Stars of the Sea

Silver and Gold

Bella's fiance was setting fires again.

He caught her gaze and smiled. Then he flicked his fingers, and a burst of flames sprang up from the wine glass of a woman walking passed. Bella frowned.

"Someone might get hurt," she said in a whisper, in case her family was listening. They would want her to go along with whatever King Adar did.

"I'm being careful," he promised, and the fire went out. The woman, who had been flailing around, calmed. Her eyes searched the ballroom and landed on Adar. He smirked and she averted her eyes.

Bella and Adar didn't dance the first or second songs. Adar opted to play tricks by using his magic, while Bella tried to make a decision whether or not she would marry him.

He was nice, young, and playful, and Bella thought she could have been truly happy with him, but that didn't mean she loved him, and Bella was quite confident he loved her. It felt dishonest. Like she was using him.

Belladonna Fox was the granddaughter of an immortal queen, and the magic in her

blood was thin. It was weak. She needed protecting, and Adar could do that.

"You should show me your power," Adar said. He leaned on the table and took a bite of one of the small cakes. He made a face of displeasure, but he finished it anyway. "Unless you're keeping it secret for a reason. A surprise. In which case, don't show me, because I am rather fond of surprises."

"My powers aren't a secret," Bella argued. "Everyone knows what my family can do."

"Yes, but I haven't seen you do it," Adar argued. He rested his chin in his hand. "Please, Belladonna?"

"I don't know why you use my full name," Bella said, almost panicked as she tried to change the subject. "No one has time for that many syllables."

"I have plenty of time," Adar objected. "And so do you. We're immortal, are we not? It's so easy to forget when we're young, and since there have been so many deaths of late." Adar quieted. "All of those rulers decided this is the century to die in, in this decade."

"I'm sorry," Bella said because she knew it was proper. Why did you even bring it up? She wondered, but she dug her nails into her skin to suppress the thought.

"Don't be," Adar exclaimed. "But you can be if you want. You can make it up to me by giving a demonstration." He held up a silver fork and twisted it between his fingers with feline grace–until it fell from his fingers with a clang. Adar smiled sheepishly and bent to pick it up. Bella smiled in fondness. I should have liked to be his wife. Bella thought as she picked at her skin. I should have liked to be his friend forever. I would have liked to have a friend.

"Later," Bella said, looking around. "In private."

"Sure," Adar said. He smiled. "Do you think you could unclasp a necklace?"

"What?"

"Unclasp a necklace." Adar said, smiling. "One of those," He guesterted to a group of court ladies who were standing in a circle. Whenever a member of Adar's court walked past, they scoffed and laughed loudly.

"Probably," Bella said. She fidgeted. "Wouldn't we get in trouble?"

Adar gave her a look, and Bella smiled half heartedly.

"I am a king,"

"And my grandmother is queen," Bella responded. "And she won't like what we're doing."

"Would she even know?" Adar asked. "Truly. A woman loses her necklace, and suddenly it's the queen's problem?"

"That's Dutchess Liliana," Bella whispered. "She's a close friend of my grandmother. She would go to her."