Page 29 of The Stolen Kingdom

“Has the baby been moving a lot lately, Coral?” Maris asked.

“Oh, yes,” Coral replied with a laugh. “I’m certain she’s going to be a dancer, just like her daddy.”

Maris noticed Melvian’s twitchy smile as her friend’s hand drifted to her small, rounded stomach. Though the early signs of pregnancy were just showing, it filled Maris withexcitement at the thought of feeling her best friend’s child someday. But the idea carried a bittersweet edge—Isen wasn’t here, and Maris knew Melvian resented her for his absence.

“Well, any day now, we’ll be welcoming a new Sealian to the bunch,” Maris said, clearing her throat as she helped Coral down from the desk. “Everything looks great. Just try not to overdo it, okay?”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Coral replied with a laugh. “The moment I get home, my mate won’t let me lift a finger. He insists I lie down all day while he handles everything else.”

A soft sniffle came from behind Maris. She forced a smile, bidding Coral goodbye as the young woman left the cabin.

Maris caught Melvian wiping her nose and tears.

“Melvian,” Maris said gently, stepping closer to squeeze her friend’s shoulders.

“I’m fine. I promise,” Melvian replied, closing her bag and wiping her eye.

“You’re not—”

“I am,” Melvian insisted, turning to face Maris. Her nose was red, her cheeks streaked with moisture. “I just… I miss Isen.”

“Of course,” Maris murmured, biting her lip as she debated whether to press further. Should she ask about Isen—how he was doing, whether they’d been able to stay in touch through letters or their bond? Finally, she ventured, “Is… he okay?”

“He’s fine,” Melvian said with a faint smile, her voice wavering. “He misses me too. He can’t wait to come see me.”

Maris nodded and pulled her friend into a tight hug. “I’m sorry, Melvian.”

Melvian sighed, resting her face against Maris’s chest before wrapping her arms around her waist. “I know,” she whispered. “I got myself into this. I stayed.”

“Has… Isen said anything about Valda in his letters?”

Melvian inhaled deeply, the pause stretching between them. After a long moment, she pulled away and shook her head. “No.” Melvian gave her a rueful smile before saying, “I take it you haven’t contacted her.”

“I don’t… I don’t think I should.”

Melvian’s gaze sharpened. “You don’t think you should, or you don’t want to?”

Maris wanted to admit she didn’t want to. That she would rather endure all the nausea and fatigue, than confront the truth: that despite everything Valda had done to her family, a part of her still wanted to see her. It felt like a betrayal—not just to herself, but to her entire family.

“You need to see her, Maris,” Melvian said, pointing a finger at Maris’s stomach. “It would really help with the sickness.”

Help with the sickness. Could it really be that simple? If seeing Valda just once could ease her nausea, maybe she could train without limits—maybe even master wielding the trident. The thought was tempting.

“I don’t know where—”

“Maris. Just go to bed. You’ll see her then.”

Maybe it was time. She had resisted for so long, avoided that connection out of fear and anger. But perhaps now, just once, she could let it happen.

Melvian kissed her cheek, gave her arm a reassuring pat, and left the cabin.

Nightfall was still a couple of hours away, and while Maris knew she should go out and eat, all she wanted was to crawl into bed. She didn’t know how to find Valda in her dreams, but if it was as simple as Melvian made it sound, then surely it wouldn’t be a problem.

She could spend the time eating, or even reading more about medicine as Melvian had so often instructed her to do, but the thought of seeing Valda—even for just a few fleeting seconds—was… exhilarating. It felt like exactly what she needed.

Maris headed to her chamber, opening the door slowly, her mind plagued with images of Valda sitting on the corner of the bed, bouncing her leg in both agitation and anxiousness, her honeyed eyes narrowed in deep thought as they stared at the floor. But when Maris stepped inside, the room was empty. Of course, it was ridiculous to think Valda would actually be there. And yet, the hollow ache that settled in her chest caught her off guard. She wasn’t ready to get used to that emptiness.

Clearing her throat to dislodge the knot forming there, Maris carefully removed her tunic and pants, folding them neatly and placing them beside the worn-down nightstand. Her boots found their place by the door before slipping her nightshirt on. As her hands trembled, she reached for the dresser, striking a match to light the two candles perched on top.

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