Page 143 of Beyond The Maples
Unlike Maple's who's eyes are so dark you wouldn't notice them changing unless you were up close. They move effortlessly between dark amber and a deep forest green depending on her moods.
They are similar though, the way their noses are both upturned slightly, the freckles, the big round eyes that suck you in.
My body hums with energy; an awareness, like it always does when Maple'snear. She's like a supercharger. My magic hums almost painfully when she's around.Usually—in New Providence—everything is dulled. What might have been great magic once left to a pitiful trickle, but something about her amplifies.
I don't know how she's doing it, but she's got magic. I wasn't sure at first, but the longer I'm around her the clearer it becomes. What kind I'm not sure. She's managed it unknowingly, without getting sick, yet.
I sigh, running a hand over my face.
I left her alone earlier, despite my body screaming to stay close. She thinks we're taking her straight to her dad in Zaphira. I have other plans. Plans I know she'll forgive me for, once she understands what's at stake.
We need to get to the dead forests first. If we don't unlock Willow's magic, she'll die. She's way past the alternative methods––and what worked for me. Besides, I can't torture a kid. It was bad enough when Vera had to help me unlock mine. I had to die.
I sneak a glimpse at my best friend. She hasn't so much as looked at me since we left. She's pissed, and rightfully so. We all vowed to take down New Providence when we were children. Their cruel leadership had scarred us all at a young age, taking our families from us, and unknowingly creating a new one made from those left behind.
I'm counting on having Hollis back with us finally softening the edges of what we've done in the last forty-eight hours. Gods, I have so much to figure out.
I feel a prickle of awareness creep up my neck; I look over and see Tarius perched on a crumbled concrete wall. Watching over the group. He's staring right at me, and I give him a subtle nod. I'll have to deal with that later as well. Although it can wait. He's not a threat.
Lachlan comes, plunking himself down beside me.
"Hey," he says gently, his shoulder playfully knocking into mine.
I grunt at him.
His eyes search the group, and land on Maple. Something hovers in his stare, a reverence, of what kind I'm not sure, but it makes me wonder. She has this effect on people I've realized, although I don't think she's aware. She pulls people in, leading them withouteven meaning to.
I side-eye the twins laying together, both with their arms splayed out under their heads in matching positions. I glance at Lachlan, and he follows my line of sight—giving me a subtle nod—telling me they're okay for now. We'll have to ditch them at some point, but again, nothing to worry about at this moment.
My only concern right now is making sure Maple doesn't fall too deeply into whatever despair she's spiralling into. The look on her face when she found out about her shitty best friend nearly killed me. I could see her thoughts, the look of disgust she had for not only him butherself.She doesn't trust herself anymore. Not after Berkley, and especially not now. This little shit has been messing with her head for years; I’m sure of it. I could see a shift as soon as he got to base, and I watched from a distance every time he was around. He sucks all the light out of her. Someone whose own light isn't authentic enough, so he has to steal it from others. My hands clench and twist, thinking about all the ways he let her down.
"Brother..." Lachlan warns. I hang my head, hiding my eyes so they don't alarm anyone. "Calm down before you light us all on fire. Remember the army of scouts the Council sent after us," he mumbles under his breath.
I have to get my shit together.
Maybe I'm so pissed about Deacon's betrayal, because I'm no better. I kept the truth from her, too. I should have told her that night in my room. Gods, I wanted to. The way she took care of me, without knowing what I'd done... it cracked something inside me. Instead, I let her kiss me, and lost all semblance of control.
I was undone and remade in a matter of minutes, and now here we are.
"So, what's the new plan? Which way are we headed?" Leo asks, from across from me, his eyes finding mine. I look and register Maple vaguely paying attention.
"We're heading to the northern Dead Forests," I respond.
"Why would we do that? That almost doubles our trip, and there's easier ways to get over the border," one twin, the surlier one, snaps.
"That is correct. But it's still the way we needto go."
"Why would we go that way?"
Maple's attention fully turns to me now, a tired but quizzical expression on her face. I soften a little, wanting to tell her I'm sorry—for everything.
"We have to make a pit stop," I say clearing my throat, pointing to Willow. "We're going to a spot that can help tiny Treow," I say gently, eyes locked on Maple. She straightens, brow furrowing, so I continue.
"We're going to help her unlock her magic, before it becomes a bigger problem."
Leo pulls out the map he stole off Deacon, who remains gagged, and tied up behind us, stripped of everything essential.
"So... up here?" He points vaguely to the northern forests.
