Page 65 of The Stolen Kingdom

Melvian sat beside the dining table, watching them interact. She was not amused, and she couldn’t hide the disgust. Maris noticed and pinched her arm when Eyphah was not watching.

“I sent three guards to Lasmeer’s joint. He is a good friend, and he will let us know what happened.”

“Lasmeer?” Eyphah asked, crossing her arms under her smaller chest.

“He is a friend. He helped me and Valda when we were injured trying to flee Oberon.”

“Right.” Eyphah hooked her hand to the back of her neck. “We should be more vigilant if Arwin’s men are coming.”

“Notif, when. Now, this man is very patient. They could be here in weeks, days…”

“Hours,” Melvian interrupted, shifting the two Sealians’ attention towards her. “It could be hours…”

“We need everyone to get ready to move,” Maris said to Eyphah while swallowing the knot in her throat.

“Move? Relocate? Are you crazy? We have just started to have some sort of progress in this forsaken land, now you want us to move? Where would we go?”

“As far away as we can, Eyphah! I will not leave my people here and face him. You have no idea what that man is capable of!”

“Running away will solve nothing.”

“It will keep us alive!” Maris clicked her tongue and rubbed the stress gathering at her jaw. “Listen. We move them and keep a handful of guards here.”

“We can take them all if we stick together,” Eyphah said.

“There are people here with zero combat training. Do you think they will stand a chance against Skylian soldiers?” Maris was inches away from Eyphah, her hands tightening with the desire to strangle her. “I am their queen. I am the one who decides. Everyone must pack as much as they can and be ready to leave.”

“We can take them to Cressida. Or just as far away from Ophelia as possible. We can even take refuge with Isen and Valda’s group in Umbriel,” Melvian suggested.

“I will not have them die in the desert,” Eyphah muttered while Maris tensed at the mention of her mate’s name. “And I don’t think turning to the resistance will help us.”

Maris slammed her palms on the table. “So, we should stay and hope for the best?”

She was done playing games, and she wouldn’t allow her people to be hurt in the crossfire. There were healthy men and women in the settlement, but there were also children, lots and lots of them, and elders who would rather rest than fight. They could move older adults and the children out, and those willing to fight could stay… but how many would?

“Melvian?”

“Yes, Maris?”

“Titania is the closest city to Umbriel, am I correct?”

“Yes, it is.”

“I want everyone to pack the essentials. We are moving. All those strong enough to fight will stand guard all around the settlement until every single child and elder are sent on their way to the city.” The way Maris cut the conversation and turned away from Eyphah left little room for further discussion.

Still, Eyphah being Eyphah, she didn’t stay quiet.

“That’s it?” The older woman’s upper lip twitched with resentment. “I have no say in this? I have been taking care of themfor much longer than—”

“Make up your mind. You want me to rule over your people, but when it comes to making actual decisions, you cower away and attack, implying that you have better ideas. You don’t. Now you can either helpyour queenspread the word toourpeople, or please just get out of the way.” Maris turned to Melvian and jerked her head to the door. “Let’s go.”

Melvian nodded, and although Maris was her best friend, she was still under her command. The young healer stood from her chair and waddled close to Maris, her heavy stomach brushing against her friend’s arm. A gentle reminder she was due any day now.

The touch did not go unnoticed. Maris’s hand moved over her stomach in a soft caress, as if all the love and affection Maris felt for her friend could seep into the unborn children. “You need to give out the warning, then head back to Arago and stay there. As soon as we start moving everyone, you will go with the first moving group.”

“Maris—”

“I will have none of it. I will never forgive myself if something happens to you or the babies.”

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