Page 76 of The Stolen Kingdom

Maris bit the inside of her cheek as she noticed that maybe letting Valda sleep with her wasn’t such a great idea. “You are taking up all the space. Can’t you—”

“Do you want meto sleep here or not?”

The amusement was plain in Valda’s voice. Maris inhaled deeply, then turned to lie on her side, her back to Valda. She could make out Valda’s low chuckle, and then the soft exhale she always did seconds before succumbing to sleep. It didn’t take long until she heard Valda’s quiet breathing. Maris turned around to watch the other woman sleep.

Eight months…

For eight months, Maris had woken up to an empty bed, cold sheets, and pillows, to gasps of pleasure followed by the silence of the night. To damp thighs and emptiness, and yet, here she was. The queen of the wind, all battered and broken and undone, dirty and unconventionally handsome, laying next to her as if not one day had gone by apart.

Her lips were parted, releasing soft snores that echoed in the dry cave. Her brow was relaxed, not showing the tension from moments ago. Her chest rose and fell with each soft breath she took, and Maris was enthralled. She couldn’t look away. Her hands twitched with the need to touch her mate again and feel the softness of her skin.

Valda must’ve been exhausted from their ordeal. Goodness knew how long she had ridden to get to New Agenor. Maris pursed her lips and softly caressed the other woman’s dirty cheek. The delicate touch was not noticed, prompting Maris to be bolder. She continued her exploration, touching Valda’s parted lips, the strong, thick column of her neck, her jaw, and finally, the exposed skin of her chest, which was darker with sunburn.

Valda twitched under the touch and turned her face away from Maris, making her freeze. Maris held her breath until she heard the soft snores again. As much as her brain told her to move away, sleep elsewhere, or turn away from Valda, her body begged her to be closer, and for once, she wanted to listen to her body instead of her brain. With a sigh, Maris scooted closer, pressed her nose to a broad, taut shoulder, and inhaled the soft scent.

Regardless of how she looked, this woman was still Valda, her Valda, and for the time being, Maris wanted nothing more than to mend things and go back to how things were.

16

Sleeping next to Maris had brought a sense of peace that Valda thought she had lost. Of course, she wanted to enjoy the intimacy of having the younger woman near her, but the fatigue in her body was stronger than her desire, and within minutes she was asleep.

The warmth of her body and the soft scent of the sea on her lover’s skin were enough to lull Valda into a deep slumber. It wasn’t until the first rays of light filtered through the cave’s opening that she woke up. She wanted to move as soon as she opened her eyes, but when she saw Maris curled up to her side with her hand on her stomach and her face on her chest, Valda stayed put.

She dreamed of opening her eyes and seeing Maris next to her for so many months. Now that she had her back, it felt like it wasn’t real. She turned and gave Maris a quick peck on the now healed cheek and slipped from her embrace to gather their belongings and get her horse ready.

As she tied her bag to the saddle, Cerberus jumped on the horse, meowing loudly in Valda’s face. With a scoff, Valda pulled a ration of meat and gave it to her cat. “I shouldn’t be feeding you. Maris gave you plenty of food last night.”

Cerberus licked her paw and rubbed it against her snout before curling up into a ball. Valda shook her head in annoyance. “Really, what do you ever do with your life other than sleep and eat?”

Cerberus rolled around until she exposed her stomach to Valda.

“Ah, right. And look cute. I swear, cats are pretty much useless creatures.”

“That’s not nice.”

Valda turned to see Maris tying her hair up in a loose ponytail and held her breath to calm her anxiousness. She gifted Maris a soft smile before saying, “Morning.”

“Morning,” Maris mumbled back. It seemed she was still tired from the day before. “Why are you being mean to Cerberus, and why didn’t you wake me up?”

Valda patted her horse’s side before looking up at Maris. “Cerberus can take it, and you needed to rest. I didn’t want to wake you up just yet.”

Maris nodded. “To be honest, I did. It has been a couple of rough days.”

“Understandable.” Valda then added, “We are heading out to Cressida, and we shall stay there for a while until things settle down.”

Maris frowned, seeming not happy with Valda’s announcement. “Cressida? I thought Isen said you were going to Titania.”

“He is. We are not,” Valda said, moving strands of hair away from her face.

“No, no! We must go to Titania! I gave Eyphah instructions that I would meet her there.”

Valda’s stomach turned on itself when Maris mentioned that woman. She had tried to ignore the heaviness in her heart, trying to forget what she had seen the night before. Seeing that woman kissing Maris made her sick. She bit the inside of her cheek and straightened her spine, looking as tall as ever. She was tired of hiding her displeasure with what had happened. It wasn’t a dream; it happened for real, and she could see all of it. Well, at least most of it.

“Eyphah?” She almost tasted bile when she said the name. “Is that why you want to go to Titania? You want to see her again?”

“Valda, don’t—”

“Something was bothering me last night. And that something was that this woman had the audacity to put her filthy hands on you when you were not in your right mind. I expected you to become closer to her. I expected you to train with her. When I asked you last night who you were training with, I knew the answer before you denied me it. I know it was Eyphah. And believe me, Maris, I am grateful she showed you how to handle yourself when it was necessary. What I am not grateful for is that she did something you did not consent to.”

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