“Okay. Since we can’t be sure, I think it is best if we take care of it sooner rather than later. We’ll need to make sure you are stable before we go, but without your wound being bound by time to keep you alive, I don’t really think that magic will be much of an issue.”
So many thoughts were going through her mind, but Maya found it difficult to voice any of them. She closed her eyes, believing she would not be able to sleep, no matter how tired she was. “My thoughts are racing,” she said in a hushed voice.
The feel of a hand stroking her head was followed by a whisper in her ear, “Sleep.”
Maya felt sleep pulling her mind down into unconsciousness as Apollo’s magic surrounded her. Before she could stop herself, she whispered, “I hope they are right. I can even swallow my pride enough to tell Cosmo he was right.”
She thought she felt Apollo place his head against hers as sleep finally took her. He said something, but Maya was too far gone to hear his murmured words.
Chapter 12
Fate’s Temptations
Maya woke the next morning, alone in the large bed. Groggily turning to look at the door, she could hear Misty somewhere down the hall chattering happily about playing outside. Her voice was interspersed with equally loud responses by Cosmo and a few more muted ones by Naomi.
Thinking about some of what happened the previous day, she allowed her dress from the wedding to disappear, exposing her body to the air. Her hand went to the scar, which looked much fainter than she had ever seen it.
There was a knock on the door, and for the first time in her life, Maya felt the need to pull the blanket up over her body. “Who is it?”
“Misty! Can I come in, Miss Maya?”
“Hold on, kiddo. I need to get dressed really quickly.” As Maya quickly covered herself in a casual outfit, she could hear voices muttering just outside the door. “Okay, you can come in.”
Misty came bounding into the room, a huge grin on her face and a plate of eggs and cinnamon rolls in her little hands. “I brought you breakfast! Daddy says you like breakfast too!”
A huge smile spread over Maya’s face when she saw Apollo enter the room behind his daughter. “Did he now? Because I don’t remember telling him that.”
“You mean, you don’t like breakfast?” Misty looked crestfallen.
“Oh, no, I do.” She smiled at the child and moved to the edge of the bed. Apollo approached, then placed a tray over her lap. She mouthed “Thank you” to him, then turned to Misty. “I absolutely love breakfast, but I never told him that.”
Misty’s expression immediately shifted to one of happiness. “I knew it! Daddy’s always right about people because he’s good at his job.” When she reached the bed, shetried to put the plate on the tray. Her father lifted Misty up, allowing her to easily place the food in front of Maya.
“I’m not always right, honey. Even Daddy makes mistakes.”
“Uh-uh,” Misty said, folding her arms over her chest. “Uncle Cosmo says you are right, and I believe him.”
Apollo got down on her level and held up a finger. “But Uncle Cosmo is wrong a lot.”
Misty started giggling. “I’m right more than Uncle Cosmo.”
“Right. And if Uncle Cosmo says that I’m always right, when he’s usually wrong, he’s probably wrong about me too.”
Misty looked scandalized by the words. She turned to Maya, “Is Daddy always right?”
“Not always. Justalmostalways,” Maya said, her eyes darting over to Apollo, then back to Misty. She adjusted her body a little as she said, “I heard you are going to play outside with your Auntie Naomi. How long has she been your auntie?”
Misty shrugged one shoulder and tilted her face to it. “I don’t know. Maybe like,” she looked at her father, “10 days?”
Apollo put a hand on her back. “Cosmo introduced her as Auntie Naomi.”
Maya nodded as she picked up her fork. “I think we should start planning their wedding.”
“What?” Apollo looked surprised. “Has she asked you to do that?”
Maya shook her head as she speared a few pieces of fluffy eggs. “She won’t. Naomi is the kind of person who thinks she isn’t worth the effort. Of course, it’s because of the Hallows. I wish I could say my motives were altruistic, but that wouldn’t be true. I want to help her get away from them. And since you both trust Cosmo, I think he may be worthy of her.” Maya kept hereyes down as she ate the eggs, too afraid to look up in case Apollo hated the idea.
“Can I be the flower girl?” Misty asked.
