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Maris raised a questioning eyebrow. Love? “Do you think we could talk?”

“We could.” Her stance changed from relaxed to withdrawn. “I do have to say, seeing the queen here does make me uncomfortable.”

“Why?”

“The woman hasn’t stepped foot here since she was a child. Suddenly she comes back waving around a treasure such as yourself.” She shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I be cautious?”

“You are not acting cautiously. You are acting angered.”

“I am tired of all the promises.”

“What promises?”

Eyphah scoffed and shook her head as she began to walk away again.

“Eyphah, I am here to help. If you don’t tell me what is happening here, I can’t do shit!”

“No one has done more shit in this place than me! All of this!” She waved at the surrounding trees, the settlement beyond them. “All this shit! Me! I did it! I don’t need another traitorous Sealian coming here and acting as if they know what’s best for us. All because you feel backed up by the crown.”

“Another?” Maris frowned. “Are you talking about Isen?”

“Oh no, love. I am talking about Captain Hurley.” Disgust painted her mouth at the mention of her brother. “A Sealian being a captain in the army of the kingdom that threw us in the middle of nowhere to fucking die.” Exasperated, she ran her hand through her hair. “It is quite rare to see a Sealian working for the crown.” She began again. “I thought my brother was the only traitor.”

Maris’s upper lip twitched. She took a step back to look at Eyphah in disbelief. Though she was annoyed with her mischaracterization of Isen, Maris could guess that sibling relationships were complicated. But calling her a traitor without even knowing her was just wrong. Maris’s stomach twisted in an angered knot.

“Are you calling me a traitor?”

Eyphah shrugged. “If the shoe fits…”

“You don’t know anything about me, and by the words spilling out of your mouth, you don’t know anything about your brother either.”

Eyphah threw her head back and laughed. “You are right. I still don’t know how many cocks he sucked to get where he is.”

“How dare you…” Maris turned to Eyphah, her teeth bared in an angry snarl.

“Same question goes to you, love.” Eyphah stepped closer, her face inches away from Maris before canting it to the side. “What does the queen’s cunt taste like?”

“Careful with your words! I am your representative before the crown of the Sky Kingdom.” Maris raised her chin. She was done playing games.

“Representative?” Eyphah whistled and moved her hands as if protecting herself. “Please. Have mercy!”

“Do you think that this attitude will help our people?”

“They are my people, not yours. The moment you decided to work for them you relinquished anything that had to do with the Sea Kingdom, and so did the captain.”

“Says who? You?” Maris lashed out, her jaw tightening.

Eyphah’s lips curled. “You come here unannounced with the queen by your side. You’ve had the protection of the crown while we almost starved. My brother left, saying that he would bring forth the help we needed. You have no idea what it is to struggle the way we had.”

Oh, but Maris knew. She knew quite well how it felt to be completely abandoned by the crown. “I do.”

“Don’t compare yourself to us!” Eyphah yelled, her chest heaving with unreleased anger, anger she had probably been holding onto for years. “Do you have any idea how it is to come to an unknown place, with nothing? My brother was holding onto my shirt as the ship beneath us sank as we made land! My mother died before she could step foot on this godless place.” Eyphah’s voice quivered, faltered even. She took a step back and took a deep breath. “You have no idea how it feels to not know how you will survive, if you were going to survive.”

Maris slanted her head and gifted Eyphah an apologetic smile. “I do.” She took a hesitant step towards Eyphah. “I know that fear, that pain. That uncertainty. I know it quite well.”

Eyphah looked at her now, curious and hesitant. “Do you?”

“I was adopted by a Skylian soldier and his wife back when the destruction happened. They didn’t have children of their own, so they raised me as if I was theirs. My father disappeared one day and… my mother lost it.” She shrugged as if trying to ease that distinctive knot that formed in her stomach. Her eyes burned, and she struggled to hold her tears in. “I know how it is to walk in and see everything you know gone...” She bit her lower lip and swallowed hard. “…dangling from a rope.”