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Valda’s gaze shot to the dais, where Arwin circled the king’s throne. Her father’s crown dangled disrespectfully from one of his fingers. Valda clenched her fists and tensed her jaw.

Arwin spread his arms with a theatrically handsome smile on his rugged features. “People of the Sky Kingdom, I am the bearer of exciting news.”

Valda heard Maris shuffling behind her, putting space between them. She turned to look at her, gaze apologetic, wanting to do something, anything to get the other woman to talk to her. As Valda was about to reach out, Maris’s eyes widened at the spectacle over Valda’s shoulder.

A young woman walked from the entranceway behind the thrones. Long aqua curls reached her back, her clothes were all Sealian, and she carried a waterskin on her belt. The woman moved to Arwin, whose palm was out, inviting her to grab hold of it.

When she did, she stood beside Arwin and smiled at everyone in the room. Her eyes traveled across every face until it landed on Valda. The innocence of the smile faded, replaced by a cynical and dark grin.

“My compatriots. I present to you, the heiress of the Sea Kingdom, Nerea Thalassa.”

Valda felt the taut pull of Maris’s emotion right away. She heard her inhaling deeply and hold her breath.

For the first time, Valda saw Arwin for the liar he was. She had seen that woman before; right before she lost her vision.

“The Fates were right. The wind and the waves. The sky and the sea would join together,” Arwin said, his hand slipping over Nerea’s waist, presenting her. The woman turned from Valda to Arwin and smiled again, her hand slipping to his shoulder, holding him intimately close.

“Lies!” Valda bellowed. “How dare you sully the throne room where my parents ruled. How dare you spew such lies!” Gritting her teeth, Valda unsheathed her sword and ignored the surprised gasps of the people around her. She pointed the blade at Arwin, who waved his hand dismissively.

“You will not turn my throne room into a circus, Valda. Lower your weapon…”

“I should suffocate you where you stand. You and this fake heiress. Whoever she is.” Turning back to Maris, Valda pleaded with her eyes for the other woman to talk, but Maris didn’t. She didn’t even meet her gaze. “Maris…” Valda called, reaching out with one hand while holding the Heaven Sword with the other. “My mate…”

Another burst of surprised gasps and whispers exploded within the throne room. Valda looked upon the leaders of her army, the directors, Hadeon and Lyra… Her directors. It took Valda a moment to recognize the few faces that looked at her with both shame, pity, and disgrace.

They turned their heads away as Valda made eye contact with them. Valda stumbled for a moment and waited for them to stand up for her. Then she realized that the only reason they were alive, and Dristan was dead, was because they had forsaken her. They gave up their loyalty to stay alive. She wanted to be angry at them. She wanted to be furious, but… they did what they could to survive.

As the unknown woman stood at the dais, her forehead shone with dim light, the mark of Poseidon. Valda didn’t flinch. The light was not vibrant and strong like Maris’s… A poor imitation. A shapeshifter.

“The symbol! It is true! She is the heiress!”

“Praise be Poseidon for keeping her safe!”

Valda scoffed. How could they be so gullible? How could she have been so gullible? She had swallowed Arwin’s lies all her life. She had hurt her mate by doing as he asked. Yes, it was years ago, yes, she was a child, but Valda couldn’t free herself from the guilt.

Within seconds, the air inside the throne room grew dense, shifting and swatting about inside Valda’s head and in her ears, growing stronger and louder as a hurricane engulfed her. Valda grabbed the wind within her hand and tossed it across the throne room towards Arwin.

With a flick of his wrist, Arwin stopped the attack and dissolved the tornado into nothing.

Valda’s mouth slackened in a silent gasp.

Arwin could command the wind…

Arwin…

“Impossible…” Maris spoke for the first time since they left the chamber. “How?”

Arwin grinned and again waved his hand dismissively. “I am royalty,” he turned to the woman next to him. “As well as her.”

The woman whispered something only he could hear into his ear. With her hand still on his shoulder, Arwin held her close so she could lean against him. “Of course, you may leave, love.”

The light coming from the woman’s forehead dissolved within her skin. Arwin slowly released her, and she climbed down from the dais to disappear behind the thrones.

Valda frowned and took a shaking step towards the dais, still holding her sword. She heard Maris’s soft curse under her breath and then a gasp. The sound of clanging metal echoed in the throne room as the guards and high-ranking soldiers mimicked Valda by taking out their own weapons. The tension in the room was palpable, yet Valda focused her gaze on the man before her.

“I have no fucking idea what you are trying to do. They might not see through your lies, but I do, and I am tired of standing by and letting you do as you please. This ends—”

“No, this is not ending. This is just the beginning, Valda,” Arwin said, interrupting her as he hooked his hands behind his back. “I suggest you put away that toy before you are skewered to death by your former captains…”