Page 61 of The Stolen Kingdom

Valda’s hand released the hilt of her sword, her arms crossing over her chest as she leaned against the doorframe. “What for?”

The woman fidgeted with her fingers before taking a deep breath. “Distraction?” she murmured before hesitantly touching Valda’s forearm.

Valda’s eyes snapped to the spot where the woman had touched her. For a moment, she stood still, allowing the woman to become bolder and take one step closer to her, enough for Valda to smell the faint scent of ale and the stew cooked in the tavern.

It would be so easy to let the woman in, to give in, and feel something real, something physical, not a dream. But even now, as the bond felt weak, and she couldn’t reach Maris, Valda felt… nothing. No spark, no pull, no fire. Her body was silent.

Her lower lip trembled as she reached up, her fingers brushing the place where the woman had touched her, rubbing the sensation away as if to erase it completely.

Oh, how the tables had turned…

Valda’s chest tightened as the realization settled in. She had spent so long wanting to break and ruin Maris for anyone else, to make her crave no one but Valda. But the cruel irony was that it had happened the other way around.

It was Valda who had been ruined; it was Valda who wanted no one else but Maris.

“Leave,” Valda said finally, her voice low and even. She stepped back, her arms dropping to her sides.

The woman blinked, confused. “What— Edemus paid—”

Valda slammed the door before she could finish, leaning heavily against it as she exhaled. Her chest rose and fell, her breaths uneven.

Cerberus padded up to her, brushing against her leg with a soft meow. Closing her eyes, Valda let her head fall against the door with a muted thud. She opened her eyes to look down at her precious pet. Cerberus stared back, golden eyes wide with concern, as if asking if she was okay.

She wasn’t…

“I can’t fucking take this…” Valda whispered, the words breaking into a sob. Pushing off the door, she crossed the room and collapsed onto the bed. Cerberus followed, curling up beside her, her small, warm body pressed close before her purring filled the silence.

Closing her eyes tightly, Valda let the bond guide her into sleep.

It wasn’t long before she was standing in the fog.

The connection was faint and distant, as if something was obstructing it.

Maris...

Something was blocking their connection; something in her body was interrupting them. Shrouded in dense darkness, Valda could barely breathe. Somehow, she found her way through the labyrinth-like shadows. Her hands brushed against unseen walls, guiding her like they had when she was blind.

Her breath quickened when she heard it—a soft sigh, faint but unmistakable.

Maris.

For the briefest moment, Valda smiled before her pace quickened. Maris was close, and she couldn’t wait to see her once more.

The ground beneath her shifted, and she stumbled upon shards of broken glass, crunching underfoot. The jagged remains of a pitcher lay scattered alongside two glasses. She crouched, picking up a piece and holding it to her nose.

The scent hit her immediately.

Alcohol.

Was Maris drunk? Was that why she couldn’t create a connection?

A door shifted open. Its creak pulled Valda’s attention from the broken glass. The door frame was glowing, signaling the way. Pushing the door open and stepping outside intoa room that pulsed with faint music. It was hazy, but Valda could make out the square of New Agenor.

And there, amidst the crowd, was Maris.

She was flushed, her cheeks flowing with a sheen of sweat. Her laughter rang out as she spun in the arms of another woman.

Valda’s narrowed her eyes.

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