Page 112 of The Stolen Kingdom

“This look suits you,” Valda mumbled, yet she couldn’t stop the hint of regret in her voice. She couldn’t give this to Maris. She couldn’t give her the gift of being a mother, not even with all the gifts the gods had given them. Valda couldn’t give Maris the family she deserved.

“You look like a nice mommy yourself,” Maris said, her tone soft and playful.

“Oh, I am sure I do,” Valda said sarcastically. “Very motherly.”

“No, but to be honest, you both look good holding our kids,” Isen commented, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “Maybe you can babysit after the war is over.”

“I would love to,” Valda quickly said, kissing Struan’s small forehead, his dark curls tickling her nose.

“You two could be their guardians,” Melvian said, earning a soft huff from Isen. “What? I am just saying. None of our parents are in the picture. Your sister has disappeared… If something were to happen to us, who would take care of them?”

“I would love to be their guardian,” Maris didn’t hesitate to comply.

Both women smiled tenderly at each other, their hearts filled with love. As much as Valda wanted to stay like that, holding the infant with her mate, the tension rose in the small cabin. There were things that needed to be done if they wanted to have more moments like this one.

“When do we leave for Prospero?” Isen asked, his hands falling on his hips, his charming smile replaced with a stern look.

Valda took a deep breath, one of her hands casually landing on the handle of her sword while she held the baby with the other. “We leave today.”

25

Valda watched Prospero’s arched entrance from a safe distance. She hid behind a rock, hoping the darkness of the night would keep her and Isen hidden. She was still shaken up by her argument with Maris. Her mate had wanted to come with her to Prospero, but it was wise if she stayed with the rest of the Sealians if something happened. She had already proven that she could take care of herself by fighting Kenna, of all people. Even though Valda was petrified of losing Maris, she had to accept that this war was Maris’s as well, and she had a role to play.

Before leaving, Maris told her that since she had already attempted to have a civil conversation with Kenna, then maybe she might get through with her if she tried a second time. But Valda would hear none of it. Maris was staying with Melvian and the rest.

From what she could see from her hiding spot, the Vulcanians had completely dismantled the small town. They were moving crates inside the city using the small pier. The same pier Valda wanted to use to move the Sealians back to the Sea Kingdom. Compared to the large port in Ophelia, this pier was small, quiet, and used mostly by anglers, but close enough to the east Agenor Islands surrounding the mainland in the Sea Kingdom. It was perfect.

“They sure took over the place,” Isen said, standing next to Valda and keeping his head low. Both their faces were covered in dark shawls that blended into the shadows. Cerberus walked around them, her black fur helped her camouflage better than Valda and Isen.

“They must be bringing in a lot of weapons. Arrows, bombs, swords, you name it,” Valda said, taking a deep breath to drown out the anxiety in her chest. “With that much weaponry, I am more than sure that they are planning a big attack.”

“Where are the people of Prospero, though?” Isen asked, looking at Valda with worried eyes.

Valda shook her head, not liking the answer. “I need to go in and investigate.”

“I’ll go with you,” Isen said, moving to stand before Valda grabbed his shirt and pulled him down to hide while Cerberus jumped on his lap.

“No.” She pointed at his blue hair and beard. “They will know you are not one of them in a heartbeat. I am taking Cerberus.”

“Oh, the cat won’t alert someone at all?” Isen asked sarcastically.

“She knows how to be sneaky, don’t you, girl?” Valda asked while Cerberus smelled the cold air.

Isen pushed the animal off him and shook his head. “What about your clothes?”

Valda worried her lower lip until she noticed a male Vulcanian walking past the entrance. “There is our chance,” Valda whispered.

She clicked her tongue to get Cerberus’ attention and pointed at the Vulcanian man. Cerberus shook her head, her long ears and dark fur fluffing up, as if getting ready to look as beautiful as she could. After rubbing her face against Valda’s knee, the cat walked over to the man, getting his attention as soon as she stepped into view.

Cerberus meowed at the man, who leaned down to touch her head. She allowed him to pet her once, then walked back to Valda, her tail high and thick. The man followed her, but stopped to look back at the town’s entrance.

He said something in his native tongue, maybe something about not wanting to leave the entrance unguarded, but Cerberus meowed at him and kept walking. The Vulcanian sighed and followed suit. As he got closer, Valda could see him better.

He was bulky and tall, almost as tall as she was. He wore leather trousers and heavy fur-lined boots. His chest was bare, and long, leather bracers covered his forearms while his bald head shone with sweat. The black paint on his face dripped down his cheeks and neck. He was dirty and seemed exhausted. Valda deduced he had been moving some boxes and decided he needed a break.

Once far from the entrance and closer to Valda and Isen’s hiding spot, Cerberus rolled on her back, showing her soft, grayish stomach to the man while he pulled a cigar froma bag strapped to his waist. He lit it up and inhaled, filling his mouth with smoke and exhaling as he laughed at Cerberus’ adorable antics.

Valda scrunched her nose at the smell and looked at the bag on his hip. She glanced at Isen, who nodded at her. Valda placed her hand on the handle of her sword and dragged it out of the scabbard as quietly as she could. She then jerked her head at Isen and towards the Vulcanian. Isen took a deep breath and walked toward the barbarian, keeping his stroll as confident as possible.

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