The Daughter of Time (Ace of Queens #6)

Ch.26 When you're in love

Chapter 26

"Drink this," Gemma said as she handed Maya a hot cup of tea.

"Thank you," Maya said quietly as she took the cup and brought it to her lips. She sat on a stool in the lab with a small quilt wrapped around her shoulder. Clare stood beside her and the towel dried her wet hair.

"Now is that all you remember?" Xavier asked from where he sat on a stool across from Maya.

"Yes," Maya nodded.

"Clare, you said she just appeared in the tub?" Mavi looked at her daughter.

"Yes," Clare said. "I was in the garden and it just popped into my head that Maya was coming home."

"Coming home?" Maya looked up in confusion. "How long was I gone for?"

"Three days," Clare frowned. "We searched everywhere for you."

"Three days!" Maya exclaimed in alarm. "I swear it felt like just a few minutes."

"Were you traveling?" Mavi asked. "Did you go back in time?"

"No," Maya shook off the quilt. "I....I don't know where I was.....it was a forest."

Gemma let out a sigh as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. The tension in the room made the air heavy and humid. All Maya wanted to do was lay in bed and not have to deal with anyone. Since the second Clare found her in the tub, Maya had become the center of attention. Her disappearance was the only thing anyone was talking about in the palace and now that she was back, they all wanted to know where she had gone.

"You should have come to me as soon as your necklace broke," Gemma said. "I'm not comfortable with you being like this with the fey magic in you."

"Do you think it was that....." Xavier asked. "She doesn't have her necklace. You couldn't trace her. Fey magic is untraceable."

"It's a possibility," Gemma looked over at her daughter. "Caspian is looking into this forest and waterhole."

"May I be excused?" Maya suddenly asked. "I want to lay down."

"Of course," Mavi nodded. "Call us if you need anything."

"Thanks," Maya mumbled as she got off the stool and made her way to the door. She felt everyone watch her. Their worried gazes suffocated her. And the aching heart of hers didn't help much either. Every few minutes, she felt her eyes water and it took everything in her to not stop and just weep.

The long walk back to her room was a drag. Maya ignored all the watchful eyes and low whispers. She had no energy to deal with anyone. Once she entered her room her eyes went directly to the new bathroom door. A sharp pain ignited in her heart as she heard the sounds of Heyder banging on the door.

Maya closed her door and quickly climbed into the fluffy bed. She buried herself under the covers and shut her eyes tightly. She wanted the pain to go away. She wanted to sleep forever if it meant she wouldn't have to feel the ache in her hollow chest. The place where once her heart was now a burning pit of coal. As Maya laid in bed and stared at the curtains, she felt a lonely tear slide down her cheek without her permission.

It took everything in Maya to not let herself cry. The pressure in her head and behind her eyes made her sink to her stomach. But as soon as Adeline had slipped into bed beside her and wrapped her arm around her sister, Maya couldn't hold it back anymore. It was as if the slightest gentle touch was all the mountain needed to crumble.

Adeline pulled Maya closer as Maya began to weep. She didn't say anything and for that Maya was grateful. The twins stayed in bed holding each other. Exton poked his head into the room and opened his link to Adeline.