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“As you know, we’ve also doubled the taxes on the Sealians living in New Agenor. We’ve provided them with a batch full of Sealian water and it almost cost us another ship,” Arwin added before his eyes turned to Maris. His sardonic grin made her want to puke.She wrote down a couple of things in her notebook, gazing away from him before she lost her temper.

“What is it?” Valda asked Maris, interrupting Arwin.

“Your Highness?” Arwin raised a white eyebrow as he looked at Valda.

Maris moved uncomfortably and shook her head. “Nothing, my Queen.”

“Speak.”

Arwin scoffed. “Is she your counselor now?”

“General, I suggest that you keep your remarks to yourself,” Valda said. She turned to Maris and spoke again. “Go on.”

“I … think this revitalization of the Sea Kingdom by Skylians hands… is not what they need,” Maris said, her voice quivering and looking anywhere but towards Arwin. “Not to mention, why make them pay higher taxes, when they already have lost so much.”

“If they haven’t done anything to fix what happened to them in twenty years, they are just lazy and incompetent.”

Maris tilted her head in disbelief. She remembered Eyphah Hurley during the audience, she remembered her anger and frustration at not being heard by the crown. She was all alone, begging Valda for help and albeit Valda neither denied nor accepted helping the Sealians, it still felt as if the Sealians, her people, were left to fend for themselves.

That wasn’t right. None of the things coming out of Arwin’s mouth was right. Sealians weren’t lazy, they just had a whole kingdom working against them, while trying to stay afloat.

Maris needed to do something, anything that might get the Sealian the help they needed, why not try to get that help now?

“Lazy? I been working ever since my father died. I couldn’t find any job that would take me. One look at my hair and they turned me away, and I will not speak of the way I was treated in the places I was hired.” Anger bubbled in Maris’s chest as Arwin dismissed her with a scoff. She turned to Valda before asking, “Has the Sky Kingdom even gone through something like this in its history?”

Valda shook her head. “Not that I know of.”

“You shouldn’t judge them then,” Maris added. “You don’t want to lower their… our taxes? Fine! Then create laws so your people will hire Sealians. Tartarus! Pay them an incentive for having Sealians working for them! Give us a chance!”

“Are you saying that this kingdom is not to your liking, girl?” Arwin smirked. “You can always go back to the Sea Kingdom and try your luck in that forsaken place.”

“Arwin!” Valda growled. “Enough!”

“It’s fine, my Queen. I take no insult. Maybe it is hard for the status quo to hear what needs to be changed.” Maris tilted her head and stared at Arwin. “If my queen is to take money from the Sealians, might as well use it to fix their Kingdom and have them go back to their home.”

“We’ve done more than enough for your people,” Arwin said, his words sharp and biting.

Valda closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “What are we using the money on, Arwin?”

“According to the report, it is mostly going to the army,” he answered.

Maris went back to her notebook and wrote a couple of lines. She was so preoccupied that she didn’t notice Valda’s hand, sneaking under the table and grabbing hold of her thigh. Maris eyed her lap and then Arwin, who was distracted by the mess of reports.

Valda leaned close enough for Maris to hear her say, “We will talk later.”

Quickly and as covertly as she could, Maris squeezed Valda’s fingers reassuring her that they would indeed talk.

“What’s next?” Valda asked the general.

“I can continue with security.”

Valda waved her hand, signaling him to continue.

“The civil unrest continues down south. Your last battle before your birthday did not deter more rogues from joining in. From what has been reported, there are more soldiers abandoning the army and joining these… legions.”

“Legions? Really?” Valda asked, scoffing at the word.

Arwin shrugged. “Valda, people are rebelling. After your father’s death, it has been all downhill, especially when your mother took power. With her unsystematic approach to ruling—”