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“She would probably kill me if I lay a hand on you, right?”

“Yep.”

Melvian let out an exaggerated groan. “Skylians are so territorial and possessive. I can’t stand it. I am lucky I am not mated to one,” Melvian said before gathering her things. “I am glad you are well. I wish I could stay and talk some more, but I told Isen to meet me at the healer’s chamber and I really have to give him a piece of my mind. He needs to stop being so dramatic.”

“Oh, please. Go easy on him.”

“I won’t,” Melvian declared as she walked to the door. “I will see you when I see you?”

Maris nodded as Melvian left.

Cerberus nibbled on a piece of dried meat Valda carried around. She had kept it inside a drawer near the large sofa for random treats. It had been a long time since she had sat down to relax with her pet. She missed going out with Cerberus and walking around the castle’s gardens. She missed watching the large black ball of fur jumping over the flowers, chasing random bugs or hunting small lizards. She also missed resting on the large sofa, reading a book while she lay on her chest. She was well aware that Cerberus was uneasy. A cat her size needed to get out and exercise. She didn’t trust anyone to take her beloved pet out to the garden. For now, petting and scratching her chin would have to do.

Things were getting complicated. With Maris being attacked by castle guards, Valda couldn’t trust anyone in the castle. She didn’t know if they were out to get her or get Maris. Why were they after Maris in the first place? Arwin’s half-assed explanation did not sit well with her. There had to be something else.

And then there was Maris. Maris Era. The name sent a jolt down her spine. She had heard that last name before, but for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to remember when she had heard it.

Laying down on the sofa, Valda patted her chest until she felt Cerberus’s heavy paws. Then the weight of the large cat almost suffocated her until she lay down.

Maybe she should ask Arwin, but she hated that she had to rely on him, and she would have to rely on someone to read the report. If Arwin read it, she wouldn’t know if he was telling the truth, if Maris read it… She wouldn’t want Maris to read a report on herself.

Valda sighed, opening her eyes, hoping to see Cerberus staring back.

She cared too much. Enough to take Maris to the pools and ‘show her how to swim’. Enough to be mindful of what others said about her, and to try to kill Arwin when he went too far. Enough to want to help the Sealians more than her mother had done, but the woman still kept her at bay. She doesn’t want a heart mate. Or any mate. She is also not twenty-one yet and still, a stinge of fear spread through Valda. Maris was with another Sealian right now. A handsome one at that. She remembered what Isen Hurley looked like.

Nibbling on her lower lip, Valda wondered if she could ever take Maris to New Agenor. She seemed genuinely worried about her people. She was open to learning more and doing more for them. Would it be a good idea to take her to New Agenor? Present her as an advisor?

If she did, she would be exposed to more Sealians, more people. The chances of Maris finding her soulmate amongst the people of New Agenor was bigger.

Valda grunted and rubbed her forehead. Fuck… What am I thinking? You want to keep her away just like her parents did?

Valda couldn’t deny herself; she couldn’t keep her hands off her. Knowing that she was close, that the attraction was mutual, fueled the desire deep within Valda.It could very well be lust, something that Valda was not a stranger to but it wasn’t. It wasn’t lust.

Maris was different. She laughed at her nonsense. She played the violin, which shouldn’t have come as a surprise, since the Sealians were extremely talented at all the arts. She always smelled like the sea, and she was soft. So soft.

Valda’s hands would always dig into her flesh, holding her steady. Her taste heightened the need to have her, and the possessive nature within her spread like wildfire.

She wanted Maris, there was no doubt in her mind, but could she bring herself to claim her as a heart mate knowing that there was a big possibility that she would find her soulmate and leave?

No. Valda wouldn’t allow that. She would kill Maris’s soulmate without a second thought. She would do whatever was in her power as a queen to keep Maris with her, even if what she wanted was wrong. No one should kiss Maris the way she did, no one should fuck her the way she did. No other name would slip from Maris’s mouth but her own.

But could she bring Maris to experience the emptiness of a broken bond if she were to kill her soulmate for her own selfish reasons?

Valda scoffed as she opened her eyes and noticed Cerberus’s yellow eyes coming in and out of focus.

Wait. Cerberus?

Gasping, Valda straightened as she strained her eyes harder. Cerberus jumped off her chest as she sat up and let out an annoyed trill. Before her, she watched the empty fireplace forming, still in a deep haze, dark and hard to make out, but she had seen that fireplace many times to know that she was indeed looking at it.

“I can see!” Valda yelled before closing her eyes, rubbing the blurriness aggressively. Then, she opened her eyes again, only to be enveloped in darkness.

Valda blinked violently then pressed the meaty part of her palms to her face, scrubbing aggressively.

“I swear I was able to see something,” Valda muttered to herself, grabbed her cane, and dashed out the door to find Maris.

Maris stepped out of the throne room, heading to Valda’s chamber. She tried her hardest not to think about what Isen had said, about her possibly being the heiress to the throne of the Sea Kingdom. She couldn’t bring herself to pull away from the idea that he was right. Yet, if there wasn’t a way of corroborating his suspicion, why bother telling Valda anything at all?

Heavy boots echoed behind her. Thinking it was Valda, Maris turned to see Arwin following close behind. Maris swallowed hard, turning to keep on walking until he called out for her. A shiver went down her spine, and she stopped walking all together as his steps got closer. Maris lifted her gaze, locking it with his as he pivoted and stood in front of her.