SMOKE AND SILVER - CHAPTER ONE
Hi everyone! I’m a little nervous about this. Today, I’m finally getting around to posting a long-ish excerpt from Smoke And Silver! By that, I mean around 600 words, which isn’t a lot, but I’ve only ever posted a few paragraphs before.
This is Chapter One and is written in third person limited from Kiana’s POV. Many thanks to @bysombreseas and @theswordofpens for proofreading it for me — you guys are the best <3
I really value honest feedback, so it would mean the world if you left a comment with your thoughts! As always, reblogs are much appreciated :))
Anyway, without further ado, here is the first chapter of Smoke And Silver:
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DANCING SMOKE
— KIANA —
Kaelin moved like a thief. He stepped deliberately, delicately — dancing through the trees like the first flames of a forest fire. His sister stumbled after him, following the smoke and clearing her path with care.
“This is stupid,” she hissed. “We should never have let her persuade us.”
Kaelin made no reply, but a single twig snapped the silence beneath his feet. Kiana sighed, her eyes heavy, but echoed his stealthy footsteps. The pain in her leg had faded to an ache: vicious and angry, but distant, alone. She knew that her brother’s concern would ruin everything if he knew, so she kept quiet and focused on advancing without making a sound.
A rogue branch scratched at her, taking advantage of her absent mind. She cried out and covered the cut gingerly with her hand, marking the tips of her fingers with bitter, scarlet blood. Kaelin was at her side in an instant, eyes wide with concern, standing alert and alive.
“What happened?“
“A branch,” she laughed. “I walked into it.”
Her brother smiled and raised his eyebrows, “Show me.”
She titled her head to the side, exposing the line of blood that hid next to her silver eye.
“Does it hurt?”
“No.”
“Too quick. You need to learn to lie, Kiana.”
She scoffed, and glared at him with mock fury, but allowed him to examine the cut.
“It’ll be fine,” he said, “We should get it washed ‘though.”
“Let’s hope there’s clean water, then.” She squirmed away from the ointment he was trying to apply.
“Mm. How’s your leg?”
She shrugged, “Fine.”
“Really? What would Arni say?”
“I’m fine.”
Kaelin wrinkled his forehead, suddenly doubtful and concerned.
“Promise me,” he said, holding out his hand — offering it to his sister. Kiana’s fingers met his own, and they held each other for a moment. When they let go, both their palms were sticky with blood. He exhaled shortly, satisfied, and Kiana felt a little guilty. Maybe Kaelin’s little sister was no good at lying to him, but she’d always found it easy to break an oath.
Still, she was bothered by what her brother had said. What would Arni say? It was rare that Kiana set aside even a second to worry about the thoughts of other people, but Arni was different. She was their guardian — the only person in the Where that Kiana allowed to protect her. Not even Kaelin had that privilege. Kiana was almost vicious in her independence; no-one talked down to her or offered her assistance. She didn’t need it. If she did, she’d ask.
But she was equally fierce in her respect for Arni: it was mutual, which made it stronger. The woman had practically raised her. She’d clothed her, fed her, taught her. There was no doubt that Kaelin and Kiana Karzel were forever indebted to Arni Tidan, but she didn’t ask for anything, not ever. But she’d asked them to do this, and they couldn’t let her down. That’s why Kiana was battling with herself, forcing herself to choose. She sighed in resignation. She made up her mind.She bit her lip hesitantly, scared of what she was about to say. “I want to go back.”
The expression on her brother’s face was what she’d been expecting; he was disappointed, though not surprised.
“I know it’s a risk,” he said, “I know that.”
“Then why take it?”
“That’s what we’re best at, isn’t it?”
“You can’t steal a risk, Kaelin.”
He exhaled. “You’re always so literal.”
“Wrong. I’m usually literal.” She picked up the pace, and overtook her brother, pulling the branches towards her as she ran, so that they swung back into his face. Laughing, he chased after her, light and silent like a leaf on the breeze.
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Thank you so much to anyone who actually read all of that — I hope you enjoyed it! <3
Would anyone be interested in me posting Chapter Two at some point?
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