Page 27

Kenna took a step back, recoiling in shock, her mouth agape. She whispered something in Arevulcan. Valda struggled to translate, frowning as Kenna repeated the same words repeatedly. Narrowing her attention to the barbarian’s dark lips, Valda finally understood.

“My mate. I found my mate.”

Valda arched her brows in surprise.

Isen’s confused gaze changed as Valda turned to him. She mouthed the word “mate” and his entire demeanor changed. The corner of his lips curled into a hopeful smile, and so did Valda’s.

Licking her lower lip apprehensively, Valda called to Kenna, whose ax dangled at her side. “Eyphah is your mate?”

Kenna’s face contorted in elation, as if the name itself brought her a sense of peace Valda knew all too well. “Eyphah.” Kenna pronounced the name, her heavy Vulcanian accent added fire to the word. “Eyphah, my mate.”

“Right,” Valda said, eyeing Isen and then jerking her chin towards Eyphah. “She is hurt, and it looks like your people are not doing a good job of healing her.” Valda breathed, taking a step away from Kenna. “She is a Sealian, and we have the water she needs to heal. She is in pain and needs our help.”

Kenna’s eyes widened, raising her ax again and pointing it at Valda with a dangerous growl. “Where are you taking her!? ”

“Kenna, listen. Eyphah is hurt. We can heal her faster than your people can.”

“Why was she here in the first—”

“Forget about that now, Isen,” Valda snapped before turning to Kenna, adjusting Eyphah’s arm on her shoulder. Eyphah hissed and closed her eyes, screaming in pain.

“What are you doing!? Stop—”

“Kenna, your mate, who you just fucking met, is in pain and needs care. My mate is an Asclepius worshiper, and she can heal her!”

Kenna gasped at the news. “The Survivor of Storms is an Asclepius worshiper?”

Valda frowned at the epithet before nodding. “Yes, yes, she is and we need to take her—”

“You will not take her from me. I—”

“Come with us then, Kenna,” Valda said, holding her breath as the Vulcanian queen frowned, enthralled in an inner battle. “Come with us and make sure she is safe.”

“She is my twin sister,” Isen said, his voice sounding as he was struggling to stay calm. “Please, let me heal her.”

Kenna stared at him, as if taking in the minor details, proving he was indeed Eyphah’s brother. Long seconds passed until Kenna secured the ax on her belt. Her hands quivered as she signaled for the men to drop their weapons and Cerberus. The men dropped the bag on the ground, and Cerberus thrashed about until she found her way out. Her fur fluffed as she looked at Kenna with wide, yellow eyes.

“Cerberus, no,” Valda barked, and the cat walked towards her, still curved up and looking at Kenna.

“Where is the healer?” Kenna asked, pushing Valda away from Eyphah and wrapping her arm around her shoulder.

“She is near the rocky formations in Umbriel,” Valda answered.

“Take me to your mate. Heal mine and I will take it as a proof of your innocence,” Kenna said, her voice lowering as she turned to look at Eyphah. The Sealian’s eyes were hooded, clearly tired and hurt. “If you heal her, I will join you in defeating Arwin and Eris.”

If Valda had to use Eyphah to make Kenna yield and join them, so be it. It would be a win-win situation. Kenna got her mate; Valda got her victory.

“Deal.”

Maris lifted her attention from Ciel. The infant had fallen asleep in her arms just as Maris’s chest tightened with an unknown emotion. It wasn’t fear, anger, or confusion. It was more like a cautious excitement. Turning to the closed door of the cabin Melvian had been using for the past days, Maris felt as if Valda was nearby. It had been two days since they left. If everything had gone according to plan, they would be back already.

“Are they here?” Melvian asked, placing Struan on the bed and gathering Ciel from Maris.

Maris didn’t wait for her friend. She walked out, past the hundreds of tents laid out around the cabins and into the open desert.

Then she saw her.

Valda rode her steed towards her, with Isen following close behind. Five other horses galloped behind them, but Maris couldn’t quite make out who they were. Her stomach turned as she hoped for good news.

But then she saw Isen carrying someone in his lap.

Melvian rushed to her side, her eyes narrowing as she grinned when she recognized her mate. Just as the smile appeared on her face, it faded into a frown. “That’s Eyphah! They found Eyphah!”

Maris gasped. Eyphah was bandaged and bruised as she leaned over her brother. “Prepare some Sealian water, Melvian! Go, go!”

Her friend nodded, rushing back to the cabin just as Valda got off her horse. Cerberus jumped from her shoulders to the ground and ran into one tent as if wanting to get out of the way and not be stepped on.

Valda ran to Isen, reaching out to grab Eyphah. As Isen lowered his sister to Valda, Kenna Hagan slammed her fist against Valda’s face, pushing her away.

Wait. Kenna was here too?!

“Only I will touch her!” the Vulcanian queen yelled as she turned to Isen and reached to take Eyphah. Isen hesitated before giving his sister to Kenna. Maris ran to Valda, who recuperated quickly from the punch. Checking her face, Maris took in her mate’s state. Valda was dressed in what appeared to be Vulcanian attire. She had makeup on, a busted lip, and a burnt arm.

“What in the Elysian Fields’s happened?” Maris asked, pushing Valda a couple of steps back to eye her better.

Valda spat blood and wiped her chin. “We tried to get Kenna to join us, but she didn’t. When Isen rescued me, he found Eyphah. He stopped to help his sister; we got cornered by the Vulcanians. Turns out Eyphah and Kenna are mates. We heal Eyphah, Kenna fights with us.”

Maris opened her mouth in disbelief. Before she could say anything, a battered and charred Kenna stood before her, carrying Eyphah as if she weighed nothing.

“Where do you heal, Survivor of Storms?”

Maris opened her mouth to answer, but Melvian called out to Isen to bring Eyphah inside their cabin. Isen walked past Maris, patted Kenna on her shoulder, and redirected her inside the cabins.

Maris gave Valda a once over and pointed at her hand. “Did Kenna—”

“Heal Eyphah and then we’ll talk,” Valda said, touching Maris’s elbow sweetly. “I am fine. Go.”

Nodding, Maris apprehensively started for the cabins. Inside, Melvian had already prepared a makeshift bed for Eyphah, who struggled to stay conscious.

“Here,” Melvian said, handing the water skin to Isen. “Give her some of that,” she instructed, before turning to Maris. “Take care of Kenna while I deal with Eyphah—”

“No,” Maris snapped. She could feel Kenna’s fiery gaze on her. Maris crossed her arms under her chest and turned to face her. Kenna’s jaw tensed as her hands formed fists by her side. “I will heal Eyphah, you deal with the fire queen.”

Melvian's eyes widened. She gave Isen a look before walking to Maris, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her away from prying ears.

“You can’t do that,” Melvian hissed. “That’s not our way, Maris. We don’t hand pick who we heal. I told you that.”

“She seems fine to me,” Maris responded, jerking her chin at Kenna, who quietly sat down by Eyphah’s feet.

“Asclepius will not bless you with his gift if—”

“I wouldn’t be the first time a god has ignored me, Melvian,” Maris said before walking to Eyphah. She patted Isen’s shoulders and switched with him. Cradling Eyphah’s face, she helped her drink more from the waterskin while Kenna focused on her .

Valda walked in seconds later, her presence adding more tension to the situation. After taking short sips of water, Eyphah opened her eyes and coughed, spilling the precious liquid down her chin and neck.

“Eyphah!” Isen called to her, his hand cupping her swollen face before turning her to him. “It’s me!”

At first, Eyphah seemed to be lost, unaware of the people around her. Once she recognized Isen, she released a sigh and leaned back against the wooden wall.

“Can you talk, Eyphah?” Maris asked, as she gave the waterskin to Valda, then pressed her hand to Eyphah’s flank.

The other woman hissed, clutching Maris’s hand. “Fuck! I can! You don’t have to keep hurting me!” Eyphah said, her voice hoarse.

“I don’t feel any broken ribs,” Maris said before touching Eyphah’s swollen cheek.

She had a cut under her right eye and a bruise on her jaw and a busted lip, but as Maris touched her shoulder, Eyphah gasped in pain. Grabbing the dagger she kept hidden under her tunic, Maris slashed away Eyphah’s top and stared at the black and blue skin over her left shoulder. She touched the swollen bulge and pulled away just as Eyphah barked at her to stop touching her.

“What are you doing to her!?” Kenna snarled behind her, stomping towards Maris.

Valda moved between them, her large hand pressing to Kenna’s chest and pushing her away. “Let her do her job.”

“She is hurting her!” Kenna said, reaching for her ax.

“She is healing her!” Melvian said as she stood next to Valda, her smaller frame dwarfed by Valda’s height yet looking just as determined not to let Kenna pass.

“She has a dislocated shoulder,” Maris announced, looking at Isen. “I need you to hold her still.”

Isen nodded, moving behind his sister and wrapping his arm around her torso. “This will hurt a lot, Eyphah.”

Eyphah huffed, closed her eyes, and turned away, looking for comfort in her brother’s embrace. She tensed as Maris straightened her arm before the dreaded countdown. When Maris counted to three, a disgusting, wet pop filled the cabin, followed by a pained groan.

“Keep drinking,” Maris said, grabbing a piece of clean cloth and tying Eyphah’s arm in an improvised sling. Hopefully, it would keep her arm immobilized until she felt better.

After allowing Eyphah a minute to breathe, Isen broke the silence by finally asking the questions everyone was holding onto. “What happened to you? Where were you? ”

Eyphah touched her arm, inspecting Maris’s work before she looked up at Kenna. Her breath hitched, and she glanced away. “I was heading back to New Agenor after Valda beat the shit out of me back in Titania.”

Kenna’s eyes widened and without a warning she flung a fist to Valda, who dodged the attack and pushed her away.

“Hey! Hey! We are not doing this now!” Melvian said, getting between Valda and Kenna.

“On my way there, I was intercepted by a troop of Vulcanian. They also beat the shit out of me.” Eyphah shuddered, looking at Kenna once again. “They agreed to keep me alive if I told them where Valda was.”

Valda visibly tensed. “You put my mate in danger?”

“Of course not,” Eyphah spat. “I would never put my queen in danger.”

“Then how the fuck did they make it to Titania?”

“We are not stupid. We know how to track people,” Kenna said.

“Don’t get me wrong. I wanted to tell them…” Eyphah said, her eyes cautiously reaching Maris’s. “I didn’t know they were going to make it to Titania, I swear.”

Maris’s lips twitched. “Your mate almost killed me because I didn’t tell her where Valda was.”

“I didn’t know…” Eyphah whispered, her gaze downcast.

“What happened then?” Isen asked, smoothing his hand over Eyphah’s hair.

“They took me to Prospero. They kept me locked up in one room for further questioning.”

“I never saw her until you tried to get her out of Prospero,” Kenna said. “If I had known—“

“Never mind that.” Maris interrupted before touching Eyphah’s shoulder. “You are fine, you are with us.”

“And you are an aunt,” Isen added, kissing his sister’s temple and hugging her a bit too tightly. Eyphah opened her mouth to whine, but he relaxed his hold before she could.

“Are you serious?” Eyphah asked, looking at Isen and then at Melvian, noticing that she was no longer round. “I have to see my nephews.”

“When you get better. Now rest, keep drinking water and we will get you something to eat.” Maris placed the waterskin within Eyphah’s reach before turning to Valda. She patted her lover’s lower back and walked out of the cabin, followed by Kenna and Melvian .

The Vulcanian woman’s head dropped almost in shame. “I didn’t know my people had hurt my mate so. If I had known—” She sighed and rubbed her face before hissing. She looked down at her own thigh, the wound from Isen’s arrow still intact.

Melvian gave Maris a look before touching Kenna’s hip. “Let me take a look at that.”

She pulled Kenna to a campfire with Valda and Maris trailing behind. The other four Vulcanian sat on the outside of the improvised settlement, keeping a close eye on Kenna. Melvian set her down and touched the infected wound.

“It is a shame other races cannot benefit from healing with Sealian water,” Melvian said, cleaning up the surrounding area of the wound with water and a cloth. “Luckily, you warrior women can take a punch,” Melvian said, wrapping up Kenna’s thigh. “Speaking of Sealian water, we are running out of it. If we could return to New Agenor for longer, it would be great. I understand if we can’t because of time limitations.”

“Thank you for healing me,” Kenna said, bowing her head at Melvian.

“No problem. We are sort of family now. I am Melvian; Isen is my mate.” She gifted the woman a genuine smile before turning to Maris. “And that’s how you heal someone, regardless of if they tried to kill you or not.”

Maris rolled her eyes at her best friend and accepted the healing kit once she moved away from Kenna.

“Valda’s hand doesn’t look that well. I think you should look at it,” Melvian said, jerking her chin at the tall Skylian.

Nodding, Maris thanked her friend and watched her return to the cabin where Eyphah and Isen were.

“Will Eyphah be all right?” Kenna asked, her face doused with worry.

“She will be fine. She just needs to rest,” Maris said, grabbing Valda’s elbow to inspect her arm.

“Why did you beat her in the first place?” Kenna asked, her attention falling on Valda.

Sighing in exasperation, Valda shook her head and pointed toward the cabin. “You don’t know this woman. She is hotheaded, imprudent and—”

“She is perfect,” Kenna said, cutting Valda.

“She… She kissed my mate, knowing she was already mine. I don’t know how things are in the Vulcan Kingdom, but here, once you know someone is mated, they are off limits.”

Kenna arched her brows and faced Maris. “Is this true?”

“That’s not important right now,” Maris said, tying a last knot in Valda’s hand. Another mark and scar on her body. “What’s important is that we need your help, Queen Kenna,” Maris said, sitting now next to her. “We have to take my people back to the Sea kingdom and we need Prospero’s pier to do so.”

Kenna listened intently, her eyes wandering away from Maris to the sandy ground. She frowned. “I was to join you in battle, not help you transport Sealians,” Kenna said to Valda.

“You are in my kingdom, using my cities, my piers to bring weapons from yours. And you want me to do nothing while you deny me entrance to my land?”

“I took over.”

“It is still mine!” Valda snarled, taking a dangerous step towards Kenna. “Where are they?”

“Who?” Kenna asked, arching a dark brow.

“The people of Prospero. My people.”

Kenna scoffed and waved her hand dismissively. “They are in Caliban. I moved all those willing there and took over the city as well.”

Maris squeezed Valda’s forearm. “That explains why we haven’t heard from them.”

“Did you kill them all?”

Kenna inhaled deeply. “I killed those who fought me.”