Page 92 of The Stolen Kingdom

Amused, Valda crossed her arms and leaned forward. “Don’t worry. I’ll make it up to you. Something extra tasty for breakfast, sound good?”

Cerberus stretched languidly, her paws extending before she rested her head back down, purring as if to accept the offer.

Valda chuckled under her breath, but her amusement faded as her eyes drifted back to Maris. The slightest shift in the bed drew her full attention. Maris stirred, her hair spilling across the pillow in disheveled waves, her lashes fluttering briefly before she settled again. Valda couldn’t help but study her. The memories of the night before flickered through her mind.

Her fingers itched to reach out, to trace the outline of Maris’s shoulder, to kiss her awake just to see those sleepy blue eyes meet hers. Instead, she ran a hand through her own hair, trying to compose herself.

Taking a deep breath, Valda decided it was better to not think about last night. She tied the last knot of her boot and leaned back in the chair before looking at Maris sleeping. A prideful smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth as she remembered her lover’s eagerness to satisfy her.

She marveled at the transformation in Maris. The woman lying in bed now was so different from the hesitant and unsure version she had first met months ago in Oberon Castle. Maris had grown—stronger, fiercer, more confident—and yet, that growth had only deepened Valda’s love for her. She didn’t think it was possible to love her more, yet here she was, completely smitten.

Unable to resist, Valda reached out and tangled her fingers gently through Maris’s soft waves. A soft groan escaped the sleeping woman, her face scrunching slightly before her eyes fluttered open. She blinked a few times, narrowing her gaze against the bright morning light before her eyes focused on Valda.

“Morning, darling,” Maris murmured, her voice heavy and groggy. She stretched her arms over her head, the sheet slipping slightly to reveal more of her bare skin.

Valda leaned forward, capturing her lover’s mouth in a gentle, lingering kiss. “Good morning, Seashell,” she whispered against her lips, her voice low and affectionate.

Maris smiled lazily. “Did you sleep well?”

Valda chuckled softly and reached out to cradle Maris’s jaw, pulling her into another kiss. “Very well,” she murmured, her lips brushing against Maris’s. “You made sure of that.” She leaned back slightly, her expression softening. “I wish I could stay longer, but I need to meet with Isen. We must set up our next move, and—”

“Without me?” Maris interrupted, tilting her head to the side.

Valda instantly caught the discomfort in Maris right away. She placed a hand over Maris’s and rubbed her thumb across the back of it soothingly. “No, Seashell,” Valda said. “I just thought I’d let you sleep. You haven’t been resting as much as you should, and—”

“I think coming up with a plan to keep everyone safe is more important than catching up on sleep,” Maris said.

Valda nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. “True. I was just about to head downstairs and grab something for us to eat—”

A loud meow interrupted her, and both women turned to see Cerberus padding toward them. The large cat leaped up gracefully, settling herself on Maris’s lap as if staking her claim.

“For all three of us,” Valda corrected with a laugh, reaching over to pet Cerberus from head to tail. The cat purred loudly, clearly pleased with herself.

Maris arched an eyebrow, smirking. “She’s spoiled, you know.”

“She deserves to be,” Valda replied, watching Cerberus nestle against Maris. Her gaze then shifted back to her lover. “You can’t dethrone an illegitimate king on an empty stomach, after all.”

Valda wanted to sound confident. Now that Maris was with her, there was nothing she couldn’t face—at least, that’s what she told herself. Her priority was to organize their next move, to strike where it would hurt Arwin most. To do so, she needed to call a meeting with Isen and the other leaders staying in Titania. Afterward, she’d send word to Cressida and have reinforcements ready.

Maris inhaled sharply through her nose. A slight dimple appeared on Maris’s right cheek, and Valda’s stomach clenched. Gods, that dimple… She longed to kiss her way up Maris’s chest, trailing soft pecks along her collarbone, and bless that dimple with her lips. But Maris’s gaze grounded her, kept her from indulging in fantasies.

“What are you planning?” Maris asked, her hand bumping into Valda’s as they both petted Cerberus’ long black fur.

The question hung in the air, making it dense and suffocating. That question was enough to keep her up at night. Her planning could go either of two ways. She couldfollow her hot head and gather as many men as possible, barge into Oberon, destroy the place, and kill whoever dared to come between her and Arwin. She could slice through flesh and bone until he was the only person standing before her. Then she would plunge her sword into his stomach and watch as his prideful smirk was wiped away and drowned with his own blood before pulling the blade out and cutting off his head in one clean strike. She would grant him what he deserved, a traitor’s death, just like he had shown her.

She could also ask the Vulcanians to join her. If the Vulcanians joined, so would Kayden and the territory of Harmonia. Having Kayden by her side, with his unique gift, could really balance everything out, but she didn’t know where her friend was, or if they were still friends.

This conflict could put a wedge on their friendship. He could’ve been forced to join the Vulcanians or face sanctions from the monarchy. Maybe he didn’t join them and was now fighting for his own life. Or he could’ve joined the monarchy and was now fighting against her.

Valda sighed, as dread settled in her stomach.

If only she knew he was well…

A soft squeeze on her forearm pulled her out of her thoughts. She looked down to see Maris’s hand on her arm, pulling her back to the present.

The concern in Maris’s eyes was evident as she tilted her head. “Valda, talk to me,” she said.

Valda exhaled, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly under Maris’s touch. She wasn’t alone in this. Not anymore.

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