Silver powerforce's Arc

Chapter 1 of 5

Silver Powerforce stood at the edge of the training yard and counted the empty spots along the wall. Three years ago her mother had turned to stone in front of a crowd, and the power force wars had split what was left of the family down the middle. Silver held the realm now. Her hair caught the morning sun and threw white light across the packed dirt, and the new recruits looked up before they meant to. She used that. She always used that. What she could not use was an empty hall at supper, so today she meant to bring her siblings home. Celeste Splyt met her at the gate with a blade already on her hip. Pearl Tornado came behind, pink ponytail tight, sleeves rolled. "You sure about this," Celeste said. Not a question. Silver handed each of them a folded list of names and last known holds. "One each. Ride out, ask plain, ride back by dusk." Pearl scanned her paper. "And if they say no?" "Then they say no to my face next time," Silver said. She took the longest route herself, three siblings scattered across two holds and a farm. She spoke to every one of them without her guard in the room. She reminded them of the wars. She reminded them who had ended it. She asked them to stand at the wall beside her. The oldest brother laughed before she finished. The middle sister said she would think on it and closed the door. The youngest would not open his at all. By dusk Silver rode back alone. Celeste and Pearl were already at the yard, both empty-handed, both watching her face for the count. "Zero," Silver said, before they asked. Celeste spat in the dirt. Pearl said, "They'll come around." "No," Silver said, "they won't. Not for asking." She unfolded her list and drew a line through every name on it. She looked at Celeste, then at Pearl. "You two are my blood now. We build the guard without them." Celeste nodded once. Pearl's jaw set. Silver walked past them into the hall her mother built, and for the first time she did not think of it as her mother's.