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“Do you enjoy it?”

“The pool? Yes. It is quite magical. My shoulder is completely healed. That’s a big plus.”

“I am not talking about the pool, Maris.” Valda’s voice dropped, as she pressed the back of her hand to the outside of Maris’s thigh.

Maris realized that she was addicted to the way Valda pronounced her name. Each syllable sent a bolt of electricity through her, goosebumps forming in her skin. “Then what?”

Inhaling deeply, Valda moved closer, her fingers stroking further up Maris’s thighs. “Us.”

“Are you asking if I enjoy having sex with you?”

Valda nodded, jaw muscles flexing.

Maris wet her lips before answering. “I think my cries last night were evidence enough.”

Valda seemed pleased with the answer yet the fierceness in her features did not ease.

“I will not stop, Maris. I don’t think I will. I might not know what I am getting myself into by sleeping with you, but to be honest. I do not care.”

“I—”

“No, let me explain.” Sitting up straight, Valda squeezed Maris’s thigh, hard enough to keep her quiet.

“When I was sixteen years old, I asked the Oracle when I would meet my mate. I wasn’t smart enough to specify which one, heart mate or soulmate. They said I would meet her on my twenty-fifth birthday. I waited nine long years, only for—” she gestured at her face, “this to happen to me. I didn’t want a heart mate, Maris. But now I can only hope I will at least get that.”

“Valda…” Swallowing hard, Maris grabbed Valda’s hand and squeezed it. “I don’t want a—”

“I know. I know and I get it, and trust me, I understand. But don’t deny that there is something happening between us because I can fucking feel you. I can taste you, and you…” Valda scoffed. “You feel like you were made for me.”

“Valda. You are the queen of the kingdom. I am a maid.”

“Yes. But—”

“I slapped you across the face.”

“Yes, and look how we ended up.” She smiled. “Do you deny the attraction?”

Maris shook her head. “I won’t deny that.”

“Good.” Valda said. “Now, kiss me.” The command was firm, but full of longing.

Taking a deep breath, as if about to jump into the pool again, Maris moved to her knees and cradled Valda’s face. She mashed her lips to the queen’s in a soft, chaste kiss which was much more affectionate than hungry. Fear ignited in Maris’s heart like a lantern in the dark at the thought that she was already in too deep regarding her feelings for the Queen.

16

Maris was trying her hardest to pay attention to the meeting, but Valda’s taste still lingered in her tongue, her scent saturated her senses. Even now, as the queen sat next to her, not moving or flirting, Maris wanted to squeeze her thigh underneath the large table. Yet, she had been instructed to pay attention, take note of body language and important information to discuss later.

After her swimming lessons, which ended as she had hoped for, Valda called forth a meeting with the kingdom’s counselors and advisors. Unlike Arwin, these advisors came ready to plead their case.

The first to talk was Angus Taskon, middle-aged man with an overly bushy silver mustache. The man was quick to report how this season’s crops were abundant in the northern towns, yet not so much on the southern cities. He announced a plan to help the south which didn’t include anything about lowering taxes. Valda thanked him for his help and his oversight while he kept his head low accepting the praises. Once he was done, he sat down with a satisfied grin on his face.

Next was education. A woman stood and greeted Valda with the utmost respect. Lyra Lever, a retired teacher in her sixties, addressed the upcoming programs she wanted to implement kingdom wide in the forthcoming years. She detailed a plan to integrate more reading and writing, starting with the earlier years. First, they would print as many books as possible, distribute them through the villages, assign a teacher for each school and invest in materials for the younger kids. By the age of seven, every Skylian should know how to read. Her reason for that was that she thought it was time to move forward. If anything, Maris was sure that Skylians were seen as barbarians. Not like Vulcanian, but close.Valda agreed to the plan and moved on to the next topic.

Housing and infrastructure. A young man in his thirties stood from his chair and fixed his sleeves, rolling them up to his elbows. A tactic to look more mature. Maris chuckled at that, and Valda leaned in to ask what was so funny. As Maris gave her a detailed description of the secretary of housing and infrastructure, Valda snorted and leaned back on her chair, unimpressed. Dristan Sato was nervous. His voice quivered as he turned to talk to Valda and explain how their budget wasn’t enough to do what he envisioned. He talked about the need to build better, stronger houses that would take in the tornadoes and sandstorms in the kingdom. He also spoke about how the last audience and how Eyphah Hurley had pleaded to have better materials to build their own homes.

Maris wrote it all done, feeling a pang of guilt. She was under the protection of Valda. She was safe, sound, with food and shelter while other Sealians were out there, struggling. Things needed to change, and fast.

The budgeting counselor stood from his chair angrily. Hadeon Lain was an older man, with thinning, silver hair and a nasty attitude. He demanded that Dristan let him talk. As he raised his voice, Valda stopped their bickering altogether with a slam of her hand on the desk.