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It wasn’t a question, or request.

Valda’s face relaxed instantly. She gave Maris an awkward smile before shrugging her colorful yet bare shoulders. “I can’t—”

“You can,”Maris interjected. “Close your eyes, let go. I got you.”

I got you. Maris swallowed hard, her gaze fixated on Valda’s nervous features, but then the queen nodded.

“I trust you,” she whispered, her hand sneaking over Maris’s waist, pulling their bodies dangerously and intimately close, unaware of curious gazes thrown their way.“I trust you with my life,” Valda said, pressing her forehead to Maris’s, smudging some yellow paint on her skin.

The musicians slapped the palm of their hands harder against the drums’ leather. The violinist picked up the pace, and Eyphah’s voice sounded over all of them, harmonizing beautifully.

Now, the tired dancers moved away and left the rest of the dance floor for the couples. And Maris didn’t waste a second to drag Valda into the circle. Valda stumbled once, maybe twice, but as Maris led her with the rest of the dancers, she got the rhythm down, closed her eyes, and began to laugh as their movement got faster, more euphoric.

Maris moved back and twirled the tall woman before being snatched away by a young and beautiful girl. Before she could say anything, she was pulled into a strong and tall body. Maris looked up and saw a handsome man smiling down at her before he twirled her away into the arms of a middle-aged woman. Maris turned back, frantically searching for Valda.

Her darling queen was now dancing with a man and then shoved to dance with a young girl. Something inside Maris stirred when she saw Valda dancing with someone else, laughing so freely. She was moved to the arms of yet another man and then to another woman. She never stopped looking at Valda as she danced and jumped from dancer to dancer.

Finally, Maris saw Valda moving closer. This time, she would not let go of the queen, her queen. She reached to capture the other woman’s hands, and when she did, she was enveloped with a distinctive warmth that rose from her chest, through her neck, and up her face until it at last settled on her forehead. The heat was a welcoming change to the cold night, and so, her eyes drifted shut as she relished that warmth spreading through her entire body. Valda wrapped her strong arms around her, unconcerned by the questioning gazes.

Maris melted in the embrace, taking in Valda’s peculiar scent, her nose tenderly nuzzling Valda’s broad shoulders. She pulled away enough to look up at Valda, whose hooded eyes seemed to be looking down at her with a tenderness that made her heart ache.Her eyes drifted shut, as she allowed the other woman’s strength to envelop her.

And then, Maris heard a gasp.

The music suddenly stopped, and Eyphah’s voice died in her throat as a ragged breath escaped her.

When Maris opened her eyes, there was no one dancing. Everyone was staring at her with wide eyes, slacked jaws, and one or two elders’ eyes were stained with upcoming tears…

Only then did she notice the steady beaming of a blue light emanating from herself…

“Princess! Our princess! She is here! Blessed be Poseidon!” Someone in the crowd hollered.

Maris looked up at Valda, whose beautiful face was adorned with dots upon dots of yellow paint and now reflected a shine of blue light.

Maris took a step back. Her hands trembled with both fear and excitement. She turned to her side. Coljar was sitting not far away, looking at her as if she was the most beautiful deity amongst all. She grabbed a small mirror he held, probably to show Valda how she looked, forgetting there was no use for it. Maris took it in her shaking hands and looked upon her reflection.

On her forehead, the steady beam of Poseidon’s symbol shone through in the form of the trident. On instinct, Maris grabbed Valda’s forearm, smudging more paint. “Valda,” She called to her, but Valda was too lost in her own world to even acknowledge her. “Valda.”

Valda’s white eyes moved about as if she was searching for a way to see what the commotion was about.

“Who are they calling out for?” she finally asked until realization fell on her face, and the excitement that shone through turned into something Maris couldn’t quite grasp. “It is you, isn’t it?”

“The symbol…” Maris whispered, pulling herself closer to Valda. “It’s on my forehead… it’s shining I—”

“You are the lost princess?” Valda’s throat moved as she swallowed hard.

Maris did the same, swallowing the only logical answer, but when she opened her mouth to speak, she felt a strong grip on her elbows. As she turned, she found Eyphah’s questioning gaze on her once again. Maris searched into Eyphah’s eyes for an answer, but the beam of the Sealian symbol draped Eyphah with a soft blue hue. The woman fell on her knees, grabbed Maris’s trembling hands, and pressed her lips to them.

Suddenly, and in deafening silence, everyone around Maris lowered themselves to their knees… everyone except for Valda. The queen of the Sky Kingdom looked lost in her chaos, and little by little, she moved away from Maris, bumping into the kneeling Sealians until she was away from the crowd and heading back to House of Arago.

22

“Valda!”

Her call was unanswered, and a part of her went missing when Valda did not turn back. She was sure she heard her. Why was Valda ignoring her?Maris looked down at Eyphah, their eyes connecting for a second before she snatched her hands away from the other woman’s burning lips.

“No,” Maris warned Eyphah, watching as she stood up straight with piercing, icy cold eyes.

“No?”