Silver: The Lost Royal

1| Hooded With Red Lips

A gasp escaped Kara's lips as her translucent eyes glistened with a newfound radiance. "What if it's the love of your life?!"

Karyn chuckled. "Why should I prepare for the love of my life?"

"Their love could be so big, it would sweep you off your feet, take you 'round the world, and leave you happier than before. Forever," Kara said with exaggerated and animated hand gestures, as her glow illuminated the furniture around.

She laughed at her sister's actions. "How do you form these thoughts?"

Kara dropped onto the bed without a sound. "There's a section for novels in your school's library. Did you know that?"

"Huhn, well." Karyn shot up. "If there's anything I should prepare for now, it's cooking breakfast and leaving as soon as possible. We've got a committee meeting this morning and I can't be late."

The soft thud of her bare feet resonated against the polished wooden floor as she padded across the room.

"Why are you doing all this? Your aunt and uncle took you in, but you have to stand up for yourself. You wake up at five every morning, cook, and clean for them. You're like their maid."

Kara always referred to them as 'your' aunt and uncle. The reason was not because they didn't know of her, but because they never treated her sister right. Although Karyn's uncle was nice to her, he never defended Karyn from the mistreatment she received from his wife and children.

"They gave me a home and for that, I would be forever grateful-"

"Karyn, listen to yourself, you-"

"Nope! I will not add having this conversation with you to my daily morning routine. Yes, everyone is mean to me except Uncle Jack, but I'll have to bear it until I graduate. I'll be eighteen and I'm sure aunt would expect me to move out by then. Also, I spend a lot of time in school and I'm happy there, so leave it at that."

Only the sound of Karyn rummaging through her austere closet filled the room until Kara spoke. "You can't remain in this town, I know it."

"Oh please, like there's anywhere else I can be but Emerfield. It's all I've known," she said with a shake of her head. "And how are you so sure? Do you have dreams, too?"

After she set out her clothes, she crossed the room and began tucking her bedsheet with no hassle despite Kara sitting on it.

"You know I don't sleep and thank goodness for that. If dreams are as bad as they make you feel, then I don't want to have them. Let's just say I have a feeling. You have the dreams and I have the feels."

Kara burst into laughter, while Karyn, who couldn't find the joke in her sister's words, sighed and went about her day.

When she was about to head out, her uncle ambled into the kitchen. His soft footsteps were so silent that she flinched in surprise when she saw him.

"I didn't hear you come in. Morning, uncle."

"He's even more silent than I am," she heard Kara mutter from the corner.

"Morning dear. Do you mind making me a coffee while we have a quick chat?" His nasal voice was something she'd gotten used to, even though it still rubbed her off the wrong way.

"Sure."

She dropped her bag with a soft thud and moved around in haste. She wanted to leave early to avoid pedaling hard on her bicycle and arriving drenched in sweat. That was not the entrance she wanted to make to the committee meeting.

"Isn't it part of the whole coffee-drinking ritual to do it yourself?" Kara stated from behind her.

"Are you rushing somewhere?" her uncle asked.