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As Valda’s breathing deepened and her cries amplified, Maris doubled her efforts. Even if she gripped her hair harshly, even if she began to feel that distinctive tension on her wrist as she slipped a second finger inside of Valda’s opening, coaxing another strangled groan from the other woman, Maris would not stop.

Seconds later, Valda’s loud, pleasurable whimpers erupted from her chest as her walls tightened around Maris’s fingers. Her tongue languidly stroked the sensitive nub. She slipped her fingers out, sucked them clean, and kissed the planes of Valda’s stomach.

“Morning.” The greeting came out with a teasing grin as Maris settled next to Valda.

The queen didn’t waste a second. She grabbed Maris’s face and crushed her lips with hers, moaning as she tasted herself. Maris obliged, letting her take what she wanted before the queen released her and let out a satisfied sigh. Rubbing her nose against Valda’s ear, Maris waited until Valda regained her composure before talking.

“We have to go.”

Valda nodded, eyes closed, hands on the sweat-dampened sheets underneath her. “Right,” the queen whispered as she opened her eyes and turned to look at her.

Her eyes shined with such unspoken affection it made Maris kiss her. If they didn’t stop, she would probably make the queen hers again. Valda read her mind and pulled away from the kiss before sitting up.

Over the next hour, they bathed, mindful of keeping their hands to themselves. They dressed and put their belongings away. Valda brought all their bags down to the first floor. As Valda opened the door the Skylian guards stood.

“We are going back to the castle,” Valda announced, handing them a bag with provisions. Their eyes widened, a small smile spreading across their lips at the mention of going back.

Next to the guards, Cai also stood. Maris quickly noticed his tired eyes and decided the child needed to rest. She wasn’t sure if he was put there by Eyphah, but he was too young to be acting like an adult. There was no need for him to stand guard when Valda’s guards were doing so.

When she dismissed him, Cai gave her a bright smile before heading down to the lakes.

“He is too young to keep watch all night long. He looks like he did not sleep a wink. I should talk to Eyphah about him.”

Valda shrugged as she threw a thick blanket over one of their horse’s croup and loin. “I was more or less his age when I started training,” Valda said with her attention on securing the bags to the horse. “Also, he probably didn’t sleep due to all your screaming.”

Maris flushed, her cheeks burning like the sun. “Valda!” Her eyes shot at one of the guards, who cleared his throat and hid behind one of the horses.

“I speak only the truth,” Valda said pridefully.

“I was following instructions,” Maris quipped, earning a teasing smile from the tall woman.

“And I must say, you would’ve made a fine soldier.”

Maris threw her head back and laughed. “I don’t think I would’ve survived your training regimen. What was it? Running five miles as a warm-up?”

“Oh, please. That’s nothing.” Valda said, patting the horse’s butt before going to the second one and repeating the process, this time with Maris’s bags.

“I can give you one and a half miles.”

“We can start there. I am sure you can make it to five. A little training would do you well.” Valda chuckled.

“It would do you really well.”

Both women snapped their heads to turn to the person who cut into their conversation.

Eyphah stood between House of Arago and House of Proteus, her hands hooked behind her back and a concerned expression on her face. “I was hoping we could start in the upcoming days.”

Maris turned to Valda, expecting her to say something, but Valda kept her attention on her horse, her eyes fixed to the binds securing their belongings. Maris was grateful for that. She shouldn’t have been the one to break the news of their departure. That was Maris’s job. Taking a deep breath, Maris turned to Eyphah and made it down the steps.

“I won’t be staying.” Maris waited a couple of seconds for Eyphah’s reaction.

“You are not?”

“Not now. I am heading back to Oberon Castle, and I will be discussing all the things we talked about with Dristan Sato. He oversees the infrastructure, and before I came here, he had some ideas planned for the reconstruction of roads and houses. I will bring him here if I must, and we can get started on all the help New Agenor needs.”

Eyphah squeezed her jaw muscles and took a deep breath. As she did, her shoulders sagged. “Many of us want to go back.”

“And we will.”