Maya
The water reflects my flushed face as I'm standing in the river. Finn is sleeping next to the fire. He seemed exhausted after the sex and fell asleep like a little, content baby.
I smile at the image of his face passing by my mind and continue working my fingers through my hair. It's dirty and hanging down in thick threads filled with tufts.
I can't believe Finn said nothing about the smell and grimace as I gather nectar from a leaf. I'm lucky that I found fruits and flowers to use in making shampoo.
Based on the dirty water around me, Finn will love the new, refreshed Maya, and if I'm lucky, he will fuck me again before morning. I smile at that thought and dip my head underneath the surface.
When I come up for air, I hear giggles around me. A warning bell chimes in my head, and I crane my neck to stare up at multiple faces. Fairies, young and old, are hanging like bats and studying me.
I open my mouth to scream at Finn, but the f
MayaSo much fun—this is what life is all about! I'm sprinting with the wind, letting my tongue hang out from my mouth as I dash through a puddle filled with dirt. It splashes over my face and my fur until I can't tell if my paws are brown or black."You won't win this race, werewolf! I won't let you!"Blake is desperately trying to keep up, but she is more massive than a plane, and the branches are slowing her down. The clumsy idiot has crashed into multiple trees already!I howl in victory, kind enough to let her know she is a lost cause. The other fairies are far behind, and speed isn't Blake's element. I can already taste the victory on my tongue, and-..."And where the hell do you think you're going?!"An enormous wall of ice blocks my road, and I'm forced to shape-shift back into a human for the impact not to kill me. I bump my feet into the ice and peer up at the clouds above. It seems even Blake is struggling—the wall is
Maya As I'm struggling to get into a pair of tight jeans, my mind is officially blown away by the surrounding scenery. I've never seen a place so magical, loud, and inspiring before. My lips part in wonder, and I hurry to put on clothes to explore it. "Wow!" I'm walking on mud, staring up at a large tree with cottages and lanterns sparking up the night. Magical flowers in pink, yellow, and orange are trailing up the trunk's path, and fairies, both tiny ones and some larger-than-life, are laughing. It seems most fairies only use leaves and flowers for their clothes, and with heating cheeks, I turn away when I notice some are sitting at what appears to be a café, entirely naked. Fairies aren't shy, and most of them are incredibly beautiful. My eyes travel to the left and right, and my smile only grows when I see more trees and houses and various mystic plants. The entire city is so beautifully green, and most flowers have a rich glow on them.
Finn Morning has come and washed away yet another piece of my tormented soul. Inside the walls of this room, I'm sinking a little closer to hell with every breath that I take. My sister should be here. And I should be dead. I don't have a good reason for living, and yet, the little wolf with drool glistening on her petite lips has somehow given me purpose—oh, Maya, if only I could tell you how I feel. My heart is a sinking ship, overwhelmed by ocean waves and without a sight of land. And you're the person resting your head in the crook of my neck, touching me with your icy hands, and making the world seem brighter in the dark. You make vulnerable—you're the stars, and the sky combined—you're a masterpiece, and I'm terrified because I know you can't stay in my world forever. I stare at the floor, wishing I was a better person. "And you might hate me after I've told you my story. I'm a terrible person…" Maya stirs on top of my chest. She is the woman of my dreams and too damn cute
MayaThe scent of Finn is making my brain cells go wild and jump off and die. I like him so much—his smile, laughter, and kindness—why the hell did the moon goddess make Arvin my mate? Finn is perfect. My heart beats faster as he kisses me, playing the tone of young, sad love that lacks a happy ending.Because we probably won't get one.I inhale sharply at the pain wrapping around my throat. I've had a bad feeling ever since Finn spoke about accepting his role as the fairy king, and I can't ignore it."Finn?"The fairy presses me to him, humming into my ear. "Mmm?"I lean into his touch, needing it more than oxygen. "What does it mean to become the fairy king?"He freezes and leans his head against me, sighing into my ear as if his following words are burdening him already. "It means that I have to close the portals into the human world for good—it is the only way to stop other people, like Arvin and Beatrice, coming
Finn After having eaten breakfast, Maya is holding on to my neck like a baby koala. Her legs are wrapped around my waist snugly, and when I take off, she closes her eyes on instinct. "I won't ever get used to flying!" I laugh with my lips straining to contain my happiness and fly toward the window leading out into the sunlight. "You better hold on tight!" Maya squeezes me. "Please, whatever you do, don't drop me! Flying isn't my thing." My heart squeezes when I pick up on the fear visible in her sweet doe eyes. I take a deep, calming breath not to tackle Maya to the ground and kiss her everywhere. Every bone in my body wants to comfort her, but now isn't the time to drench her with my love. "I won't—I promise." Maya's lips quiver, but eventually, she slumps her tense shoulders. "Okay, I trust you!" I smile. Size-shifting would probably be safer for traveling, but I enjoy having Maya this close to me. Her heartbe
Maya Despite Finn's earlier claim, the tree of life is what I expected—vast and colorful, with branches reaching out in every direction. The colors on the leaves are shifting in every color of the rainbow, and voices, whispering, and snickering surround me. Finn walks closer to the tree, and I hug his thumb. "Those whispering voices... What are they?" A gasp leaves Finn's mouth. "You can hear them?" "Yes." My eyes are locked on the tree. "And I can't focus on anything else while they are giggling." Finn stares at me for a fleeting second, then part his lips. "They are called sprites, and some people, with magical blood in their family, can either see or listen to their voices." Finn shrugs one massive shoulder. "Sprites also like to hang around me for some reason. They never leave me alone, but don't worry—they are entirely harmless." I open my mouth to speak. I'm about to tell Finn that I can only hear the sprites, but then I see a bl
MayaAs I take Carla's hand, the scenery around us changes drastically. The room we once stood in with its warm, inviting light disappears, along with the furniture. Soon, I see burning trees and a field with fallen soldiers on the ground. Blood colors the grass red, and there is a permanent stench in the air, making me hold my nose.My lips form an unhappy frown. "What is that rotten smell?"Carla is staring at the ground like a zombie, but eventually, she lifts her chin to watch me with glimmering eyes. Although she wears the face of a fairy, I'm having an easier time understanding she isn't a person. There isn't an ounce of emotion in her eyes, and when she steps over dead people's heads, she doesn't show remorse."We are standing right outside the city of fairies, and this is the future with the highest rate of becoming a reality. I can't tell what will happen for sure—no one knows what is written in the stars, but I fear my people are doomed. A
Maya My determination is still bubbling within me when the tree of life's roots breaks the earth. Green vines and flowers cover the plant, which opens to reveal a sleeping, human-sized Finn. I rush forward and fall to my knees. My heart is pounding in my throat as I eye the bruises covering Finn's russet skin. Thorns have pierced him, and some are left like bullets in a gunshot wounded body. "Oh-my-god," I brush his white, silky hair away from his eyes and study his dark eyelashes spread over his cheeks. He is still breathing, which takes some of my anxiety away. I hug his chest, whispering into his ear. "Thank the gods that you're okay... I don't know what I would do if you were dead..." Finn stirs, and his lips part to allow him to speak weakly. "The training almost killed me—the elders weren't happy with me and made me go through one hell of a trial to gain their abilities. Fuck—I'm sore all over my body." I smile. "Better wounded tha