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He barely had a moment to breathe before Maris followed up, the sharpened tip of the trident thrusting toward his chest. Arwin twisted his body, dodging at the last second, but Maris anticipated it. She flicked her wrist, the water around them obeying her call. The rain surged, forming razor-thin whips that lashed at Arwin, forcing him to shield his face with his arms.

Valda seized the moment. With a cry, she raised the Heaven Sword and slashed down. Arwin spun his blade just in time, parrying her strike with a deafening clang. The force sent vibrations up Valda’s arms, but she held firm. They stood locked together, swords pressing against each other, muscles straining.

“Still think you can win?” Valda growled.

Arwin sneered. “You always were predictable.”

Maris broke their deadlock. She moved like a shadow, her trident spinning as she aimed low, forcing Arwin to jump back. The second his feet left the ground, Valda turned her blade, twisting in a sharp motion that sent Arwin’s sword flying from his grip. It clattered against the stone floor, out of reach.

Arwin hissed, his hands moving, summoning a surge of purple energy in his palm.

Valda’s stomach clenched. “Maris, now!”

Maris thrust her trident forward, but instead of aiming for Arwin, she struck the ground at his feet. The moment the trident connected, the rainwater pooled beneath them erupted into thick, twisting tendrils. They coiled around Arwin’s legs and yanked him down, slamming him against the floor with a sickening thud .

He struggled, his fingers clawing at the ground, but Valda was already moving. She jumped onto his chest, pinning him down with the weight of her body, her blade pressing against his throat.

“Not so strong without your sword, are you?” she hissed.

Maris stood beside her, breathless but steady, her eyes flashing with determination. “End this, Valda.”

A deafening boom shattered once more, this time from above them. The force knocked Valda off balance and before she could recover, a violent crack split through the ceiling above them.

Valda’s gaze shot up. The massive stone beams that had once supported the throne room trembled, fractures spreading like veins across their surface. Dust and shattered pieces of marble rained down.

“Fuck!”

Without hesitation, Valda shoved Arwin away and whirled toward Maris. Her heart lurched as she saw her mate staring up at the impending collapse, frozen for just a fraction of a second.

Valda lunged and wrapped her arms around Maris, pressing their bodies together as the air around them roared in protest. Holding her breath, she pulled on the wind with every ounce of power she had left, encapsulating them both in a tight, protective bubble.

Chunks of stone and burning wood crashed down, the impact sending violent tremors through the air. The wind cocooned them, carrying them effortlessly through the swirling debris.

Then, gravity took hold.

Their bodies plummeted, but the wind softened their fall, rushing beneath them in a final, gentle push. They hit the ground hard, but not painfully, rolling through the dust and rubble.

Valda groaned, pushing herself up, only to freeze as she saw Maris clutching something tightly against her chest.

Cerberus.

The cat wiggled free, shook out her black fur, and let out an annoyed huff before trotting a few steps forward, tail flicking. Maris let out a breathless laugh, pressing her forehead against Valda’s shoulder for just a moment before she, too, sat up.

Valda pushed to her feet, gripping Maris’s hand as she hauled her up with her. Her chest heaved, her heart still hammering.

“Are you all right?” Valda asked, her bloodied hand cupping Maris’s face.

Still taken aback by what happened, Maris nodded, desperately touching Valda’s torso, looking for wounds. “I am fine. Are you all—”

The air was dragged from Valda’s lungs. As her eyes widened and her hands shot to her neck, she watched Maris gasp for air as well, her hands tightening on Valda’s dirty clothes. Knowing that reacting frantically would suffocate her faster, Valda grabbed Maris’s arms, keeping her steady as the other woman shook her head and tried her hardest to inhale.

Unable to talk, Valda closed her eyes tightly, the sphere around her growing wider as she tried to stop it from closing in on her head.

Then a loud yowl sounded.

Arwin cursed just as the spheres around Valda and Maris disappeared. The two women coughed and gulped for air as Cerberus’ angry screeches filled the room. Falling to her knees, and gathering her trident, Maris flung it towards Arwin while he was distracted with Cerberus. The cat was attacking his neck, drawing a steady stream of blood that stained his clothing.

The trident clattered against the wall behind him as he threw Cerberus off him. With an opening, Valda rushed in, smashing her shoulder into his rib cage, hooking her hands behind his knees. She scooped him up with ease, braced herself, and yelled as she slammed him to the ground, breaking it on impact.

With the wind knocked out of him, Valda kicked Arwin’s sword away from reach, then pivoted to bash her boot under his jaw. His head hit the ground aggressively. Just as she was to slam her boot on his head, a gust of wind hit her gut, followed by a blunt impact on her cheek.

Valda raised her arms, blocking another punch before connecting her fist to his flank. She pounded repeatedly, knocking the wind out of him again. As he stumbled on his feet, Valda took a step back to focus what was left of her power on her fists. The wind picked up, forming a small tornado before her. It lashed about, cutting deep into the ground and columns before reaching Arwin. The biting wind cut through her clothes and stung her skin as Valda intensified her attack, narrowing her eyes on Arwin.

He held his ground, his arms blocking his face. On his forehead, the mark of Eris brightened again. Its dark light glowed steadily and stronger as the wind stopped between them. With a yell, the wind around him fluttered back to life in a devastating hurricane, throwing it back at Valda .

“Fucking give up!” Arwin yelled, his voice overpowering the storm. “I hold the power of Ouranos and Eris! I will not die!”

Valda gritted her teeth as a bright light sourced from her forehead, dousing down her eyes and face, then her neck and chest. The intensity was too much, she could barely see what she was doing as pain broke from within her. Her clothing tattered, exposing her skin.

“You do not deserve their blessings!” she yelled as a gust broke through her holster. The Heaven Sword’s scabbard fell, clattering to the ground before being blown somewhere into the throne room. Another gust slammed against her face, cutting a thick line from her cheek, up her eyebrow, to her forehead. Her stance faltered as she closed her white eyes.

“I will not allow you to go on!”

Her legs quivered, the muscles of her thighs strained as she held her ground and created a cyclone within the throne room. Yet, her body was giving out, unable to contain the immortal strength of the god within her. The light on her forehead dimmed, and her open palms quivered. She wasn’t holding on for much longer. Her body wasn’t made for this, but if she had to die to take him out, then she would do so.

Her scream echoed in the chamber alongside Arwin’s. The wind picked up one last time, before his yell was cut by the sound of slamming steel and a wet thud.

The storm died out as she watched Maris’s ferocious form spinning the trident before slamming the end into the back of his head.

Maris ignored the pain of the wind cutting her skin. She saw an opening and she took it. And gods did it feel good to smash Arwin’s face with her trident, to hear the crunch of a broken neck and the twist of it as he fell to the ground. For a long second, she looked down at Arwin, unmoving and not breathing. Blood dripped from his mouth and nose, and his eyes were open in a glassy stare.

As the last wind died, she regarded Valda, who fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

Her chest tightened as she rushed to Valda’s side, shifting her to lay on her back. She pressed her hand to her chest and let out a sigh of relief as she felt her breathing heavily .

“Valda,” Maris called at the sight of the massive cut to her face. She brushed the dark strands away from her brow and cupped her cheek as softly as she could. She took in the large gash to her face and swallowed hard.

When Valda opened her eyes and regarded her, Maris smiled. “Thanks the gods,” she said before pressing her lips to Valda’s.

The other woman’s trembling lips felt like an oasis of Sealian water. She kissed her deeply, fervently before pulling away, holding back her tears.

“Valda,” Maris whispered, pressing her face to her lover’s, chanting her name almost in a soft gratitude prayer. “I am so glad the Oracle lied.” Valda tilted her head in confusion before Maris shook her head. “It doesn’t matter anymore. You are here. You are fine.” Maris’s attention shot up as she saw a mass of black fur.

Valda lifted her head, her eyes drifting further to the back of the room. Cerberus limped towards them. Her meows were loud and desperate. The other woman’s smile widened at the realization that her pet was alive.

“Fucking cat is still alive,” Valda’s laughter was cut short by a cough. She winced in pain, touching her flank as she reached for Maris. Her bloody hand clutched to Maris’s arm, using it to try and pull herself to sit.

“Valda, no,” Maris commanded, freeing her hand to roam over Valda’s chest. “You are too drained.”

Cursing softly, Valda closed her eyes and nodded as Cerberus’ noises became louder.

The animal’s meows were constant and filled with pain. “There is something wrong with Cerberus,” Maris said, as she stood up. Her eyes shifted from Cerberus to Valda. “Maybe I should get to her too.”

Valda opened her eyes, and a chilling cold fear shrouded deep within their chests. Valda clutched Maris’ foot, struggling to say something, anything. Her voice cracked in a desperate cry for Maris to move. Before Maris could voice her question, a cold metal pierced through her back and out her abdomen. Her gasp drowned in her throat, as she looked down at the sword protruding from her belly. Before she could touch it, the sword pulled back, leaving a burning mark in its wake.

Her eyes fell to Valda, who struggled to sit up, her hand stretching out, calling forth the Heaven Sword.

The deafening shrills of pain consumed her until it dissolved into the darkness of the desert night. In front of her, The Oracle tilted their head, awaiting her question .

“Will either Valda or I die in the castle tomorrow?” The answer would drown out her worries and give her hope.

“ Yes.”

The Oracle’s answer sent a shiver down her spine and with complete disregard of the Oracle’s rule, the next question poured from her lips. “Who?”

With a crooked smile, the Oracle shook a scolding finger at her. “I’ve already answered enough.”

Maris felt Valda’s desperation sinking into her chest. Her mate’s screams were muffled by the ringing of pain that consumed her. Valda stretched her hand again, and the Heaven Sword flew to her from somewhere in the throne room. The anguish in Valda’s voice seeped out as breathless sobs.

Maris’s legs quivered just as she pivoted to watch Arwin holding his sword drenched in her blood as was his face from open wounds and cuts. His smile was twisted and contorted; he screamed something she couldn’t understand.

The grip on her trident grew taut as she took a step forward. Her forehead beamed a blue hue, blinding Arwin before she speared the three prongs into his stomach.

Arwin gasped, clutched the trident, and fell to his knees, taking Maris with him. Her body weight helped her dig deeper into his flesh. Letting go of the trident, Maris admired what she had done. Arwin grabbed the trident, pulled on it, and cursed under his breath.

“That’s for Raan and Saha Era,” Maris whispered, her bloody hand touching the rings hanging from her neck. Swallowing a mouthful of blood, Maris fell to her side, her eyes glued to Arwin as he struggled to free himself from the godly weapon.

Hazel eyes flew to meet hers, and Maris could see how poetic all of this was. Suddenly a thin red line appeared on Arwin’s neck and the spark of life in his eyes vanished in an instant.

Maris blinked once, and when she opened her eyes again, the decapitated head of the man who murdered her father fell to his side as the rest of his body slumped back.

The death of a traitor.

The sound of clattering metal echoed in the throne room before warmth filled her. Valda fell next to her, her powerful arms wrapping around her.

“No, no, no, no, no, no.” Valda shuffled up to her feet, carrying Maris and pulling her to her chest.

As much as Maris wanted to enjoy the warm embrace, coldness was seeping in. “Val— ”

“Shh, don’t. Please. Please. Don’t. You will be all right.” Valda’s voice cracked, as she desperately searched for an exit.

A bomb exploded somewhere, and two familiar voices boomed inside the throne room. Kenna and Kayden ran inside, their desperate plea for all of them to leave. The castle was collapsing on itself, and they needed to go.

Maris clung to Valda, her mouth filling up with blood. Her eyes trailed over Valda’s tear covered face. Her heart broke into a thousand pieces as the shattering pain welcomed her through the bond.

“It’s all right.” Maris uttered faintly, the grip on Valda’s shirt loosening as her vision fainted into a soft haze of honey-colored eyes, black hair, and freckled-covered skin. The last thing she could do before darkness consumed her was silently voice to Asclepius the prayer Melvian taught to her all those months ago. She used the last bit of her energy, hoping somehow that this time, maybe the god of healing would hear her.

Pressing her hand to Maris’s chest wasn’t stopping the blood. The warmth of her skin was diminishing just as the tug of the bond began to loosen.

Emptiness was setting in and bitter loneliness crept further, dousing her heart, her mind, her senses. She couldn’t stop the bond from fading, and she felt everything Maris felt. The coldness, the pain, the fear. Maris was just as scared as she was, and she couldn’t protect her from it.

Valda’s eyes roamed over Maris’s body before shifting to the crumbling walls around her. Everything was tumbling in on itself, and Valda could only hold on to Maris as if her arms would somehow put her back together and heal her. She would give anything to heal her, to have an ounce of Asclepius’s power. If only the hand to her chest could stop the bleeding, seal the wound…

But she wasn’t an Asclepius worshiper, and her mate lay limp in her arms, her skin growing paler by the second.

Gulping mouthfuls of air, Valda turned to Kayden, who had just picked up an injured Cerberus. Miraculously, the cat didn’t fight, but leaned against his chest while he spoke words Valda couldn’t register .

Kenna screamed something at the top of her lungs, holding what appeared to be another bomb. But Valda pivoted towards the entrance of the throne room just as it collapsed. There was no way out now. Pulling Maris closer, Valda turned back to the doors behind the chamber, finding them still intact.

“I have to go to the pool,” Valda announced, looking back at Kenna, her voice dripping with desperation. “The water is from the Sea Kingdom—we—” She looked down and held on a sob. “I can get her there, maybe—”

Kayden’s face made her stomach turn. He mustered a rueful smile before the ache dissolved.

“No!” Valda roared. She would not have him use his powers on her. She needed to be aware of all her feelings. “Don’t! Not now, Kayden. Get me to the pools!”

Kenna pushed Valda away and walked past the exit. After a long second, an explosion went off, and Kenna called out from within the rubble for Valda to follow her.

The narrow and hidden halls leading out to the pool room weren’t as damaged as the main hall, and it filled Valda with hope that she could save Maris. The fact that she could still feel her was enough to stifle the quivering exhaustion of her legs as she raced down the corridors. She ignored the thunderous sounds of the walls collapsing. She could always build a new castle, but she would have to wait a lifetime to find Maris again.

The doors to the pool room were intact. The thick glass didn’t budge when Kayden slammed his shoulder into it. “I can’t open it!”

Stepping next to Valda, Kenna touched the glass door and shook her head. “I cannot blow this one up with a bomb. I might hurt you all.”

“I can,” Valda muttered, placing Maris in Kenna’s arms before standing before the doors.

With the last sliver of her gift, Valda closed her eyes, releasing a gust of wind strong enough to crack the door and open a path to the pool. As the debris settled, she turned to Kenna, who looked down at Maris with a downcast expression. Valda ignored Kenna’s observation that Maris didn’t look good. She didn’t listen to Kayden asking her to reconsider and to leave the castle before it collapsed on all of them.

Snarling, she carefully took Maris back in her arms and cradled her to her chest, as if wanting to hide Maris away. She made it to the edge of the pool and jumped in. In seconds, the once pristine water was dyed crimson. She opened her eyes from under the surface, looking down as Maris floated within her embrace.

Please. Work. Please .

The blood continued to seep from the wounds until it fully stopped. Silence spread in her chest and mind, circling Valda in a darkness far greater than when she was blind.

And then there was nothing but emptiness. A suffocating emptiness that pierced her heart, stomach, and mind.

Dragging Maris to her, she swam to the surface and gasped for air. By the edge of the pool, Kayden held Cerberus, who quietly watched Valda, her tail swaying from side to side. Kenna stood unmoving, swallowing hard and blinking rapidly.

“She is not dead,” Valda said, but knew that she was lying. She looked down at Maris again, taking in her parted lips, closed eyes, the drops of water sluicing from her face.

“Please, please,” she shuddered in a breath. “I can’t go back to that darkness, please, Maris… Seashell… please.”

Shaking her head, Valda took another deep breath, and allowed herself to sink, submerging Maris completely. Valda held her breath as long as she could. Her lungs burned with the need to breathe as her eyes stung with tears which mixed within the Sealian water.

Still, she waited. She gazed at Maris’s face, looking for a sign, a subtle expression, a twitch on her lips or her eyes moving underneath the eyelids. But all she felt was emptiness.

Cursing, she swam back up, gasping, and then taking mouthfuls of air.

“Valda…” Kayden started, taking a step closer to the edge. “We have to go—”

“No! Not yet!” She shook her head, the tears streaming down her cheeks. “We can’t leave.”

“Kayden is right. We must leave before the castle collapses.”

“Then let it collapse on top of us. I will not leave. If she won’t wake up, I will stay behind. I will—” She swallowed hard. “I will go right after her.”

“Valda, please—”

She swam back down, ignoring Kayden’s pleas. She held Maris tighter and closed her eyes as the burning became unbearable. If Maris wouldn’t wake up, she wouldn’t leave the pool. She would stay inside the castle and hope she’d wake up somewhere else, finding Maris in another body, in another kingdom, but still her Maris. Still her mate.

Ouranos, please. Pain scoured through her as the steady beam of her god glowed on her forehead. Please, please, please.

Pressing her forehead to Maris’s, the crumbling walls of the castle ebbed away into a peaceful silence. The burning of her lungs was gone, and she didn’t feel the need to breathe. Instead, the comfortable feeling of Maris in her arms enveloped her as the warmth on her forehead increased.

She floated within a darkness she welcomed with open arms.

Valda exhaled, the bubbles tickling her nose as they floated to the surface, followed by the soft caress of a hand upon her cheek.

Honey eyes flew open, and they stared at tired blue ones. The tightness in her chest came back, and the overpowering sense of joy filled her heart and mind. The bond snapped back into place as the blue hue on Maris’s forehead illuminated the pool, dissolving the blood from the water.

Valda gasped, forgetting she was under water, and clung to Maris. She kicked her legs with all her strength, propelling herself toward the surface with a desperate, audible gasp.

“Maris!” Valda called to her, swimming to the edge of the pool and holding on for dear life with one hand while cradling Maris with the other. “Maris?!”

Her mate’s tired eyes shone as a soft smile spread on her pale lips, which slowly regained that beautiful color Valda loved to kiss. With a soft nod, Maris answered the silent question between them.

Maris cradled the back of Valda’s neck, and she pressed their foreheads together once again.

“I am here, Valda.”

Valda shuddered, sobbing uncontrollably before squeezing Maris to her body as her words dissolved in between prayers of gratitude, and pleading Maris to never leave her again…