"Ready or not, here I come!"

Antonia wasn't sure she was on board with this plan.

Of course, she often thought that only to be played the fool when Octavia repeatedly proved herself a capable strategist. It was interesting to imagine how her sister might think of the world, filled with puzzle pieces instead of people. Antonia had once asked, but Octavia had gotten upset, claiming she felt emotion just as Antonia did.

It hadn't quite been what Antonia was trying to say, but she often wondered if Octavia really did feel things like she did. Right now, for example. What was Octavia thinking as they leveraged their brother as a pawn without blinking an eye?

Trajan had been thrilled that his sisters wanted to play with him and Lucius this morning. Antonia knew he had felt a little discouraged with how disjointed the family felt. Despite everything happening, Trajan remained a sweet boy. Long were the days when Antonia had found him a thorn in Octavia's future. Perhaps her sister would make the best queen, but Antonia had no doubt that Trajan would grow up to be a righteous leader.

Or he would if the Revolutionaries lost this war.

Another report had warned that Royalists were still fighting battles in the North. The Revolutionaries were slowly losing resources as their richer counterparts gathered more magic and weapons to fight back.

The dragonrider had even left to try and even the playing field. Antonia didn't think their lords had dragons, but she hoped they would be strong enough to take that monstrosity Dainn rode.

"Where could you possibly be?" Antonia called out, cupping her hands around her mouth as she spun around. The guards watched as she walked into a few rooms, checking wardrobes and exploring the parts of the castle that she wouldn't dare go near unless under this guise of playing.

Occasionally, a guard might stop her from entering a room, claiming nobody was hiding there and sending her away. Antonia made note of every place they blocked her from.

Nema knelt under a lemon tree as she passed the gardens, eyes closed as she prayed. Despite not seeing Antonia, her lips twitched as if she somehow knew she was near.

"Trajan!" Antonia called, forcing her eyes away. "You didn't leave the castle, did you?" she asked, ignoring the giggling somewhere further down the hallway. "What was that?" Antonia whispered, and the giggling stopped. Walking into an obscure library hidden off the side, Antonia looked around. "I thought I heard something...."

She walked around, already seeing two pairs of feet behind some curtains. Still, Antonia looked around, pausing to discreetly check the drawers of desks and any books out of place. Once her snooping was done, Antonia walked over to the curtain.

"Maybe it's too dark in here," she decided. "If I had some light, I could-" She flung open the curtains with a dramatic gasp as Trajan burst into laughter. Lucius looked far less convinced by Antonia's theatrics but smiled all the same. "That was lucky," Antonia greeted them, placing her hands on her hips. "I don't think I'm very good at this. Could you help me find Octavia?"

The boys both brightened. Lucius shoved Trajan as they raced away, shouting that he knew where Octavia was hiding.

Antonia smiled after them, taking a moment to relish in the smell of ink and parchment. Libraries had always been one of her favorite places. She liked the way sunlight streamed through the windows and how the room was always filled with the silent conversations of written words.

"Up here."

Antonia looked up to find her sister lounging on one of the upper platforms of the library, flipping through a book. 

Octavia got up, sliding down a ladder with remarkable ease for someone wearing a dress with so many layers. "We can only stay for a few minutes before the guards remember we're still here."

Antonia looked over her shoulder. Had the guards really seen Lucius and Trajan leave and assumed the room was empty? She wanted to know why Octavia was so sure, but there was no time to ask as Octavia brought out a piece of paper, holding it over a candle. A map revealed itself as Octavia opened one of the desk drawers, pulling out a small glass vial and brush.

"How did you make that?" Antonia asked as Octavia set the now-visible map down.

"Lemon juice and some powder from the kitchen. I used to do this so you wouldn't read my diary," Octavia smirked. Antonia spluttered indignantly. Not that Antonia would ever do such a thing... but that did explain why all the journals her sister kept were suspiciously blank. Octavia pushed the map toward her. "Now, where did the guards stop you from going?"

Antonia picked up the offered brush and dipped it in the ink, marking each room to which she had been barred entrance. Octavia's eyes flicked over the map thoughtfully.

"This would have to be where the weapons and magic are." She tapped a room in the back corner. "Friedrich knows that we know where the armory is and would try to rob it if we escaped. My guess is that this is where the actual weapons are. It's close to all the escape points in case of an emergency, and that room has no windows and only one exit."

Octavia marked it off with more ink. "That means emergency food would be here. Medical supplies here." She pointed to two different rooms. Antonia didn't bother to ask why those things would be stored there. "And Savoy is in the wine cellar."

"The wine cellar?" Antonia asked. "He wouldn't be in the dungeons?"

"Friedrich is still putting people in the dungeons. He imprisoned a thief last night. If they are trying to pretend Savoy is on their side, they won't put him where others can see he's imprisoned." Octavia leaned over and blew on the paper to quickly dry the ink. The parchment was stiff with the juice on it, but Octavia managed to fold it carefully, placing it in the front of her dress.

"Now what?" Antonia asked. Octavia gave her a pitying look that made her a little nervous. Wordlessly, she grabbed the vial of lemon juice and held it out. "...excuse me?"

"The guards are going to come in any second. Trust me?" she asked. Antonia bit her tongue but accepted the vial. Silence fell between them. "Well?" Octavia prompted. Antonia gave her an irritated look and held out her hand. "Drink it."

"Drink it?!"

"Antonia, I swear-"

"Why don't you drink it?" Antonia spat back, already outraged. Sometimes, it felt like her sister's so-called plans were just inventive ways to torture her. Ignoring Octavia's nonsense reasons on why Antonia had to drink the questionable concoction, she tipped it back. A burning sensation went down her throat. Octavia quickly snapped back the vial, going to Antonia's side as she gagged.

Right on cue, the door slammed open to reveal two irritable guards as Antonia coughed, trying to get the horrible taste from her mouth. Octavia gave a sympathetic hum as she pushed Antonia's hair back, mewling as if she felt sorry for Antonia's suffering.

"Apologies," Octavia added to the guards as they stumbled to the door. "I think my sister is sick." The guards both looked at one another, uncertain about what this meant for them. "Would you mind telling the boys we won't be able to finish the game?"

"Of course," one guard said, a little too eagerly. Octavia smiled, and his expression brightened. He gave them a deep bow before realizing he shouldn't.

Antonia coughed again, but the original burning sensation was gone. Just as she went to right herself, Octavia pinched her. Hard.

"Son of a-"

"I know," Octavia agreed in feigned sympathy as she dragged her up the staircase toward the room Antonia had been given for their imprisonment. "Being sick is never fun."

"You're the worst," Antonia muttered through gritted teeth, only to get pinched again. She gave a pained hissed as they went through the front door. "You-" Antonia began the second the door was closed. Octavia held up a finger to quiet her. "I could have just pretended to be sick!"

"You're a terrible liar," Octavia said dryly.

Antonia threw up her hands. "Really?" she asked. "I'm a terrible liar? I'm the one with secret magic," Antonia said bitterly, holding up her hand. A light pressure went up her arm to her palm. A cool sensation slipped over her fingers. It kind of felt like holding jelly. Slippery. Shaky. Like it might burst through her fingers if she squeezed it.

Octavia's shoulders tensed as an inky black spread from Antonia's veins to her palms, covering her hands as wisps of smoke appeared at her fingertips.

The best-kept secret in Romanov. Antonia closed her palm. She had been five the first time it had happened. Octavia had been learning magic, surrounded by tutors and mages alike. Antonia had always watched in awe as her sister manipulated water, earth, and air with ease.

However, something else happened when she tried to mimic her sister's movements. A blackness had formed at her hands, and one of the instructors had frozen in horror. The castle shut down as her parents ran about, trying to figure out who knew what and what was happening.

It had taken a few years for Antonia to fully understand what the problem was. Her magic wasn't like her sister's. Elemental magic was harvested. It was bought. It was sold. It was traded. Antonia's magic came from her. It was something she was born with. Something that couldn't be taken from her. Rather than a commodity, Antonia's magic was like another body part.

Such a thing hadn't existed before. The only other magic that differed from elemental magic was the chosen magic in Cambria, but even that wasn't something a human being was born with.

Thus began the longest years of Antonia's life. In truth, Antonia loved her magic. She liked that it was hers and hers alone. She liked that it was the color of night and reminded her of the smoke that Octavia's fire magic would give off. It made her feel special. She was special.

Nobody else seemed to like it, though. Her mother couldn't even look at it, and her father tried to tactfully explain that it was dangerous for people to find out about her magic. There were whispers about black magic in a prophecy in Htraeh. The words scared her parents, thinking that some other world leader might demand Antonia or start a war.

And so Antonia hid. She didn't get magic lessons. She couldn't visit her people unless she was sure she could control herself. She couldn't do much of anything unless she could hide her powers... and she wasn't bitter about it. At all. Not even a little.

"Can you check the wine cellar for me?"

Not even when her sister was an ass about it.

"You want me to use my magic?" Antonia asked. Octavia locked the door to the room, giving her a warning look to lower her voice. "You want me to use my magic for this when you don't even trust me with escaping-"

"Antonia," Octavia interrupted and grabbed Antonia's face between her hands. "The Revolutionaries have magic too. Unless you know for a fact you are powerful enough to escape all of them, then it is too risky. Unless you know you can kill everyone here and leave no witnesses, then it is too risky. If there's even the slightest chance word gets out that you have this power, then it is too risky. The consequences of this...."

Antonia shoved her hands away. It wouldn't be an issue if someone had taught Antonia how to use her powers, but that was also too risky. All she could do was mirror Octavia's movements with elemental magic and see what results came from them.

Antonia had mastered only a few tricks: summoning items, dimming candles, and her second sight. Her second sight was a favorite when she and Octavia were children. It had been a way for them to spy on their parents, especially during holidays when they wanted to see what gifts they might be getting. Antonia and Octavia would be safely in a room, but their minds could visit other places without being seen.

"Fine," Antonia muttered and held out her hand. Octavia took it. "Once we're free, I'm feeding you to that boy's dragon."

Octavia made a face at her. "Hilarious."

Antonia gave a sarcastic smile in return. Black smoke began to flow from her hands.