Page 181 of The Curse of the Goddess

“Maris,” Valda reached for her only to have her hand smacked away.

“Don’t you dare touch me, you murderer. All this time I thought he was behind my father’s death, and it was you!”

“Trouble in the Elysian Fields?”

“Fuck you, Arwin,” Valda snapped back, yet she couldn’t conceal the pain of being rejected and insulted.

“You want to head back to New Agenor? Will you go back as the ruler or another one of the bunch?” Eris asked, standing up. Dark purple wisps of shadows wrapped around her body, consuming her before disappearing into thin air. Her body transformed into the young woman she was before. Her aqua blue hair did no justice to the beautiful shades the real Sealians had, not to mention her sad attempt at the symbol on her brow was laughable.

“I am their queen,” Maris said, her brow furrowing further at the sight of the impostor.

“You are nothing,” Eris rebutted.

“Valda, I am going to make this easy on you.” Arwin pushed himself from the throne, towering over Valda from his position atop the dais. “I want you to abdicate, run away, and disappear. Clearly, you are at a disadvantage. Your men have renounced their fidelity to you. I am the one in charge.”

“You mean you killed the men who knew all of this—” Valda waved her arms around her, “is wrong.”

“You were gone,” Arwin said.

“I was working!” Valda countered.

“Fucking this slut is not working.” Arwin raised his chin.

“She is my mate. The heiress of the Sea Kingdom! What you are doing will only hurt the balance of the entire kingdom.”

“Ah, this kingdom is already damaged. There is a war brewing, Valda and I don’t think you are ready for it.”

Valda slanted her head to the side in confusion. “A war? With whom?”

Eris stood from the throne and circled back. She handed Arwin a bloody wool bag. The putrid smell emanating from it made Valda take a step back and cover her nose with her blouse.

“The Sky Kingdom has the biggest and strongest army. We are a force to be reckoned with,” Arwin began as he opened the bag and stuck his hand inside. “What would happen when we forge war with the descendants of Ares himself?” His question was accentuated with a devilish curve on his lips.

“What did you do?” Valda asked.

Arwin pulled out the moldering head of Vulcan Hagan, King of Mars.

Maris gasped loudly and turned away at the horrific scene while Valda’s eyes widened in pure terror. Before she could react, Arwin tossed the severed head to her feet. She took a step back, bumping into Maris.

“My investigation on your mother’s murder confirmed she was assassinated by someone in the Vulcan Kingdom.”

Valda shook her head, her eyes glued to Hagan's head. “You are lying.”

“I had long conversation with him, but the old man thought kicking me out and calling me a liar was a proper answer to my queries. I killed him and brought you the head of the man responsible for your mother’s death.”

“You are a liar! Every single word coming out of your mouth is a fucking lie!”

“You should thank me. Here is your revenge.”

Valda heard his words but could not process what he was saying. How could the king be the one behind her mother’s death? What could he gain from it? Why did Arwin do this?

“You are fucking insane!” Valda bellowed as she looked from the head to Arwin. “You just declared war on the Vulcanians! Do you have any idea what will happen to us? To the citizens?”

“I know damn well what will happen. When your father died, I ruled behind the throne room. When your mother was in power, I fucked the decisions into that pretty mind of hers, when you were a blind queen, I looked at my people and knew what they needed. They needed more than you could ever offer them. I have more experience in this than you, I can rule a kingdom and protect the people with an iron fist while you go and fuck your little tadpole bitch to your heart’s content.”

Rage and hatred broke his calm and collected demeanor. It wasn’t until he found himself leaning over Valda that he pulled back, fixed his silver hair, and squared his shoulders. “Abdicate, Valda. You will give the Skylians a gift if you give up your title.”

Valda raised her sword, moving it to Arwin’s face, right over the scar. “I will kill you.”

---