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“And she loves you? Even after what you did?”

Valda’s taut features softened in confusion. “What I did? What are you talking about?”

“You executed her father, Raan Era. You—” Arwin snarl widened, his arms akimbo. “Wait. You never read the report?”

Valda’s chest constricted as her throat closed, and the fine hairs on the back of her neck stood. The report… Maris’s report…

“Well, my dearest child. I suggest since you got your sight back, you go ahead and read it.”

26

Valda didn’t move. She didn’t breathe or think. She just stood there, staring at Arwin’s devilish grin. His posture was so calm and confident it made her stomach turn. Something inside of her twitched, snapping her back to reality as Maris’s voice in her memory as she asked her why should she trust Arwin?

“What’s in the report?” Valda asked, finding her voice again, her hands trembling with unreleased anger.

“Go read it.”

“What is in the fucking report, Arwin?”

Arwin let out an aggravated sigh. He sat down again, lifting his boot to the table as he leaned back. “Do you remember when you were… sixteen? Seventeen? When I gave you a special lesson?”

Valda frowned as her mind went through thousands of memories of Arwin training her, teaching her combat skills and techniques. This man had been with her since the second she opened her eyes, and yet she couldn’t recall this special lesson he spoke of, as if she had erased it from her memory on purpose.

“Which one?”

“The day I taught you to kill a traitor. Your mother was so mad when she found out I made you execute a man in cold blood. She claimed you were too young. I said you must start them young for them to become good rulers. I guess I was wrong with that one.”

“Arwin. Get to the point!”

“Do you remember or not? The man I told you was responsible for your father’s death? One that was attached to the rebels down at Umbriel?”

A sudden realization dawned on Valda’s face, and her legs weakened, not enough strength left in them to hold her body weight. She remembered the sword she held, how heavy it had felt in her hands. She remembered the smoldering, afternoon sun on her back and shoulders, burning her face. Arwin had contacted a man, claiming he was responsible for her father’s death. She remembered the man’s face, his pleas for mercy…

“I remember. I couldn’t… finish it.” Dread settled in Valda’s stomach.

“Raan Era,” Arwin said.

“Captain Hurley, I want you to meet my personal assistant.”

“Maris Era. It is so nice to meet a fellow Sealian.”

Era…

Fuck

Fuck! Fuck. FUCK!

“Don’t tell me…” Valda’s throat constricted; she could barely breathe. “He was—”

“I think you should head back to your chamber. I need to make an announcement and I would love for you to be there with your mate.” Arwin’s tone was densely condescending. “This controversy happening between us needs to be resolved in a diplomatic way, don’t you think so?”

Though Valda was lost in her own thoughts, she managed to register Arwin’s words. She nodded in agreement. She didn’t care about the announcement. Whatever the asshole was thinking about doing could be fixed. Valda could fix it, but what she had done to Maris…

She rubbed her palms over her slacks harshly, her mind transported to that day. The memory was buried along with all the other deaths she had caused. She dared not to remember it not only because it was her first execution, but because she regretted the way it was done.

It was the same day she had spoken with the Oracle. Her excitement over the news was brushed away as she stood over a man, kneeling on the courtyard sandy ground, shaking, sobbing. His face was covered up and his shirt stained with blood.

Once Arwin removed the bag over his head, she asked him if he knew why he was kneeling before her. He didn’t know why he was taken away from his family. He cried and pleaded. He bowed his head asking for mercy, screaming that he had a soulmate, a daughter and that he wanted nothing more than to go back to them.