Page 142 of The Stolen Kingdom

She took back all those times she called Cerberus a lazy cat. Her pet was making sure that every fallen soldier was actually dead.

Valda made a mental note to feed her fresh fish until her last day.

Then, the gasp of another soldier pulled Valda away from Cerberus.

One of Arwin’s soldiers stood before Valda. Her stance was unsure, her grip on the sword slipping with the pouring rain. Valda noticed the hesitation and fear in her eyes. She took her in for only a moment before she swung the Heaven Sword, the blade cleaving through her chest. Her mouth fell open in a silent scream, blood bubbling past her lips as she crumpled at her feet.

As she looked at the soldier, the rain gathering at her feet moved, as if being pulled by an invisible force. Valda turned to watch in awe as Maris gathered the rain.

More men at the gates scrambled to shut out the approaching Vulcanians, yanking at the heavy wooden doors in a desperate attempt to seal them inside.

Maris lifted her trident, the symbol of Poseidon shining from her forehead.

Water surged like a wave, tendrils shooting forward, latching onto the guards at the gate. They screamed, clawing at their throats as water flooded their lungs, suffocating them where they stood. Within seconds, their bodies crumpled to the ground, lifeless, as Kenna and the other Vulcanians stormed inside. Their carriages rumbled through the courtyard, each one filled with bombs.

Maris exhaled, lowering her trident as her storm receded. The faintest smirk curled on her lips as she turned slightly toward Valda. “Your turn, darling.”

Valda grinned, shifting her focus back to the courtyard where more Skylians came in from inside the castle.

“Let’s make way.”

A low hum built in the surrounding air, rattling through the courtyard and the thunder cracking over them. A distinctive warmth spread from Valda’s chest, raising up to her neck and face and settling on her forehead. The symbol of Ouranos burned steadily, spreading through her limbs as the wind twisted about.

The soldiers hesitated, gasping at the sudden wind. And then Valda’s eyes snapped open, and in a single breath, the air fractured.

A razor-edged gust tore through, ripping through armor, clothing,flesh.Limbs severed mid-motion, bodies split apart.

As more soldiers charged, Valda raised the Heaven Sword, channeling the last of her power into the blade. With a final, guttural roar, she swung. The shockwave detonated through the room.

Bodiesdisintegrated—ripped apart and reduced to nothing but a spray of blood and flesh on the courtyard’s grassy ground.

The warmth of the symbol dissolved, taking her strength with it. Valda fell to her hands and knees, her sword falling somewhere next to her. Breathing deeply, she stared at the red stain of the ground.

Valda swallowed hard, closed her eyes.Traitors’ blood.She shouldn’t feel any remorse…

Cerberus’ purr pulled her back as she willed her entire body to stop shaking. Her cat was standing right before her, her yellow eyes peering right into her soul, almost pleading with her to stand up.

Shuddering in a breath, Valda pushed herself up, forcing herself to stand.

Maris's hands were on her, pulling her gaze away from the mess she had created to stare at her worried blue eyes.

Maris cupped Valda’s face, her fingers trembling. “You are fine,” Maris said, more to herself than to Valda.

Valda nodded in her hands; her eyes glued to the worried gaze. She fed off of it, knowing well thatthis, all of thiswas not only for her, but for Maris as well.

“I’m fine,” Valda rasped, grabbing the sword and ignoring the ache coursing through her entire body.

The rumbling of galloping horses inundated the courtyard. As Valda turned, her men, as well as Kenna’s, ran inside, pulling the carriages filled with bombs.

A galloping horse stood next to her and as Valda looked up, she found Kenna holding on to her ax and commanding the rest of the Vulcanians to march inside the castle.

“Lead the way inside!” Kenna yelled, over the chaos erupting within the courtyard.

Valda gave Maris one quick glance before they ran through the grand doors leading into the Great Hall.

There were a small number of soldiers at the entrance, holding their ground as Valda pushed through. It didn’t take much to disarm them. Before Kenna and the rest could move in, Valda already had two soldiers dead at her feet, while Maris had impaled one with her trident, pushing him off and away from Valda.

Once inside, the eerie silence and desolation took Valda by surprise. She was expecting a lot of things, but finding the Great Hall empty wasn’t one of them.

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