Chapter 9
Silver
“You okay, buddy?”
A hand came to rest on my shoulder, and I realized I’d been staring into my locker, unmoving, for the better part of a minute.
“Sorry,” I replied, glancing over at Karrick. “Just got a lot on my mind.”
“You wanna talk about it?”
I shook my head. “It’s not important.”
“Dude, you’ve been a space case all week. You’re forgetting all our plays and getting things mixed up on the field.” He leaned in a little closer. “No offense, but I don’t really want to lose the game this weekend because something’s up.” Karrick squeezed my shoulder. “So, c’mon. Talk to me.”
Lifting my head, I glanced around the locker room. There were still a few guys getting cleaned up after practice. I really didn’t want them overhearing things about my personal life. They were good guys, but I didn’t want my life to become their next string of jokes to toss my way.
“Alright,” I said, knowing how stubborn Karrick was. We’d been friends for a long time, so I knew his heart was in the right place too. “Just not here, okay?”
Karrick nodded, gesturing toward the door with his big fuzzy head. “Let’s take a walk.”
We finished getting dressed in silence. I pulled on my jeans and a clean shirt, tossing my practice gear into my gym bag.
My mind was still swirling with thoughts of Ash.
It had been a week since he’d bolted from my room, and I hadn’t seen him since.
I’d gone back to the locker room several times hoping to catch him during his cleaning shift, but either my timing was off or he was deliberately avoiding me.
Once we were outside, the cool autumn air hit my face, clearing my head slightly. The campus was relatively quiet this time of day, with most students either in class or studying in the library. Perfect for a conversation I didn’t want overheard.
“So, what’s going on?” Karrick asked as we headed toward the lake at the edge of campus. “And don’t give me that ‘it’s nothing’ crap. I’ve known you too long.”
I sighed, shoving my hands into my pockets. “It’s stupid, really. Just... guy trouble.”
“Guy trouble?” Karrick’s eyebrows shot up. “You? Mr. Love-’em-and-Leave-’em having relationship problems? That’s a first.”
“It’s not a relationship,” I snapped, then immediately regretted my tone. “Sorry. It’s just... complicated.”
“I’ve got time,” Karrick said, his voice gentler than usual. It was strange hearing the normally boisterous beastkin speak so softly. “And Phoenix always says I give decent advice about this stuff. Apparently, I’ve got a knack for it.”
I couldn’t help but smile at that. “Fine. You remember that shadow witch I mentioned? Ash?”
“The cleaning guy you were all hot for? Yeah, what about him?”
We reached a small pond just beyond the quad, and I picked up a stone, skipping it across the water’s surface. It bounced four times before sinking.
“We went out for coffee last week. I kissed him. It was his first kiss.”
Karrick whistled low. “Damn. A super-virgin, huh? That’s new territory for you.”
“It’s not about that,” I said, feeling defensive. “There’s something about him, Karrick. When we touch, there’s this... spark. Like actual electricity. And his magic… it responds to me in this weird way. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.”
“Sounds intense,” Karrick nodded, picking up his own stone and throwing it. It hit the surface with a dull sploosh and sank immediately. “So, what’s the problem?”
“We were in my room, things were going well, and then he just... bolted.” I kicked at a clump of grass. “All because I mentioned having to go back to the Twilight Realm after graduation.”
“Ah.” Karrick’s face softened with understanding. “And humans aren’t allowed there.”
“Exactly.” I threw another stone, harder this time. It skipped across the water, traveling farther than the first before disappearing beneath the surface.
“And that was it? You just told him you had to go home and he bailed?” Karrick frowned, his furry brow furrowing. “Seems like an overreaction.”
I shrugged, trying to act like it didn’t bother me as much as it did. “I think he was hoping for something more. Which is ridiculous. We’d just met.”
“But you like him.” It wasn’t a question.
I kicked another stone into the water, watching the ripples spread outward. “Yeah. I do. And that’s the problem.”
“So don’t go home after graduation.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“Isn’t it?”
I bent down, grabbing another stone. “No. It’s not.”
“You know, you’ve never really talked about what’s waiting for you back there,” Karrick said, grabbing a stone for himself. “Why do you make it sound like you don’t have a choice?”
This was dangerous territory. I’d never told anyone at Widdershins about my royal status. Not even Karrick, who was probably my closest friend here. I’d always been vague about my life back in the Twilight Realm, letting people assume I was just another dark elf from a well-off family.
“It’s complicated,” I hedged, avoiding his gaze.
“Everything with you is complicated,” Karrick said, nudging me with his massive shoulder. “Come on, man. We’ve been friends for years. What’s the big secret? Are you like, married or something back home?”
I laughed despite myself. “No, not married. Not yet anyway.”
“Not yet?” Karrick’s eyes widened. “Wait, is that it? You’ve got someone already waiting for you?”
I winced. He was too close to the truth for comfort. “Something like that.”
“Holy shit, Silver.” Karrick stopped walking, turning to face me. “You’re engaged? And you never thought to mention this small detail?”
“I’m not engaged,” I said quickly. “Not technically. It’s just... expected. My parents have someone picked out for me.”
“And you’re going along with it?” He sounded genuinely shocked. “That doesn’t sound like the Silver I know. You’ve never let anyone tell you what to do.”
I laughed bitterly. “You don’t know everything about me, Karrick.”
“Then enlighten me,” he said, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “Because the Silver I know would tell his parents to go fuck themselves if they tried to force him into some arranged marriage bullshit.”
I sighed, looking out across the water. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the campus. It reminded me of home, of the perpetual twilight that gave my realm its name. I missed it sometimes, despite everything waiting for me there.
“My family isn’t like yours,” I said finally. “There are... expectations. Duties that can’t be ignored.”
“What kind of duties?”
I stared at Karrick for a long moment, weighing my options. I’d kept this secret for so long that revealing it now felt like stepping off a cliff. But maybe it was time. Maybe I needed someone else to know the truth.
“I’m not just any dark elf, Karrick,” I said quietly. “My full name is Prince Silver Umubra Crenethiel Erestolal, heir to the Twilight Throne.”
Karrick’s jaw literally dropped. His furry face went slack with shock, and for once in his life, he was completely speechless.
“You’re... a prince?” he finally managed, his voice barely above a whisper. “Like, an actual fucking prince? With a crown and shit?”
I nodded, glancing around to make sure no one was within earshot. “Yes. And when I graduate, I have to go back and assume my duties as crown prince. Which includes marrying the bride my parents have chosen for me.”
“Holy... fucking... shit.” Karrick ran his clawed hands through the fur on his head, his eyes wide with disbelief. “How have you kept this secret for four years? Does anyone else know?”
“No one at Widdershins knows,” I replied. “That was the deal I made with my father. Four years of freedom, of just being Silver the football player, not Prince Silver. Then I go home and be the dutiful son he expects.”
Karrick let out a low whistle. “That explains so much. The way you always dodge questions about your family, why you never invite anyone to visit during breaks, the fancy-ass clothes you sometimes wear when you think no one’s looking...”
“You noticed that?” I asked, surprised.
“Dude, I’m your best friend. Of course I noticed.” He punched my shoulder lightly. “I just figured you were embarrassed about being rich or something. Not that you were literal royalty.”
I sank down onto a nearby bench, feeling oddly relieved now that the truth was out. “Well, now you know why I can’t just tell my parents to fuck off. The entire Twilight Realm is waiting for me to come home and take my place.”
Karrick sat beside me, the bench creaking under his weight. “So that’s why you can’t take Ash with you? Because he’s human?”
“Humans aren’t allowed in the Twilight Realm except under very specific circumstances,” I explained. “And even if they were, I’m expected to marry a noble dark elf woman and produce the next heir. There’s no place for...” I trailed off, not sure how to finish that sentence.
“For love?” Karrick supplied, his voice surprisingly gentle.
I shot him a glare. “Don’t be ridiculous. I barely know Ash. This isn’t about love.”
“But it could be,” Karrick said, his yellow eyes searching my face. “I’ve never seen you this hung up on a guy before, Silver. Usually you just fuck ‘em and dump ‘em.”
“Thanks,” I muttered. “You make me sound so wonderful.”
“No judgement from me,” he said, taking a seat next to me. “I was just like you until last year. Until Phoenix came along.”
He had that faraway look in his eyes he always got when talking about his mate.
Karrick was perfectly satiated in every way by his relationship.
It was everything he’d ever wanted and then some.
Sure, they had to go through hell to make it possible thanks to Phoenix’s parents, but now they were together and blissfully happy.
I envied them so much. I would never have that.