Chapter 3 - The Silver Ring
The silver rings had belonged to the royal family for generations.
Mave had seen them on diplomats.
Generals.
Councilors.
Healers.
But she had never understood what they meant.
Byron did.
“They were symbols of the King's Circle,” he explained.
“What is that?”
“A secret royal order.”
“Secret?”
“Officially it doesn't exist.”
“That sounds comforting.”
“It was created by my grandfather.”
“Why?”
“To protect the throne.”
Mave studied the ring.
“So anyone wearing one could have access to the palace.”
“Yes.”
“And my sister?”
“Her arrest may have been part of the same plan.”
Mave's stomach tightened.
Liv had been accused of stealing from a noblewoman.
The evidence had seemed ridiculous.
A necklace placed inside Liv's bag.
A witness who swore she saw Liv entering the noble's room.
Mave had never believed it.
“What if Liv was framed because someone needed a convenient prisoner?”
Byron's expression hardened.
“Then we find out why.”
They searched the royal archives.
Mave had access to forbidden shelves because Byron could authorize her quietly.
The first clue was in an old ledger.
Seventeen years earlier.
A list of children born to families suspected of Holloworn blood.
Mave's name was there.
So was Liv's.
Her hands went numb.
“They knew.”
Byron looked over her shoulder.
“They knew your family existed.”
“Then why didn't they arrest us?”
“Maybe they thought your mother escaped.”
“She did.”
“Where?”
“North.”
“When?”
“After my father died.”
Byron looked at the ledger.
Another page.
A final entry.
Mave's mother's name.
Marked deceased.
But Mave knew that was false.
Her mother had died years later.
Meaning someone inside the palace had falsified the record.
“Your family wasn't merely hiding,” Byron said.
“They were being watched.”
Mave stepped back.
“By whom?”
The answer appeared in the margin.
King Riden.
Her blood ran cold.
“My mother knew him?”
Byron looked equally shocked.
“Apparently.”
That night, Mave dreamed.
She saw fire.
A young Riden standing beside a woman.
Her mother.
Riden was handing her something.
A small silver key.
Then the image changed.
A child crying.
Liv.
Someone dragging her away.
Mave woke screaming.
Byron was sitting beside her.
“You were dreaming.”
She stared.
“You came in?”
“You were unconscious.”
“I was?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“An hour.”
He reached toward her.
She flinched.
He stopped immediately.
“Sorry.”
She looked at him.
The king who could command armies had stopped because she was afraid.
That mattered more than it should have.
“You can touch me,” she whispered.
His hand moved slowly.
He brushed hair from her face.
The gesture was gentle.
Far too gentle.
Mave looked away.
“This is dangerous.”
“What?”
“This.”
His voice was quiet.
“I know.”
“We need to focus.”
“Yes.”
“On my sister.”
“Yes.”
“On your kingdom.”
“Yes.”
Neither moved.
Then footsteps sounded outside.
They separated.
Byron returned to bed.
Mave opened the door.
Captain Ainsley stood there.
“Someone tried to enter the king's chambers.”
Mave's blood chilled.
“Who?”
“We don't know.”
“Did you catch them?”
“No.”
Ainsley looked at Mave.
“Be careful.”
After he left, Byron whispered.
“He's lying.”
“How do you know?”
“Because Ainsley never leaves a room without checking every window.”
Mave's gaze shifted.
Ainsley was one of the silver-ring bearers.
They had their first real suspect.
The investigation deepened.
Mave followed Ainsley.
Byron gave her instructions.
She discovered secret meetings beneath the eastern tower.
Ainsley met Colin there.
But Petra was already waiting.
Three silver rings glinted beneath torchlight.
Mave listened from behind a wall.
“We don't have much time,” Colin said.
“When will the king die?” Petra asked.
“Soon.”
Ainsley frowned.
“And the girl?”
“Which girl?”
“The Holloworn.”
Mave stopped breathing.
Colin smiled.
“She doesn't know what she carries.”
Petra shook her head.
“She will.”
Ainsley looked troubled.
“She already saved him twice.”
“Then perhaps she should die first.”
Mave backed away.
She returned to Byron.
“They know.”
He listened without interrupting.
“They called me Holloworn.”
His expression became murderous.
“And they mentioned Liv.”
Byron's jaw tightened.
“Then the dungeon isn't safe.”
Mave ran.
They reached the cells.
Too late.
Liv was gone.
The guard was dead.
The door stood open.
Mave collapsed to her knees.
“Liv!”
Byron grabbed her shoulders.
“We will find her.”
“She was all I had.”
“You still have me.”
The words escaped him before he could stop them.
Mave looked up.
May you like
Byron's face softened.
“I promise,” he said. “I will bring her back.”
