Page 130 of The Stolen Kingdom

“I will be alright. I just need to be alone for a moment,” Isen said, tilting his head upwards.

“Alright. Call me if you need anything.” Eyphah touched his dirty cheek, kissed the top of his head, and walked far enough away to give him some much-needed space.

Finally, Isen turned to his mate’s body. He could make out her soft and beautiful features through the cloth, and his chest tightened with the emptiness that weighed him down. His blood-stained hand pulled down the sheet, revealing his mate’s clean face. Of course, Maris had cleaned her up. Those two seemed inseparable…

Melvian looked as if she was sleeping. As if at any second, she would open her gorgeous eyes, look at him, and smile. She would probably fight with him, tell him to clean up or to join her in bed.

Gods, he would give anything to be laying in a warm bed with her. Touching her, keeping her warm, their children between them. Isen swallowed hard. A sob broke from deep within him, and he groaned as the pain moved throughout his body. Isen parted his lips, but the emotions swelled his throat, and he could barely talk. He bit his lower lip and leaned over her, his mouth touching over the cold skin of her forehead.

“I am so sorry,” he muttered, pulling back and brushing the back of his hand against her cheek. “I am so sorry I couldn’t protect you.” He sighed, looked past her, and turned to see his sister talking to a Vulcanian soldier.

“But the babies will be fine. They will be well taken care of.” He knew it. Valda, Maris nor Eyphah would allow any harm to fall on their children and yet, why did he feel so muchguilt?

“I am sorry we didn’t have enough time to see them grow, I am sorry I…” He pressed his forehead to the furs and sighed. “I am sorry I couldn’t take you to the Sea Kingdom. You would’ve loved it there. The beaches, the islands… You would’ve loved all of it.”

Isen straightened, his hand still on her cheek, his eyes still roaming her beauty. “I will find you, Melvian,” he whispered, only for him to hear. “I will find you, and I will make you fall for me. We will have children, we will raise them, and we will grow old.” He nodded at his words. “We will have all the time in the world, just for us. The gods can’t be this cruel… Not to you.”

He leaned forward once more, the pain coursing through him was not enough to stop him from kissing his mate one last time. “I love you, Melvian. We will see each other soon.”

Exhaling, the pain dissipated as he closed his eyes, never to open them again.

Valda sat down next to Maris, wondering when would be the right time to tell what had happened with Eris. If anything, her weak and drained body would’ve been a dead giveaway of the battle she had just been a part of.

Instead, she looked at Maris, noticing the dark circle under her eyes. Her heart ached for her. She had never seen Maris so tired.

She had no words of solace; she could only offer her presence and pray that it would be enough for Maris. Leaning against the wooden crate behind her, Valda propped her arms over her bent knees and sighed when Maris leaned her head against her shoulder. Valda welcomed the closeness with a soft kiss on Maris’s head.

Valda closed her eyes for just a second, taking in her lover’s scent. She was here, she was alive, and she was with her. She couldn’t even imagine if it was Maris wrapped up in the thin white sheets. The thought alone was enough to squeeze the air right out of her lungs. Maris surely felt her uneasiness, she squeezed her thigh affectionately before pulling back to inspect her face.

“I am fine,” Valda said, brushing loose strands of hair away from Maris’s face.

Yet Maris frowned, her hand trailing to press over Valda’s chest. “Are you?”

“Isen!”

Both Valda and Maris turned towards the voice, finding Eyphah, shaking Isen’s unconscious body on the ground. Valda’s stomach dropped. She was the first to stand, but it was Maris who rushed to the captain’s side, kneeling next to him and pressing her fingers to his neck.

Maris’s face darkened as she shifted her gaze to Eyphah. “What happened?”

Eyphah shrugged as she shook Isen again. “He was fine! He was saying goodbye to Melvian!” Eyphah sobbed. “Isen! Wake up!”

Valda frowned, her mind drifting to the memory of Isen’s charred back. She moved Maris’s hands away and ripped the captain’s shirt, exposing his torso. His skin had changed color. His abdomen had a dark, blotched spot, moving from his back to his flank and reaching his lower stomach.

Valda shuddered in a breath in disbelief, her hands trembling in realization.

The bomb…

It had exploded behind him.

He had internal injuries…

“Do something!” Eyphah begged, cradling Isen’s face.

Maris’s gaze jumped from the dark skin on Isen’s torso to Valda. “Get me some Sealian water. We can fix this.”

Valda blinked, startled. She nodded and pushed herself off the floor. Stumbling across Prospero’s square, her eyes drifted through what was left of the attack. Damaged wagons laid out on the ground. Inside them, cracked water barrels. Valda inspected one by one, her hope of finding a sip of water diminishing as the barrels broke under her instigation.

Valda shook her head as she checked the last wagon. There was no Sealian water. How could she return and tell Eyphah they couldn’t help Isen?

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