Ch.46 Selfish

Chapter 46

1 month later

Maya shook out her hair as she tried to get her heartbeat to calm down. Heyder held her hand while the head shaman prepared the cleansing bath at the temple. Around the pool of water, Exton and Gemma stood by one corner while Owen stood beside Maksim.

"Calm your heart, my little hummingbird," Heyder whispered into her ear before placing a light kiss upon it.

Maya nodded her head as she swallowed the lump in her throat. She avoided her father's curious gaze as she tried her best to distract herself. The last thing she needed was for Exton to find out that traveling was becoming harder and harder by the day.

The feeling was unexplainable.

In the beginning, Maya felt the fey's magic flow through her like water. It was easy and carefree, like catching up with an old friend. But as the days passed, pulling on her magic became harder and harder.

With everyone's hopes so high, Maya didn't dare tell them about what she was experiencing. It was a secret she needed to keep for just a while longer.

"Your grace," the head shaman looked up at the brown water in the pool turned a milky white.

Maya took in a deep breath and let go of Heyder's hand. She knew the drill. With careful steps, she slowly climbed into the pool. Ivar and Exton walked up to the edge as Caspian and Heyder hovered behind them.

"Remember, no need to rush," Ivar reminded Maya as he crouched down.

"Got it," Maya held up her thumb. She walked to the center of the pool and looked over her shoulder.

Heyder's dark eyes watched her like a hawk. His expression was always the same. Until she was safely back and into his arms, he would not stop worrying. Maya gave him a small smile as she lowered her head and let her body float on the water.

"Okay....." Exton's calm voice directed her. "Do your thing, champ."

Maya closed her eyes to let the cleansing bath wash over her conscience. After many failed attempts, Maya and Exton were beginning to lose hope of Maya ever being able to control her traveling. It wasn't until Rye suggested the cleansing bath to clear Maya's head that things really started to roll.

With Maya's head and soul cleared, traveling was easier and picking a time and destination was much more manageable. But Maya's happiness was limited. After every travel, she didn't feel well but she pushed it back to the back of her mind.

"Maya..." Heyder's voice echoed in Maya's mind as she let the water run over her body. "I love you so much."

Maya felt herself smile. She couldn't wait to jump into the jinn's arms. The first time she had traveled back with one of his pencils, Heyder was overjoyed. Maya was dying to see the reaction on his face when she brought back the aphros.

With extreme slowness Maya recited the samsara spell. She felt the fey in her shrink back. It was like trying to drag a bull out into the field. Maya pushed with her mind and every bit of her strength. After what felt like an eternity, her belly started to warm.

The sensation was always the same. The back on her neck sparked to life with a sharp poke. Then her toes began to feel numb, followed by her fingertips. The feeling of being airborne came over before in a flash her body felt like heavy lead. It wasn't until Maya tasted the copper in the back of her throat that she knew she had truly gone back in time.

Instantly, Maya was greeted by Fiza's bone chilling screams. She found herself at the foot of the stairs as Mirza Held onto Fiza and backed up against the wall. In front of them the tiger growled as Heyder looked for an opening to strike his brother.

"Give me what I want, Heyder!" Mirza held his hand up. "Give me the aphros."

"No!" Came the old Maya's scream. She was covered in paint and her ghostly skin made her eyes look so lost and washed out.

"Heyder, don't!" She begged.

Maya slowly rose to her feet. This was the moment she had been waiting for. For over a month, she had been watching this very moment. Studying everything to find the perfect opportunity to step into the light.

"For fuck's sake!" Heyder yelled as his eyes switched to silver.

Maya bit down on her bottom lip and counted the seconds. She knew the scene before her so well. She watched herself throw an energy blast at the tiger. Mirza showed Fiza her worst fears. Maya watched herself beg Heyder not to give up the aphros and she held her breath as the hesitation shifted in the jinn's eyes.

This is it, Maya thought to herself. She began to count the seconds in her head.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5......

Heyder raised his hand and the bottle of aphros appeared beside Mirza. It floated in the air as Mirza's eyes shifted to it. For a split second he looked surprised, but it was no surprise to Maya. she moved faster than the jinn. Before he could process what his brother had given him, Maya jumped out of the shadows and grabbed the aphros.

"What the fuck?" Mirza growled as she pushed Fiza to the ground.

Maya clutched the aphros to her chest. Her heart hammered like an engine as she looked up.

"Maya?" Heyder asked in confusion.

"How....." the other Maya mirrored the confusion on the jinn's face.

"I'm sorry," Maya said. "This was the only way."

"Maya, what are you doing?" Heyder's eyes grew wide. He watched Mirza take a step forward from the corner of his eyes and immediately changed his course. Instead of heading for Maya, he tackled his brother to the floor.

"Heyder!" The old Maya yelled. She raised her hand and released a blast, but Mirza deflected it.

The two Mayas watched in horror as the blast moved through the air and caught Fiza in the chest. She screamed but it was overshadowed by Heyder. Everyone watched in horror as the girl's chest caught on fire and she went up in flames.

"Fiza!" Heyder tried to run toward her.

"Heyder!" The old Maya grabbed his arm and pulled him back from the flames.

Maya, clutching the aphros to her chest, shut her eyes and focused on returning. She had to get her fey magic to ignite like an engine for her to return home. The commission around her distracted Maya from concentrating. She tried to walk away, but the way Heyder yelled and screamed pulled her back. She opened her eyes and watched in horror as Mirza released a steady stream of energy from his hands onto his brother's chest.

"No!" she screamed.

"Give me the aphros, Maya!" Mirza demanded.

"No...." Maya's voice fell as she held onto the cold bottle.

"I swear to the gods, I will kill him," Mirza's wicked eyes narrowed.

"Give it to him!" The old Maya screamed as she watched blood start to pour out of Heyder's mouth.

Maya shut her eyes and tried to run upstairs to get away from them all. She held up her hand and used her magic to summon a shield around her.

"Maya!" Mirza yelled again.

Out of reflex, Maya looked over her shoulder. Her eyes watered as she watched Heyder push off the ground and shove at Mirza. His skin was starting to tear as he held up his hands and blocked his brother's magic. With every advance he made, Mirza grew angrier. He pushed harder and sent a rod of lightning through Heyder's heart.

The old Maya screamed. She raised her hand and used all her might to blast Mirza. The jinn growled as he stumbled from the hit. Maya's heart stopped as Mirza flickered his arm towards Maya and hit her in the chest with an identical lightning bolt.

"Maya," Heyder called out to her as the girl's limp body laid on the floor face down.

Everything was happening so fast Maya had no idea what to do. She pushed her mind to access her magic but it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

"Maya!" Mirza called again. "He won't make it."

Maya didn't need him to tell her that. She could see it with her eyes that Heyder wouldn't last any longer. He had been healing her for days. All his strength was drained out of him. Maya felt the hot tears roll down her face. Her heart began to shatter as Heyder fell to the floor.

Mirza stood over him, never stopping the blast of energy. Maya looked up from the fallen jinn to his brother.

"Give it to me," Mirza said holding up his hand.

Maya's eyes flickered to Heyder on the floor one more. Her heart teared apart when she realized he was trying to reach for the old Maya's hand. Even on the brink of death, he wanted to heal her.

"Alright, alright!" Maya caved. "Stop. Just stop hurting him!"

Mirza smirked. He lifted his hands and took a step away from Heyder. Maya felt her tears pour down her face as the jinn took the bottle of aphros from her. She flinched as his fingers brushed against her.

"Stay with me," Mirza looked into her eyes.

"Go to hell," Maya said through her teeth. She jumped back just as the jinn reached out for her. Her belly warmed like a volcano and she was whisked away through time.

With a loud gasp for air, Maya began to flap her arms in the water. Within a heartbeat, Heyder pushed past Exton and Ivar and jumped into the pool. He grabbed his girl by the waist and pulled her up.

"I got you, birdie," he said, holding her tightly against his body.

"Heyder..." Maya choked. "I......I didn't...."

"It's okay, it's okay," Heyder said as Maya began to cry. "What happened?"

"I gave the aphros away."

__________________________

"Would you like something to drink?" Gemma asked as she wrapped Maya's hair in a towel.

"No," Maya shook her head. Her body shivered as she stared at the new cleansing bath the shaman was preparing for her.

"Maya," Heyder said from beside her. "We can try again on another day."

"No," Maya shook her head again. "We're finishing this today."

"Don't be so stubborn," Heyder groaned as he blew onto Maya's cold hands.

"We need the aphros," Maya reminded him, never taking her eyes away from the pool.

Heyder didn't know what to say. He looked over at Exton knowing the man wanted the same thing as him. They were not comfortable with the idea of Maya going back again for the second time. But she would not hear it. As soon as Heyder had pulled Maya out of the pool, she demanded the shaman prepare another one.

"Why did you give it away....." Heyder asked after a while as he sat beside his wife, heating her up.

Maya slowly lifted her lashes. The tip of her nose was red as a cherry and her lips were dry. She tilted her head slowly to one side before giving Heyder a small smile.

"You keep saying your selfish....." she began. "Turns out I'm just as selfish."

"What do you mean?"

"I couldn't leave knowing what your faith would have been," Maya looked down at their hands. "I couldn't do it."

"But you have me here," Heyder reminded her.

"I know," Maya sighed. "But I couldn't think about the Maya that was laying on the floor. She needed her Heyder."

Maya's words tugged at Heyder's heart. He slowly sat up and took her face into his hands. Maya closed her eyes as the jinn brushed his lips over hers and kissed her with the softness of a tender warm heart.

"I love you," she whispered into the kiss. "And I promise I will get the aphros."

"Birdie," Heyder sighed. He pushed his hands farther into her hair and rested his forehead against hers. "You are my whole world."

"And you are mine," Maya smiled. She wanted to kiss him once more, just to calm her wild heart, but the head shaman's voice pulled her away.

Gemma looked over her shoulder as Maya and Heyder slowly stood up. All the eyes in the temple were on them as they walked to the edge of the pool together.

"Are you sure you don't want to do this tomorrow?" Heyder asked one last time.

"I'm sure," Maya nodded, staring at the water.

She felt Heyder give her hand one last squeeze before he took a step back. Maya took in a long steady deep breath and shook out her hair. Everyone around the room seemed to hold their breath as she took the first step into the pool.

Like an explosion, an electric violet shield swallowed Maya whole. She felt her skin charge up as if she had been electrocuted. Every single hair on her arm stood on its end. Maya gasped as she looked around.

"What's going on?" Heyder asked, rushing up to her.

"It's the fey," Maya said, looking around the bubble she was in.

Across the pool, Caspian narrowed his eyes as he began to rush up to Maya.

"Maya?" he called to her.

"I can do this," Maya said slowly. She tried to take a step into the pool, but she was suddenly floating in the air.

The violet shield she was encapsulated in moved her away from the pool. Everyone watched with their jaw hanging as the fey carried Maya as far away from the pool as it possibly could.

"What's going on?" Maksim asked as they began to follow Maya.

"The fey is stopping her," Caspian said.

"We shouldn't push it," Ivar said quickly. "Something is wrong if the fey won't let her travel."

"Are you okay?" Heyder asked, ignoring all the others. "Maya, tell me you're okay."

"I'm fine," Maya said. She felt her feet touch down to the floor and the shield vanished slowly. Heyder pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, searching her face.

Before Maya could answer, she felt the familiar warmth of his magic running through her body. She frowned as she looked up into his eyes.

"Heyder, I'm fine," she said. "Stop healing me."

"Maya," Gemma took a step forward. "I want you to stop for today. We can do this another day."

"I want to try one last time," Maya said, stubbornly.

"Absolutely not," both Exton and Caspian said together.

"The fey is trying to keep you from something," Exton said. "It can sense danger. You are not going back."

"Heyder," Caspian cut in. "Take her upstairs."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Heyder said as he snapped his fingers and disappeared out of the temple with Maya.

"Dang it!" Maya frowned. "This is stupid."

"Maya," Heyder grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. "No more traveling today."

"But-"

"No."

"We're running out of time," Maya sighed.

"We'll worry about that later."

"Heyder, I think we should tr-"

"I don't want to hear it," Heyder shook his head. "We're not messing with the fey. Is that clear Maya?"

Maya frowned. She wanted to argue, but she had to admit, she wasn't liking how the fey magic in her was dancing under her skin.

Something was definitely off......

For the rest of the afternoon, Maya and Heyder received a steady stream of visitors. Everyone wanted to check in on her. Heyder grew frustrated and cranky with each visit. All he wanted was to have Maya all to himself, but every time he thought they were finally alone, there would be a knock at the door.

"I hate this place," he mumbled as they made their way to the family room.

"This is my home," Maya reminded him. "I love every corner, every window, every door."

"Too many god damn people here," Heyder rolled his eyes, earning a laugh from Maya.

She dropped his hand and made her way into the room leaving Heyder to follow behind her like a magnet. Piper and Cleo huddled by the window on their phones as Clare sat at the piano. Maya flicked the girl's ponytail as she passed before taking a seat on the couch.

"Maya, do you want a drink?" Ella asked from the table where she poured herself a glass of wine.

"Um..." Maya felt her stomach turn. "No, thanks."

"I'll have a drink," Heyder said as he sank down into the empty seat in front of Maya.

"Coming right up," Ella said, grabbing an empty glass.

"Where's Macky?" Maya asked, looking around the room. "Usually, you two are attached to the hips."

"Like you and Heyder?" Clare smirked.

"Mackey is with mom and at the council meeting," Cleo said, nothing bothering to look up from her phone. "They better hurry up because I am starving."

"Me too," Maya said. "I feel like I can eat a whole horse."

"I swear you guys eat way too much," Ella shook her head. She handed Heyder his drink and walked back to the piano.

"Maksim makes you cook too much?" Clare asked, playing a mindless tune on the keys.

"He eats everything!" Piper complained. "I have to hide my cookies from him."

Maya laughed. She put her feet up on the coffee table in front of her and leaned back on the couch. Heyder's eyes lingered on her as he drank his wine from across the table.

"How did your traveling go today?" Ella asked.

"It was.....decent," Maya shrugged. "We might try again tomorrow."

"Any luck on the aphros?"

"No," Maya frowned.

Suddenly, Clare sighed loudly. She dropped the lid on the piano, making Ella flinch in fright. Heyder watched her from the corner of his eyes as she made her way over to the sitting area and sank down beside Maya.

"Hey, bear," Maya said, draping an arm around the young girl. Clare curled up beside her cousin and shifted to make herself comfortable. Her head rested on Maya's lap and her eyes found their way to the jinn watching them.

"Ella, how's Lily?" Maya asked, running her fingers through Clare's dark hair.

"She's great," Ella smiled. "She's in the middle of doing her college applications right now."

"Are you and Maksim dragging her to Columbia?"

"No," Ella shook her head. "Lily has her heart set on NYU."

"That's good. What about Charlie? Where is he plan-" Maya was suddenly cut off as Clare sat up straight.

Everyone in the room looked up as the girl slowly turned to face Maya.

"Clare bear?" Maya raised a brow. "Are you okay?"

Clare did not answer. She looked at Heyder and then back at her cousin. Heyder sat up straight slowly and sat his wine glass down. He watched with his frozen heart as Clare raised her hand and placed it over Maya's belly.

"What are you doing?" Maya asked, looking down at the girl's hand.

"You're pregnant," Clare announced.

what does this new twist mean???