CHAPTER 34

Maxine stared out the window as the city slowly disappeared into the distance. The hustle and bustle of city living grew quiet, replaced by serene countryside. Tall buildings gave way to vast fields and forests, vibrant shades of green and brown that were somehow soothing, though she hadn't known she needed it. It had been a long journey, but she was relishing every new change of surroundings, however far from ideal the circumstances were.

Her mother had insisted she needed to be away from everything-from the chaos, from the overwhelming energy that had surged through her after the incident. Maxine got it, even as it did nothing to make it easier to leave. Finally, the car pulled up in front of a small, old-fashioned house that sat in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by tall trees: her grandmother's house. It was a place she hadn't been since she was little.

The car door opened, and Maxine got out, taking a deep breath of the scents around her. The house stood just as she had reme