The Daughter of Time (Ace of Queens #6)

Ch.8 Brown Eyed Devil

Chapter 8

Maya gasped loudly as she sat up on the sofa. Her heart stopped for a few seconds, before it tripped and stumbled. Maya began to lose her breath as she panted and cried. She looked around at the empty hotel room as her mind set on fire.

Heyder.......Heyder was Nick......her mate.

"Maya?" Adeline asked from the doorway as she dropped her bags by the entrance.

Maya didn't have the strength to speak as her sister entered the living room and frowned.

"What's wrong?" Adeline said in alarm as she rushed forward.

"Nick...." Maya said in between her shocked heartbeats.

"What?" Adeline sat down on the coffee table in front of her sister and looked into her eyes. "What happened?"

"I.....I traveled back," Maya bit down on her bottom lip to keep it from trembling. She felt her eyes water but she tilted her head back and fanned herself to keep the tears at bay.

"But the necklace," Adeline looked down at the little heart dangling from Maya's neck.

"Obviously, for some reason it's not working," Maya said. "I traveled back. And I saw Nick. He's......he was fighting Dad and Aunt Mavi."

"Why?" Adeline asked, her posture uneasy and her voice concerned.

"Because....." Maya didn't know if she could say the words aloud. Her stomach turned and her head spun. Was she under some kind of spell? How could Nick be Heyder.

"Maya?" Adeline shook her sister's shoulder. "What did you see?"

"Nick is Heyder," Maya spilled the secret.

"Oh my god," Adeline said, stunned. "What? That can't be......are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure!" Maya jumped up from the sofa. Adeline tried to stop her and keep her seated, but Maya brushed off her hands and began to pace the floor by the window. "I would recognize him anywhere, in any lifetime. I know what I saw. Nick is Heyder."

"But," Adeline frowned as she watched her sister. "Heyder and.....Aunt Mavi.....and Councilwoman Sofia."

"I know!" Maya said as she tugged at her hair. She stopped pacing the floor and placed her hands on her hips. She leaned forward and took several long drags of air. "I don't understand what is happening."

"Heyder is the bad guy," Adeline reminded her sister. "Mom and Dad always told us that. This makes sense now."

"What does?" Maya asked as she remained hunched over.

"Why you met Mirza first," Adeline stood up and walked over to her sister. "You belong with Mirza, not Heyder."

"But I don't want Mirza!" Maya said breathlessly. She felt her chest tighten at the thought of being with anyone else other than the brown eyed devil. "I know Heyder is wrong. I know he's not good.....but I still want him. He's my Nick. He's my Emir. I.....what is wrong with me?"

"Maya," Adeline held out her hand. "Take a deep breath."

"What do you think I'm doing?"

"You're overwhelmed right now."

"Clearly,"

"You need to tell Mom and Dad."

"No! Are you crazy?" Maya took a step back. "What am I going to tell them? That I'm in love with a maniac Jinn they imprisoned 23 years ago?"

Adeline didn't know what to say as she started at Maya with a worried expression.

"Oh my god," Maya shrieked. "Mom and Dad kept him locked up for 23 years! He's going to be pissed!"