The Shadow Princess

Sera woke up with more tears in her eyes. It was the same dream about the silver wolf. Her dream dog had called her name and told her she was special. Its eyes were bright. But Sera found herself locked up in her own home when she woke up.

"Seraphina!" The hall was filled with the sharp voice of Queen Myra. "Have you finished your chores yet?"

Sera jumped out of bed. It was cold in her small room in the farthest corner of the house. 

There was only one small window high up in the stone walls, through which she could just barely see the sky.

"Coming, Queen Myra!" she called, quickly pulling on her plain gray dress.

The queen hated being called "stepmother," even though that's what she was. Sera ran a brush through her long dark brown hair and looked at herself in the cracked mirror. Her silver-gray eyes stared back at her. 

Everyone said her eyes were strange. Different. Queen Myra told her to keep them down when people came, which wasn't often for Sera. The sound of laughter floated up from the main hall.

Liora was already downstairs, possibly wearing one of her beautiful dresses, eating breakfast with Queen Myra.

Sera's stomach growled. She hadn't eaten since yesterday's lunch.

"SERAPHINA!" Queen Myra's voice was angry now.

Sera rushed down the narrow servants' stairs. When she reached the dining room, she saw Liora sitting at the table wearing a new blue dress with silver sparkles. Queen Myra sat at the head of the table, her cold eyes watching Sera enter.

"You're late," Queen Myra said. "Again."

"I'm sorry," Sera whispered, keeping her eyes down.

"Look at me when I speak to you," Queen Myra snapped. Sera gazed up. 

Queen Myra's face was beautiful but cruel. Her dark hair was pulled back tightly, and her gray eyes - so like Sera's own - were narrowed.

"Liora has special lessons today. You will clean her room while she's gone. And the library needs dusting. And the silver needs cleaning."

"Yes, Queen Myra," Sera said quietly. Liora giggled behind her hand. At twenty-two, she was two years older than Sera but behaved like she was the queen already.

"Can I have some breakfast first?" Sera asked, her voice small.

Queen Myra's eyes flashed. "You should have been here on time. The workers have already cleared the food." Sera's stomach cramped with hunger, but she nodded. 

This was normal. This was her life.

"Oh, mother," Liora said in her sweet voice that fooled everyone except Sera. "Let her have an apple at least. We don't want her fainting while she works."

Queen Myra sighed. "Fine. Take an apple from the kitchen. But be quick about your work."

Sera nodded and rushed to the kitchen. Cook saw her coming and secretly gave her not just an apple but a piece of bread with cheese.

"Eat it quick, child," Cook whispered. "That queen's got ears like a bat."

Sera wolfed down the food, grateful for Cook's kindness. As she ate, she wondered for the thousandth time why Queen Myra hated her so much. After her parents died in the fire when she was five, Queen Myra had taken over raising both girls. But while Liora got love and fancy things, Sera got work and cold looks.

With her belly a little less empty, Sera started her work. She dusted the huge library with its thousands of books she never had time to read. Then she polished silver until her hands hurt. 

Finally, she went to clean Liora's room. Liora's room was five times bigger than Sera's tiny area. It had a huge bed with silk sheets, beautiful dresses hanging in the wardrobe, and jewels scattered on the dressing table. Sera tried not to feel jealous as she cleaned.

While dusting under the bed, Sera found a small leather book. Curious, she opened it. It was Liora's diary! Sera knew she shouldn't read it, but one page caught her eye: Mother says we must keep Seraphina hidden. Her eyes show her blood. If the council finds out about her, everything will be ruined. I hate having her here, but Mother says we need her close where we can watch her. 

Sera's heart beat. What did that mean? What was wrong with her eyes? What blood? Suddenly, the door opened. Sera quickly shoved the diary back under the bed and stood up. Liora stood in the doorway, her pretty face twisted in anger.

"What are you doing in here?"

"Cleaning," Sera said. "Queen Myra told me to clean your room."

Liora's eyes narrowed. "Were you touching my things?,"

"No." Sera lied. "Just dusting."

Liora walked closer. "You're lying. I can tell when you're lying, little sister."

She reached out and grabbed Sera's wrist, her nails digging into Sera's skin. "If I find out you've been snooping, I'll tell Mother to lock you in the north tower again."

Sera shivered. The north tower was cold and dark, with no windows at all. Queen Myra had locked her there for three days last winter when Sera had accidentally broken a vase. "I wasn't snooping," Sera said, trying to keep her voice steady.

 Liora let go of her hand. "Finish cleaning and get out. I have to get ready for the council meeting."

After Liora left, Sera quickly finished cleaning, her mind running with questions. What secret were they keeping about her? What was wrong with her blood?

That night, Sera sat on her small bed, looking out at the moon through her tiny window. The full moon was big and bright.

In the forest beyond the royal walls, a wolf howled. The sound made Sera's skin tingle. Suddenly, her bedroom door opened. Sera jumped, expecting Queen Myra or Liora coming to yell at her for something.

But it was Kael, the cook's son and her only friend. "Sera," he whispered. "Come quick. There's something you need to see."

Sera hesitated. "I'll get in trouble if I leave my room at night."

Kael's eyes were serious. "It's worth it. Trust me."

Sera followed him down the servant's stairs and through the kitchens. Kael led her to a small door that opened onto the palace grounds. The cool night air felt great on Sera's face.

"This way," Kael whispered, leading her toward the forest edge.

"We can't go in there," Sera said, stopping. "Queen Myra says it's dangerous." 

"Queen Myra says a lot of things," Kael answered. "But look." He pointed into the trees.

Sera gasped. Standing at the edge of the forest was a wolf. But not just any wolf. This one had silver hair that seemed to glow in the moonlight. Its eyes were fixed on Sera.

"It's the wolf from my dreams," she whispered. The wolf stared at her for a long moment, then turned and disappeared into the trees.

"Wait!" Sera called, starting to run after it. 

Kael grabbed her arm. "Not tonight. It's too dangerous. But now you know you're not crazy. The silver wolf is real."

"But what does it want with me?" Sera asked.

Before Kael could answer, a bell rang from the house. "That's the alarm!" Kael said. "Someone knows you're missing. Run!"

They ran back toward the palace. Sera could hear guards yelling. As they reached the small door, it flew open. Queen Myra stood there, her face white with fury.

"Seraphina Vale," she hissed. "What have you done?"

Behind her stood Liora, a strange smile on her face. And behind Liora was a tall man with dark hair and cold blue eyes. He stared at Sera with sudden interest.

"Is this her?" the stranger asked, his voice deep. "The one you've been hiding all these years?" Queen Myra's face went from angry to scared in an instant.

"Lord Blackthorn, please. This is just a servant girl."

The man - Lord Blackthorn - stepped forward. His eyes locked with Sera's.

"No," he said slowly.

"Those eyes... I'd know that bloodline anywhere." He turned to Queen Myra.

"You've been lying to the council. This is no helper. This is a Silverblood."

Queen Myra's face turned white as snow. Liora gasped. And Sera stood frozen, not understanding what was happening, but knowing that her life had just changed forever.

The silver wolf had called to her. And now, someone had answered.