Page 5 of The Curse of the Goddess

“Still up?” Rionach asked, her voice a soft whisper, not wanting to wake Valda.

“Still working,” he corrected. “I just wanted to see how you were doing before retiring for the—“ Arwin’s eyes drifted to Valda. “Ah. Little Valda is here.”

“Oh!” Rionach turned to Valda. “She doesn’t want to leave my side.”

“Understandable,” Arwin muttered before clearing his throat. “Rionach—“

“I need a full report of what happened at the Sea Kingdom,” Rionach said, standing from her small desk. “A very detailed report,” she added.

Arwin’s gaze fell before he nodded. “And you shall have it, but there is not much to look into.” He stepped away from the door, circling to the living space in the chamber and sitting down on the grand sofa. He spread his legs, taking up most of the space. He exhaled, closing his eyes and throwing his silver hair back.

“I still have ships coming in from Agenor’s Islands. I’ve heard reports of tidal waves destroying some of the ships on their way back.” He rubbed the scarred side of his face. “We keep losing people…”

“It has been years, decades even, since the Sea Kingdom had a storm like this.”

“You’d think they would be ready for this, but they weren’t…” He shook his head before resting his hazel gaze on Rionach. “Could it be punishment?”

“For what?” Rionach scoffed. “And why would any punishment fall on my mate?” She sighed. “Why wipe away the Sea Kingdom’s royal family, especially with the prophecy?”

Arwin turned away, enough to hide his face from Rionach. “Maybe… the Fates were wrong?”

Rionach tensed. “Blasphemy…”

Shrugging, Arwin stood from the sofa and quietly walked to Rionach’s bed, where Valda still slept soundly. His tense back muscles relaxed as he studied the sleeping child. Leaning close enough to brush Valda’s dark curls from her forehead, he let out a soft grunt before straightening again. “She looks so much like him.”

Rionach swallowed hard and smiled. Yes, Valda was the spitting image of her father, the late king. With her dark hair, honey eyes, sun-kissed skin, and freckles sprinkled over her face, shoulders, and chest, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that she was the next queen.Yet, whenever Arwin mentioned Valda’s resemblance to her mate, she always felt a hint of resentment in his voice.

Deciding on brushing the feeling away was better for now. She remembered Brontes and how it felt to see him for the first time, locking eyes and feeling the surge and the connection right away…

Valda will never experience that. Rionach sighed and walked to the other side of the bed before lying next to Valda. She cradled the young girl in her arms and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. She didn’t wake up; instead, she snuggled closer to her warmth.

The bed dipped as Arwin sat with them, looking down at her and Valda intently. As much as she wanted to push him off and tell him to leave… she couldn’t help but appreciate his presence, especially when he cared so much about them. His hand went back to Valda’s hair. He petted her sweetly before releasing a tired sigh.

“I am sorry, Valda,” he muttered, his voice trembling.

“Why?”

Arwin’s lips parted, as if he wanted to answer right away, but then he bit his lower lip and stood from the bed.

“Because she won’t meet her soulmate?”

Arwin frowned. “No.” He answered, nonchalantly. “Countless go about their lives, never finding their soulmate.”

Piercing hazel eyes burned through her. Rionach swallowed hard, her gaze straying away from his.

“Many hope they will find their soulmate in their next life.” Arwin shrugged. “Pray with her and keep hope that she will find hers.” The general’s steps were slow and calculated as he moved to the living space and then out the door.

Rionach’s jaw quivered, unable to pick up if he spoke jeeringly or not.

Raan wasn’t sure what his mate was feeling. Deep within his chest he could feel her excitement and fear, but also apprehension.

Saha, his mate of fifteen years, stood by the dining table, staring at the Sealian baby. Maris was enveloped in soft satin sheets he had managed to buy before heading home. Her small hands and feet reached the chandelier dangling from the wooden roof.

For a moment, Raan stared at Saha. Her hands were rolled into fists and pressed to her stomach, as if unsure if she was supposed to touch the baby.

When he arrived and tied the horse to the outside of his home, before he could knock, his wife had already opened the door for him, possibly feeling his presence minutes before his arrival. Before she could throw her arms around him and welcome him with a kiss, she had noticed the bundle in his coat.

Her smile had disappeared for a second as he walked in and proceeded to settle the infant on the table.

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