Ch.27 Home in You

Chapter 27

"Heyder, stop!" Ali grabbed his friend's arm and pulled him back as he marched down the hall of the palace. "This isn't a good idea."

"You think I'm nothing going to go see her?" Heyder shrugged off Ali's arm.

"Her family will kill you,"

"They can't can't jinns," Heyder laughed. "If they could, don't you think Owen would have done so already?"

"That man has amazing self control," Ali said as he scurried behind Heyder. "But I still think this is a bad idea."

"Why?" Heyder asked in confusion.

"Well, let's see. Hmmm, Maya hates you. She wa-"

"She doesn't hate me," Heyder shook his head. "She's angry. She has every right to be. I was an idiot to her."

"Give her space. Let her calm down!"

"I can't give her space. I need her," Heyder took the stairs up two at a time. "Maya!"

"Oh god lord have mercy upon this poor creature. May he rest in.....pieces."

"Maya!" Heyder called down the hall again.

"What the hell do you think you are doing here?" Mavi's voice boomed as she hurried out of her office.

"Hey, Mavi," Heyder greeted her, not really paying any attention as he rushed down the hall towards Maya's room. "Where is Maya?"

"You are not welcomed here, Heyder," Mavi said sternly. "Leave."

"Relax, I'm here to see Maya."

"I don't care why you're here. Leave!"

Ali stood in the middle of the hall, speechless. He looked at Heyder going from door to door and Mavi fuming after him.

"Why do these doors all look the same?" Heyder asked as he checked the fourth bedroom, only to find it empty.

"Heyder," Ali followed Mavi down the hall. "We gotta go."

"Don't let her scare you," Heyder smirked over his shoulder at his friend. "She's harmless."

"She's a.....dragon," Ali whispered.

"And you're made of smokeless flames," Heyder snapped. He was about to round the corner when a sudden spark of lightning smacked him across the face.

"Son of a -" Heyder shook his head and stumbled back a few inches. The attack left him disoriented and dizzy as he lifted his gaze and spotted Gemma standing a few feet ahead of him with her hand held up and ready to strike again.

"Come on, Gemma," Heyder groaned. "I just want to talk to Maya."

"She doesn't want to see you," Gemma said through her teeth. "Please, Heyder. I'm begging you. Leave her alone. You've done enough damage."

Heyder flinched from the witch's words. He felt his chest tighten as he took a ragged breath and held up his hands.

"I mean no harm," he said slowly. "I just want to talk to her. I promise I will make everything right."

"No," Gemma shook her head. "Not possible. Leave, please."

"She's asking nicely, we should go," Ali reached for Heyder's arm.

"Listen to you friend," Mavi said from behind them.

"Maybe I'm not being clear," Heyder grew frustrated. "I am not leaving until I see Maya. To hell with all of you Dorins. I'm here to see my girl."

"She's not your girl," Gemma snapped. The wisp of smoke swimming in her eyes intensified. Heyder was amazed in that moment by how much it reminded him of Maya.

"I am done playing nice," Gemma took a step forward. Ali flinched as the air around them crackled with currents. "Get the hell out of our home."

"No." Heyder lowered his hand as his palm heated up with a hot red glow.

"What are you doing?" Ali whispered. "That's your mother in law!"

"Where is Maya?" Heyder asked, ignoring Ali.

Gemma didn't respond. Her beautiful calm face twisted in rage as she lifted her hand and shot out a massive ball of pure magic. Ali's eyes widened in shock just as Heyder held up his forearm and blocked the hit.

The jinn pulled his arm back as if getting ready to throw a baseball. He had caught Gemma's magic and was about to throw it back at her to give her a taste of her own medicine.

"Heyder, don't!" Maya suddenly jumped in front of her mother.

Shocked to finally see her, Heyder lowered his arm. The energy in his arm disappeared into the air as his eyes took her in. Her hair was damp, her eyes hollow, her skin pale and dull. Yet, she was the most beautiful thing ever.

"You're a sight for sore eyes, Birdie," Heyder said as the corner of his mouth lifted into the half smile he knew she liked.

"Maya, get out of the way," Gemma demanded. Heyder saw her reach for her daughter, but he was quicker. He leaped forward and grabbed Maya's hand. She gave a yelp in protest as he pulled her to his chest.

"Let go of her!" Mavi demand. Her whole body trembled, her dragon fighting to shift.

"Heyder, stop it!" Maya pushed away. She turned to her mother and aunt and gave them a nod. "I'm okay. Everyone calm down!"

"I've been calm," Heyder said. "They attacked me."

"Oh you poor baby," Maya rolled her eyes.

Heyder felt the pressure in his chest alleviate instantly. He was sure his face was lit up like the stars.

"Why are you here?" Maya demanded to know as she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the jinn. Heyder and Ali's eyes watched Gemma and Mavi standing behind Maya. Prowling like two tigresses.

"We need to talk," Heyder said, shifting his eyes back to Maya.

"We're talking right now."

"In private."

Maya opened her mouth to tell him off when she felt her mind-link open.

You know I am more than capable of stealing you away, Heyder said. I'm trying to not rock the boat too much with your family. Only thing holding me back from disappearing with you right now.

And you think if you did, my family would just give up looking for me? Maya raised a brow.

No doubt, they will find you. But I would get at least a few years in first.

Maya's blue eyes darkened. Heyder was tempted to tug at her hair and pull her against his chest. That firecracker of a mouth she had. It would be the end of him.

"Mom," Maya said, not taking her eyes off of Heyder. "Give us a few minutes."

"Maya...." Gemma frowned.

"I'm okay," Maya said over her shoulder. Gemma hesitated as she looked to Mavi. The two women were restless and on edge. Both of their motherly instincts were to shield Maya and get her as far away from Heyder as possible. After a few prolonged seconds of hesitation, Gemma gave her daughter a nod and took a step back. She had turned her back when Heyder spoke up.

"Gemma, you know I would never let anything happen to her. I would never hurt h-"

Gemma whirled around and struck him with a crack of lightning across the face.

"Enough!" Maya jumped in between the two again.

"Not the face," Heyder whined as he rubbed his jaw.

"I swear to the god, I wi-" Gemma leaped forward as Mavi pulled her back.

Ali looked around in a panic as he pressed himself against the wall and out of everyone's way. Maya groaned in frustration as he grabbed Heyder's hand and pulled him down the hall.

"What about me?" Ali called after them.

"Mom, take Ali to Cleo or somebody," Maya said without bothering to stop or look back. Heyder silently followed Maya's steps as she hurried down the stairs and dragged him to the greenhouse.

"Talk," she said as she pulled him in front of her and shut the door.

A carefree smirk appeared on Heyder's lips. He looked around the greenhouse as he shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. Maya tore her eyes away from the veins in his forearm.

"Love what you've done with the place," Heyder said. "Very refreshing."

"What do you want?" Maya sighed in exhaustion.

"You." Heyder turned his eyes to her. He took a step forward and pulled his hands out. Maya watched him as he reached out and cupped her face. "I want you."

"Cut it out," Maya pushed his hands away and stepped around him. Her heart started to ache in her chest as she felt him take a step closer.

"Maya," Heyder lips were right against her ears. "I can't even begin to tell you what an idiot I am. I know I hurt you. A lot. I deserve any and all punishment you deem suitable for me. But please, just come back. I need you."

Maya didn't answer. She stared at the lemon tree in the large terracotta pot and counted the yellow fruits one by one.

"I'm so sorry, birdie," Heyder placed his hands on her hip. His nose ran along the edge of her face as Maya remained still as the lemon tree. "Please come back. I am so sorry for everything."

Heyder buried his nose in the crook of Maya's shoulder. His tall figure bendt down towards her as he held her from the back with his arms wrapped around her tightly. He inhaled her sweet scent, making her skin jump to life with goosebumps. The hope in the jinn's heart ignited like a wildfire from the way Maya responded to his touch. She was unlike anything else he had ever known.

But as he stood holding her and giving her soft kisses along her neck, the fire started to flicker from the lack of response from Maya. Her silence was the gust of cold wind needed to stomp out the flame.

"Birdie?" Heyder lifted his head from her shoulder. He turned her around in his arms and searched her face. "I see you inherited your father's poker face."

"Was that all?" Maya took in a deep breath.

"What?" Heyder's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Was that all you wanted to talk about?"

"Maya.....we didn't talk," Heyder let go of her shoulders and took a step back. "I talked and you said nothing."

"I don't have anything to say."

"That's not true."

"You asked for an apology," Maya let go of the breath she was holding. "But I'm not ready to give one yet."

"I deserve that," Heyder swallowed back the heartache. "What do you want me to do?"

"Nothing," Maya said looking up at him for the first time since they entered the greenhouse. "I want you to do nothing."

"Maya...."

"Just give me some space," Maya said as she pushed his hands away. "I need to think. I can't do that if you keep showing up here fighting my family."

"I had to see you."

"Why?"

"Why?" Heyder asked as if it was a ridiculous question. "Because I care about you. I was worried about you. I still am. Where did you go for three days? Are you hurt?"

"You've seen me," Maya said. "I'm not hurt.....well not physically anyways."

"Look, birdie," Heyder sighed. "I know I fucked up. I fucked up monumentally and I'm so sorry baby. I can't function without you. My life revolves around you or finding you. There is nothing else but you."

Maya bit down on her bottom lip as her chest shook. She felt both hot and cold at the same time. Her eyes stung and her stomach twisted. A restless anxiety blossomed in her soul.

"I need space," Maya said quietly. "I just need some time to think about all this."

"How much time?"

"I don't know!" Maya took another step back. She saw the flicker of hurt in Heyder's eyes. "I don't know how much time. There's just too much going on in my head and I can't think straight."

Heyder frowned as he stared at Maya. She ran a hand through her damp hair and then pressed her palm to her forehead. The anxiety and stress in her radiated off her body in waves. Heyder wanted to pull her into his arms and sooth her. But he knew his touch was unwelcomed.

"Maya.....what's going on?"

"I don't know," Maya looked down at her shoes. Her lack of response made Heyder uneasy.

"Something's on your mind," Heyder commented, the uneasiness growing.

"There's a lot on my mind, actually," Maya sighed. "That's why I'm asking for some space."

As she looked up, Heyder felt a little part of him snap off and vanish into thin air. The emptiness in her eyes, the lack of fire in them scared him. When was the last time he had felt fear?

They stood staring at each other for several minutes. Maya shifted from feet to feet as Heyder opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.

"Can I come see you?" He finally asked after a while.

Maya shook her head, "I don't know if that's a good idea."

"No communication?" Heyder frowned.

"Radio silence," Maya took a shaky breath. "When I'm ready to talk......I'll let you know."

"Is there really no other way?"

"No," Maya dropped her gaze. "I need this."

Heyder took in a deep breath. He ran a hand through his hair as his jaw flexed. Maya stood silently and watched him take a step towards her. She lifted her gaze and found him with brown eyes watching her with a soft plea.

Heyder reached over to the bush of buttercup roses and plucked a pale yellow off the branch. He tucked it into Maya's hair before pressing a long kiss on her forehead. Maya's chest tightened as he took a step back and disappeared into thin air.

__________________

"I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing," Caspian was saying as Maya walked into the lab. He looked up over the rim of his gold glasses and smiled. "Hello, trouble. We were just talking about you."

"Is he gone?" Gemma asked as she held out her hand for her daughter.

"Yeah," Maya sighed, sinking into the seat beside her mother.

"I wish you had called me," Exton frowned at his wife. "But I'm glad you got some hits in."

"He won't be coming around for a while," Maya adjusted her shirt and leaned back in her chair.

"Cute rose," Caspian pointed to the flower in the girl's hair.

"Where is Adam?" Maya asked to divert the attention from herself. She took the flower out of her hair and placed it on the table beside her.

"He's grabbing some books from the library," Caspian said. "Take a look at this."

Maya leaned forward as Caspian slid a book over to her. She picked it up and sat it down on her lap.

"Does that look familiar?" Gemma asked.

"Yes," Maya said as she ran her fingers over the old drawing of a little hill with a waterfall and a tiny waterhole. "It's the forest."

"Makatza," Caspian said in Roopcian, taking off his glasses. "The untamed. The wild."

"It's the homeland of the Fey," Gemma explained. "Not on Earth. Not in heaven. Suspended in between the divine and the damned."

"That's this?" Maya asked, pointing out the fountain. "I was led to the fountain."

"It's called Veda or the fountain of Veda," Caspian leaned against the table. "It means enchantment. Not a lot is known about the fey. We're lucky we were even able to collect two names."

"Why was I led to Veda?" Maya looked up. "Is it because I used Fey spells?"

"I have a theory," the merman said. "From everything I have heard about your new set of gifts....It's clear that you have awakened the sleeping spirit of Makatza."

"Is that bad?" Maya looked at her mother.

"Oh very bad," Caspian said. "They led you to veda to drown you."

"Cass," Exton warned him as Maya gasped. "He's playing with you, baby."

"Damn it, Exton. Let me have some fun!"

"Talking about drowning me isn't fun!" Maya said, angrily.

"Oh right. I forget you can't breath underwater. Hehehehehe."

"Caspian,"Gemma sighed. "Can we please focus?"

"Yes, yes," Caspian waved his hand. "Fine. So, to answer your question. No, you waking the spirits of Makatza isn't bad."

"How do you know?" Maya asked.

"They led you to veda."

"So?"

"Oh I'm sorry, do you lead just anyone into your family vault?"

"No," Maya frowned.

"Exactly," Caspian turned to Exton. "Honestly, she has her mother's looks and your dumb cow brain. Where's Adeline? I have hope with her."

"What are you saying?" Maya called the man's attention back. "You think the spirits led me to Veda because they.......like me?"

"Well, Yeah. Duh," Caspian snorted. "Think about it. Even with the necklace Gemma made you to ground your powers, the fey would still act up. But it only did so whenever it thought you were in danger."

Maya blinked in surprise. Could that be true.....

"Adeline told us you traveled once right after meeting Mirza. Even with your necklace on," Gemma said. "And then when Heyder came in the other day, the fey magic took over to shield you."

"It's protecting you," Exton said as he observed his daughter. "It knows who you're safe around and when."

Maya felt a chill run down her spin. The hair on her arms stood on it's ends as she recalled the voice she heard in the forest. The trees......they had wrapped themselves around her, moving aside for her.....welcoming her.

"Why....." Maya asked, looking at all the faces around the room. "Why is it protecting me."

"The magic's found a home in you," Caspian said gently.

"What does that mean?"

"I honestly don't know," Caspian sighed. "There's just so little we know about Fey Magic."

"There's hardly any record of them anywhere," Exton frowned. "Adam is searching the library for anything we might be able to get our hands on."

"So what do I do now?" Maya looked at her mother.

"Now, we poke you with a stick," Caspian smiled. "Let's see how much Fey you carry with you."

I think this will be a long book....I have a lot planned and I want to take my time and not rush the story. Hope you don't mind like a lot of chapters.

What do you think of Heyder and Maya's situation?