The Daughter of Time (Ace of Queens #6)

Ch.16 Granddaughter

Chapter 16

Going to sleep was out of the question for Maya. Her heart burned and her mind raced with unpleasant thoughts. She wanted to walk out into the snow storm and scream her lungs out in the darkness. But the thought that no one would hear her or come to her relief made her feel worse. She laid on her bed curled up into a ball. Her eyes stared at the blank wall in front of her.

Where did everything start to go wrong?

After hours of tossing and turning, Maya finally sat up and ventured out into the halls. She roamed around in the darkness looking at every painting and nick nacks in the house. The floorboard beneath her feet cracked in the old house but Maya didn't care. She found comfort in them as if they were the only one responding to and witnessing her heartache.

Maya, Heyder suddenly opened their mind-link. Why are you not asleep?

Maya didn't respond. She stood in front of the painting of Fiza in the study and let her tired blue eyes wash over it. She took note of how every brush stroke was perfect, every color carefully placed, every ray of light from the fireplace hitting the gold frame in the most divine way.

It was evident from the painting how much the painter loved his subject. All the focus was on her. She was at the center of the canvas, demanding the viewer's attention. No doubt that was how the painter himself saw her. The center of his universe....

Maya felt a bitterness rise in her throat. She felt her nails dig into her palm as she moved away and pulled back a chair from the table. With each beat of her heart, the ache spread a little more all over her body. She ran a hand through her hair and then rubbed her eyes. The restlessness in her made her want to itch at her skin until her flesh fell off.

For a brief second, Maya wondered if she should leave. But as soon as the thought had entered her mind, the bitterness in her intensified. There was no way she was leaving Heyder alone with Fiza. She knew staying and seeing them together would be the end of her, but if she had to suffer then so did he. Maya would stay right in front of his eyes so he never forgot just how much she wanted him.

As Maya sat on the chair with her knees pulled up to her chest, she felt Heyder's warm gaze on the back of her neck. She remained still in her seat and didn't let him know that she knew he was standing at the door. After some time, she heard Heyder sigh and walk in.

"What are you doing here?" He asked as he sank into the chair beside her.

"Wondering if I will survive prison life," Maya rubbed her eyes.

"Are you a wanted criminal or something?" Heyder raised a brow.

"No, but I will be after I kill you and Fiza."

Heyder gave a short laugh. He stretched his legs out and leaned back in his chair. From the corner of her eyes, Maya watched him move his finger as her chair began to turn in his direction on it's own.

"I'm surprised you are here," Maya said as she looked up at Heyder.

"I was worried about you."

"Oh be still my beating heart," Maya rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Maya," Heyder said as he locked his eyes on her face. "I don't know what came over me when I saw her. All I could think about in that moment was that I had to make sure she was safe."

"You love her," Maya said with a sigh. She moved her legs down and folded them in front of her on the chair. "No one really forgets their first love."

Heyder remained quiet for a few minutes. When he didn't deny Maya's declaration about his love for Fiza, Maya felt her heart shatter a bit more.

Why couldn't he love her?