Page 144 of The Stolen Kingdom

“Ow! Cerberus!” Maris snapped, rubbing the sore spot. She turned to the cat, ready to scold her, but Cerberus only hissed, her ears flattened, tail lashing. The first time that the cat had ever shown aggression toward her.

“What is it?” Maris asked, her exasperation evident. It wasn’t until Cerberus ran away from her and jumped on Valda’s chest that Maris understood the animal’s distress.

“Valda!” Maris scrambled to her feet, running to her mate and falling on her knees next to her. Swallowing down her nervousness, Maris touched Valda’s chest and released a breath once she realized Valda was breathing. Her blouse was already covered with blood, but now her face had specs of debris and a slightly bruised cheek.

Cradling Valda’s face, Maris inspected her closely before another tremor shook the ground. They needed to get going. They needed to find Arwin and Eris and make sure to end them both if they wanted to win.

But Valda was unresponsive and, as much as she had trained, Maris was sure she couldn’t carry Valda out of there.

“Valda! Wake up! We have to move!” Maris said, her voice high enough to be heard through the destruction happening around them. Shaking Valda harshly, she almost sobbed when the other woman groaned in pain and moved her arm to shield herself.

“Come on,” Maris snatched her hands and pulled her to a sitting position before handing her the sword. Her own weapon lay a couple of feet away, guarded evidently by Cerberus, who sat next to it.

“He has to be in the throne room,” Valda finally spoke, pressing the meaty part of her palm to her temple.

“There weren’t any guards at the entrance. What makes you think they aren't all locked up in the throne room with him?” Maris asked before moving enough to grab her trident.Yet, she regretted moving about as soon as Valda winced in pain. “I am sorry! But we can’t stay here. We are just waiting to be attacked.”

Valda nodded, moving away from Maris, enough to press her hand to her flank. “He could also be in the royal chamber…” Valda said, looking down at Maris with a face that simply said that whatever was going to come out of her mouth, Maris was going to go against it.

“We will not split up,” Maris finally said. She ignored Valda’s sigh as she took in their surroundings. Going back the way they came in was out of the question. If they wanted to reach the royal chamber’s wing, they could go through the servant’s passage. Yet, Maris had no way of knowing if the entrances were clear enough to go through.

The other way was going out the courtyard… Which was already filled with Skylians and Vulcanians.

Maris squeezed her eyes shut. “We have to go back out to the courtyard.”

“I am afraid so,” Valda said before lingering her hand away from Maris’s shoulder. The other woman turned to the end of the hall, where a door was still standing. They could easily make it out through it. Yet, the feeling that something was wrong crawled up Maris’s stomach and into her chest.

Without saying another word, they ran towards the exit of the courtyard. Maris felt Valda’s uneasiness through the bond. She, too, was worried about the lack of soldiers guarding the entrance. She wanted to believe that Arwin sent all his men to the front to keep the Vulcanians and Valda’s men out, but something simply felt off.

As Valda pushed the door open, Maris stared at the chaos unfolding on the other side of the door. Rain poured down on the men and women of both Arwin and Valda’s side. Vulcanians were also amid it, as well as a few Sealians that fought alongside them.

Still, Maris held her breath as she looked up at the dark sky. The pouring rain felt almost sent by the gods, as if Poseidon himself had given her a helping hand. Closing her eyes, Maris whispered a prayer of gratitude before inhaling deeply. She eased her hammering heart within her chest before she opened her eyes once more and focused on what was happening outside.

Valda took a step outside, boot sinking into the flooded courtyard. Maris took in her surroundings, but especially, she looked at Valda’s face.

She was pale… She had used her power too much. If they were to fight Arwin and Eris, she needed to rest.

Maris walked to her, grabbed her elbow, and pulled her away enough to get her attention. Valda didn’t even look at Maris. She shook her head and tried to free her arm from Maris, but she squeezed it tightly.

“Don’t,” Maris said, but the screams and wind blowing round them muted her. She pushed Valda near a sitting carriage. Valda didn’t put up a fight this time. She grabbed the side of the carriage and looked at her.

Valda’s fear bled through her and as Maris stood in the middle of the courtyard, tightening her grip around the trident, she knew this was it. The Oracle’s words still echoed in her mind, freezing her in place. She could do this. She could take back what belonged to her, avenge her father, live with Valda here or in the Sea Kingdom, and yet… What if what the Oracle said was true?

She had done her best to hide the fear lodged in her chest from her mate. Valda didn’t know about the Oracle, nor did she sense the dread the visit had caused, but she could feel the hesitation in every movement Maris made. Coming to the castle had stirred panic within her, yet Maris was certain Valda simply dismissed it as the same unease she always felt before a battle.

The clang of approaching footsteps reverberated through the air, pulling her from her thoughts. Behind her, a group of soldiers made their way around the courtyard. The anger reflected in their eyes gave them away as Arwin’s men. Although her revenge wasn’t directed towards them, she wouldn’t allow them to stand in her way.

Looking down at her feet, Maris ponders the use of her powers now. She had used them earlier, but unlike Valda, she had been measured, knowing that she would need it for later. She could drown them all now, but then…

Maris took one last look at Valda before the grip of her trident grew taut. As the first soldier lunged at her, she met him with a brutal thrust. The trident found its mark with a sickening crunch. Her stomach turned at the sound, and she pulled back her weapon just as the soldier fell dead at her feet.

As another small group moved in after her, her movements became fluid. Every swing of her trident was met with the sound of metal against metal as Skylians blocked and attacked with their swords, but it wasn’t long until they faltered and scattered around her like fallen leaves. As they fell, more enemies came into the courtyard.

Fatigue clawed at her, her muscles straining under the weight of her trident and the relentless assault. She had trained months on end for this, and yet she knew it would be a matter of time until what the Oracle said would come true…

“Maris!”

Her neck snapped as she watched Valda on her hands and knees. The wind picked up around Valda, and with it, the direction of the rain.

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