The road stretched ahead, winding through the countryside.

I leaned my head against the window and closed my eyes.

For the first time in weeks, I felt like I could breathe.