Page 5 of The Stolen Kingdom

“There’s more?” Melvian scoffed and gripped Isen’s hand for comfort.

“The Vulcan Kingdom has declared war on the Sky Kingdom and King Arwin is blaming it on Valda. Supposedly, she was the one who killed their king to avenge Queen Rionach’s death.”

“That’s a lie!” Maris snapped.

“I do not doubt it. I truly believe this is all the work of Arwin,” Lasmeer said.

“We can forget about going to Harmonia,” Melvian said, pressing her forehead to Isen’s shoulder.

“Why? Kayden might help us, though! If he knew—”

“We won’t be able to even make it to Harmonia’s shores,” Isen said, interrupting Maris. “Vulcanians know of Valda and Kayden’s friendship, they would guard every border. Also, I doubt Kayden wants to be killed for treason and throw Harmonia and the Vulcan Kingdom into a civil war because of what is happening here.”

Maris looked at the floor. Silence consumed them once again. There was no way out of this. Standing up and dusting her hands, Maris started for the door. “I am heading out to New Agenor. I need to tell them. I will not stand seeing them get hurt.”

“Wait. Now? What about Valda?”

The question itself felt like a cold dagger in Maris’s chest.

“You can stay with her and keep her safe as well as heal her. I need to head to New Agenor.” She looked at Melvian and then at Isen. “Alone.”

“Alone? You will leave your mate now that she needs you the most?” Isen asked just as Melvian’s eyes widened.

“Wait, wait, wait! Mates?” Melvian stared at Maris incredulously.

“It is plain as daylight they are mates, love,” Isen said, grabbing Melvian’s elbow and steading her.

“I know they were fooling around but… she, I—” Melvian laughed nervously. “She is blind. There is no way you can tell—”

“Shewasblind,” Maris added.

“Was?” Melvian drew in a deep breath and wrapped her arms around her knees. “Oh boy, there are too many things happening at the same time.”

“We don’t know how she got her sight back. We were celebrating the Night of the Nymph, and the symbol of Poseidon appeared on my forehead,” Maris touched her hairline before eyeing Isen, whose smile could illuminate the entire room. “Do you know something I don’t?”

“Theories, of course. The Night of the Nymph is a ceremony to celebrate the heiress’s birthday. That night marked your twenty-first birthday. If you weren’t the real heiress, you wouldn’t have had the symbol. Not to mention, you were intimate with Valda, I assume?”

“Isen! Stop!” Melvian covered her red cheeks.

“I was,” Maris said, without a hint of embarrassment.

“You didn’t need to lock eyes with her to create the bond. It was already there, latent, deep withing you. The bond healed Valda.”

“It would explain why you couldn’t stay away from her in the first place,” Melvian said, trying to alleviate the tension in the room.

“And how beautiful is it that the connection of your souls is strong enough to dissolve a curse?” Isen’s chest rose with joy. “It is a miracle…”

Maris wringed her hands and bit her lower lip before looking up at the ceiling.Gods. Isen was right. She couldn’t leave Valda, but if she stayed at Lasmeer’s, her people were in mortal danger.

“Soulmates, right?”

“Yes.”

Melvian let out a happy squeal, her hand finding Isen’s and squeezing it. “Maris, that’s wounderfu—”

“My soulmate killed my father.” Saying it out loud… Maris’s stomach turned in itself.

Melvian snapped her jaw shut as a dead tense silence settled around them. “She did what?”

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