Maia thought death was the end, until the alluring Nix brothers summon her back to life. Now, she must embrace her newfound existence as she is thrust into a dark prophecy that could unravel their cursed fate.
With each step, Maia is inexplicably dr...
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The first time I met her, I knew she was everything I ever wanted.
Her hair was being swept backward in the breeze as she giggled playing around with her elder's apron. Her grandmother, brushed her hand through Maia's hair, braiding it carefully, and she smiled at her little treasure.
I gathered my legs in a squat and hugged them close to my chest, hoping that the bush would hide me from prying eyes. I rested my chin on my knees and peeked curiously at the child in front of me.
Maia raised her head and before I knew it, her chestnut gaze locked onto mine, and her warm smile made its way into my heart.
The second time I met her, however, I realized, she was everything I wasn't supposed to crave. She was meant to carry a burden too big for her, and in my lack of a better judgement, I found myself unable to stop the rapid escalation of events.
As I struggled to release myself from my brothers' tight hold, I saw Malum spit her out for the second time.
Her slender body was fiercely groped by giant vines that wrapped around her neck and legs, pulling her to the depths of oblivion. Flames engulfed the water intertwining in a freak show I had never seen in my life.
"This is not what was supposed to happen!" I shouted at Crassus who stood unflinching on the shore.
"You have always been weak, little brother," he scolded me, his dark gaze not moving from the atrocious scene before us. "This is our packs only hope of survival, and I will not take any more risks to put them in danger."
"Even if that means the woman will die?" I pleaded, but he stood there unchanged.
"Is this who we are? Is this what we've become?" I questioned him, but he didn't answer.
When I was about to plead once more, the heavens gates opened swallowing the moon and suns, and for the first time in the past 86 moons, rain fell from the sky.
The parched earth welcomed the raindrops with an inexplicable hunger, as thunder struck everything in its path.
"Rain!" shouted everyone, as they held out their hands to gather small sips of water to drink.
"We are saved!" they exclaimed as the water poured on them. "The goddess has saved us!"
The rain pattered down on us, the wind rushing through the lanky limbs of the lifeless trees as thunder rumbled through the sky.
The majority of the pack wolfed out, and they started to howl in acclamation. But all I could think of is how this will end in another death. Another life lost. Another sacrifice.
