Ch.9 The King

Chapter 9

Councilwoman Sofia never took the necklace off. It was always around her neck. She wasn't a werewolf, a jinn, or a witch. She was, in all her glory, a human immortal. Heyder's mark upon her had connected his life to her. As long as Heyder lived, Sofia too would be alive.

Maya had snuck into her father's office that night and went through Sofia's files. She needed to find out everything there was to know about this woman. Maya needed that necklace at all cost.

The office was pitch black. Maya used the flashlight on her cellphone to search through her father's desk and computer. She worked quickly and swiftly to limit her time. The longer she stayed, the stronger her scent would linger the next day. Maya turned on her camera on her phone and took photos of all the documents in Sofia's files. She got her address, bank account number, medical history, everything! Everything but the information to get the necklace.

With an angry sigh, Maya slammed the file shut and put it back where she found it. She moved onto her father's computer and searched through his files until she found something of interest. It was the monthly schedule for all the events the council would be attending. And according to Sofia's plans, she was in New York for a week. Maya quickly checked the dates and cursed when she found out she only had two days before Sofia came back.

It was the perfect opportunity. Sofia would be away from the palace with limited guards. She would never see Maya coming.

The girl was on a mission. She took a photo of the schedule and closed the laptop. With a watchful eye, Maya scurried out of her father's office and ran back into her room. Once inside, she booked a flight to New York for the morning and started to pack her bag. There was no time for sleeping.

With her nerves on high alert, Maya stuffed whatever clothes she saw into her bags. She didn't even waste time folding them as she ran over her plan in her mind. Sofia was staying at the Plaza hotel. She had three queen's guards with her. Her last event was a dinner downtown with a senator from New York. All Maya had to do was catch her in her room alone.

That wasn't the hard part. The hard part was breaking the necklace. Gemma had safeguarded the thing with a bunch of protection spells. Maya knew she could take it down but she wasn't sure if smashing the thing was all that would be required to free her jinn.

As the thought clouded Maya's mind, she found herself standing still in her room. She stared at her reflection in the mirror as her hands twisted the shirt she had taken out. Her eyes were wide with adrenaline and her cheeks flushed. A nervous laugh rose to her lips as she peered at herself.

"Ugh....fuck!" Maya groaned as she collapsed onto her bed. She buried her face into the pillows and sighed as she worried about that to do once she had the necklace. It wasn't as if she could go wake up her mother and force her to give away the answer. But.....

Maya suddenly sat up. She pushed her hair out of her face as her heart raced. The Fey spell books.

"That's it!" Maya whispered to herself. She vaguely remembered flipping through the first volume and reading something about jinns. Of course, at the time she had never paid much attention to it because her main focus was the samsara spell in the third volume.

Maya's knees began to bounce with adrenaline as she realized she needed to get her hands on the Fey book. They were moved to the family vault and locked away. Getting to them would be harder than getting to Sofia. But Maya had to try. She couldn't let the first hurdle discourage her.

Throwing the shirt into her bag, Maya rushed out of her room. She ran down the silent halls until she arrived at the door she needed to be at. However, before she could knock, Clare threw her door open.

"You will need to do a sleeping spell," she said.

"Um," Maya blinked in surprise. "What? How did you..."

"I know what you want to do," Clare said stepping out of her room. "There are guards posted outside of the vault and there is a silent alarm that rings in my parents room and office if we don't turn off the security system before we open the door."

"Did you really learn all that by breaking into the vault once?" Maya said suspiciously.

"I don't want to answer that question," Clare smiled.

"So will you help me?"

"Yes,"

"Why?" Maya asked.

"Because you're kind of dumb," Clare said as she put up her hoodie. "But I like you and I want you to be happy with Heyder."

"You know you will get in trouble too, right?"

"What are you talking about?" Clare laughed. "I was never there."

"Ah," Maya nodded her head. "Got it. Don't worry, my lips are sealed."

"Good. Now let's go."

The two girls hurried through the halls to the main floor. At the top of the stairs, Maya casted a sleeping spell and put the two guards at the door to sleep before she hurried down with Clare behind her.

"I feel like James Bond," she said as they rounded the corner to the narrow passage that led to the vault.

"Shhh," Clare held up her finger to her lips. "You know Ella talked way less when we did this. Use your mind-link."

"Sorry," Maya whispered as they walked. For the rest of the way no one spoke until they reached the doors to the vault.

The two Queen's guards posted at the door looked up in alarm as Maya and Clare appeared in front of them. They bowed their heads and looked up with questioning eyes.

"Good evening, your grace," one of them said.

Now, Maya. Clare said to her cousin.

Instantly, the guard's eyes began to grow heavy. They stumbled on their feet for a second before they collapsed in a deep slumber.

"Won't they remember seeing us when they wake up?" Maya said as she stepped over a guard.

Clare pulled out a baton from one of the guards and smacked them over the head. Maya shrieked in fright.

"Clare! What the fuck?" She asked.

"Now they won't remember us," the girl shrugged.

"Now they probably will have a concussion too," Maya snatched the baton out of Clare's hand before she could smack the other guard. "Did you learn the memory erasing spell?"

"No," Clare shook her head. "We're still trying levitation."

"Jesus Christ," Maya said. She bent down and placed her hand over the sleeping guard's head. Quickly reciting the memory spell, she took away the last few minutes to ensure they wouldn't remember Clare or her coming down in the middle of the night.

"You really need to learn this," Maya said as she stood back up.

"That's a hard spell," Clare said in her defense. "I'm still doing like stage two spells."

As Maya listened her eyes fell on the security camera.

"Fuck," she said.

Clare followed her eyes to the two cameras facing them.

"Don't worry about that," she said.

"Why?" Maya looked down at the girl. "Are you going to go smash it up too?"

"Ha. Ha." Clare mocked a laugh. "We don't need to worry because they won't check the footage unless something is wrong."

"Oh?" Maya raised a brow.

"If they wake up and everything from the vault is gone or something obvious is missing, then they will rewind the tapes."

"Good to know," Maya said. "Don't touch anything. Just the books."

"Got it," Clare walked over to the security desk and pulled open a keypad underneath. Maya watched as the girl typed in a code and a green light flashes once with three small beeps.

"We really need better security in this place," she said as Clare came back around to join her.

"Or maybe we're all just that good at stealing," Clare smiled.

"I am not stealing,"

"No, no." Clare smirked. "You are borrowing.....without permission. There is a difference."

"A huge difference," Maya inhaled. "Okay. Go on now. Do the spell."

Clare cracked her knuckles as she took a step forward. She raised her hand against the invisible shield and chanted in Roopcian. Within seconds, the faint green wall came down and the vault swung open.

"Ta-da," Clare smiled over her shoulder.

"If any of my jewelry goes missing, I'm coming to you first," Maya laughed as she stepped into the large hall. The lights began to turn on as the princesses hurried down the rows of jewels and weapons. They rushed past all the displays until they arrived at the back where Gemma kept her sorcery stuff.

"Do you know the duplicate spell?" Maya asked her little cousin.

Clare shook her head.

"Okay, watch and learn," Maya took the Fey book out and recited the words for Clare. She held her hand over the book until a duplicate copy appeared right beside it on the shelf.

"Cool," Clare said.

"And now we take the original and put this one in its place," Maya shoved the duplicate into the open space and shut the drawer. She turned to Clare and wiggled her brows in excitement.

"Let's go Clare Bear. Mission accomplished."

_______________________

"I don't understand why you have to suddenly go to New York," Exton said as he kept one hand on the steering wheel and his eyes on the road. "You're mom isn't happy. You're missing too many training sessions."

"I'll be gone for like two day," Maya said. "And it's important. It's a friend's birthday."

"What friend?"

"Emma," Maya lied. "Remember her? We went to NYU together."

"I thought her birthday was in January,"

"No, that's Emma G. This is Emma S,"

Exton sighed shaking his head, "Where are you staying?"

"With Max and Ella."

"Do they know you are coming?"

"I texted Ella last night,"

"I think Piper is on her way over,"

"Yeah, it's Thanksgiving break so i think she's staying with Cleo for the weekend," Maya said as she held her purse tightly on her lap. She had the Fey book hidden inside and she was doing everything in her power to keep her nerves down. Exton would definitely be able to tell something was wrong if Maya's heart started to beat like a drum. She kept her eyes on the road and took long deep breaths to keep her pulse steady.

"So," Exton cleared his throat after a while. "This.....Mirza guy."

Maya rolled her eyes, "It's nothing dad. I'm not interested in him."

"Oh thank god!" Exton sighed in relief. "I looked into him and his company and it's a whole bunch of hippie bullshit. The whole wear bead bracelets, drink green tea, and bath in crystal to save the plant crap."

Maya threw her head back and laughed as her father shivered. She shook her head as he continued to make fun of Mirza.

"I mean who sells tie dye shorts?" Exton asked. "He's supposed to be saving tigers, not starting traumatic fashion trends. Caspian will have a heart attack if he sees his website."

"Dad, you think every guy I go out with is a weirdo," Maya looked at her father.

"I mean....." Exton gave a short laugh. "You sure know how to pick 'em."

"They're not all crazy," Maya said in her defense. "What about Jacob from senior year?"

"Isn't he a pothead now?"

"But at the time he was the start quarterback," Maya laughed. "And then Andrew during college."

"Why did you break up with him again?" Exton flickered his eyes off the road for a second to catch Maya shrugging.

"I actually like him a little," he continued.

"He was scared of you."

"As he should have been."

Maya shook her head as she looked out the window. Her dating history had been pretty colorful. It was nowhere near as complex as Heyder, but she had her fair share of fun too. Nothing was ever long term with anyone. Maya had constantly worried she would meet her Nick any day and she didn't want to be in some dead end relationship when he did show up.

"Dad," Maya looked over to her father after a while as a thought occurred to her. "I never dated anyone older than me."

"Okay...."

"What if I did?"

"How much older are we talking about?" Exton raised a brow.

"Hmm.....I don't know....." Maya pondered. "What if it was like Mimzy and Paws?"

"Two hundred years older?" Exton exclaimed.

"Yeah," Maya laughed. "What would you do."

"Honestly......worry less I guess."

"What? Why?"

"If he's that old he will probably know how to handle you," Exton laughed.

"You think so?"

"Nah," Exton shook his head. "No one could ever prepare for you."

"I'm not that bad," Maya pushed her father's shoulder.

"Whoever he is," Exton said as he shifted in his seat and adjusted his hands on the steering wheel. "He will have to be willing to put you above all. I will accept nothing else."

"Don't worry," Maya smiled as she leaned her head back. "He will."

______________________

When Maya arrived in New York, the state queen's guards had sent in a car for her. She quickly got in and told them to head for Maksim's apartment. Along the way, she pulled out her phone and made reservations at the Plaza hotel just a floor below Sofia's room.

"I can take it from here," Maya said to the Queen's guard when he tried to help her with the bags. "Thank you."

"Are you sure, your grace?" The man asked.

"Yes, thank you." Maya waved him off as she hurried into the lobby and headed for the elevator.

Maksim and Ella lived on the top floor of their building. They shared the floor with one other family with a creepy husband that always tried to flirt with Maya and his wife pretended not to notice. When Maya arrived on their floor she aggressively rang the bell in hopes of avoiding an encounter with the creep.

"Jesus Christ!" Maksim yelled, throwing the door open. "Who died?"

Maya lifted her finger off the doorbell and lifted her oversize sunglasses. She eyed the boy with disgust as he adjusted the towel around his waist. His hair was extremely messy and he had red nail marks on his arm. Maya wanted to gag.

"Your sense of dignity," she said. "Why are you naked?"

"I'm not," Maksim said as he tightened the towel around his waist.

Maya knew exactly what her little brother had been up to. It was no secret.

"Were you and Ella......ew," Maya gagged. "Isn't Pip in the house, you pervert?"

"No," Maksim said with irritation. "She's with Cleo and mom and dad back at the palace. Why are you here?"

"At least invite me inside first," Maya pushed past him as she pulled her suitcase in. It wasn't his fault he was so shocked. When Exton had asked if Maksim knew Maya was coming over, she had lied. She had totally forgotten to give them a heads up. A part of her felt bad for dropping in uninvited, but that part only went out to Ella and not Maksim. Maya couldn't care less if she spoiled his fun.

"Ellie boo, I'm coming in! Put on some clothes, I don't want my poor eyes seeing no boobs so early in the morning!" Maya hollered as she walked into the apartment.

"We have neighbors!" Maksim groaned as he shut the door.

"Oh please, like they haven't heard you two banging at this unholy hour," Maya rolled her eyes as she tossed her purse on the sofa and took off her heels.

"Oh yes, please. Make yourself at home," Maksim said with sarcasm.

"I'm sorry, are you not done screwing your mate?" Maya laughed. "Should I come back an hour later?"

"Maya!" Ella's voice suddenly rang out from the hall. She hurried out of the bedroom wearing one of Maksim's shirts with her blonde hair tied up into a bun at the base of her neck. As she moved across the floor bare feet, her hair became undone and fell around her shoulder. She rushed up to the Maya and threw her arms around her neck. "It's so nice to see you!"

"Babe, your shirt is on backwards," Maya laughed as she hugged the girl back.

Ella blushed as she pulled back and looked down at her shirt. She looked at Maksim who grinned as he drank from the juice carton at the fridge.

"Max!" Ella complained. "Other people drink that too."

"Seriously, Ell, when will you domesticate that dog?" Maya scuffed.

"Working on it," Ella said over her shoulder as she took the juice carton from Maksim and poured it into a glass. "Do you want something?"

"No, thanks," Maya shook her head. "I don't trust the food in this house suddenly."

"Why are you here?" Maksim asked once again.

"I was in town for something and thought I would stop by and say hi," Maya said. "But if I had known you would be so unhappy to see him then I would have just checked into a hotel."

"He's happy to see you," Ella said shaking her head. "And so am I. I missed you."

"Why can't you be nice like her, Mackey?"

"I'm not a morning person," Maksim said as he sipped his drink.

"At least go put on some clothes. I'm afraid to look at you without the fear of your towel dropping."

Also, I have to talk to you about something important, Maya mind-linked her cousin.

About what? Maksim continued to drink his juice as Ella moved around the little kitchen.

Not now, go put on some clothes, you dog.

"You're such a pain," Maksim groaned as he began to track back to his room.

Maya raised her leg as he passed and landed a kick on his behind as she bounced over to the kitchen counter. Ella laughed as Maksim growled before shutting the door to their room.

"How are classes going?" Maya asked as she took a seat at one of the stools.

"They're good," Ella said as she poured Maya a cup of tea. "Just a few finals and then we are done."

"Are you coming back home for the break?"

"Yes," Ella nodded. "But just for a week or so. We have plans to go to Chile."

"Look at you," Maya laughed as she sipped her tea. "Giving Adeline a run for her money as Mother Teresa."

"Oh no," Ella laughed as she walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. "We would never be as graceful as Adeline. I don't know how she does it."

"She's a pain, but not in my ass anymore. She's probably driving Ben crazy," Maya shook her head as she imitated her sister. "Oh Ben, darling. No, no. The cream sheets go with the ivory covers and the snow white curtains go with the egg white rugs."

Ella shook her head laughing as she lifted Maya's bag to move it away from the sofa. But just as she did, the purse toppled over and the content spilled out onto the floor.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry," Ella apologized as she bent over to pick up the little items.

"Don't worry," Maya said as she jumped off the stool and walked over to help. Her eyes stayed on the little spell book and her heart pounded as Ella started to collect the things. She knew Ella wouldn't recognize the book, but the thought of it going missing or being damaged scared the crap out of Maya.

By the time Maya got to where the girl was Ella had gathered just about everything when her eyes caught the gold sparkles on a small leather bound book. Maya swallowed the lump in her throat as Ella reached out and picked up the book.

"What's this?" She asked as she held up the gilded writing under the sunlight.

"Don't touch that!" Maya suddenly snatched the book out of Ella's hand.

"I'm sorry," Ella flinched in surprise, making Maya feel a ping of guilt rise up in her chest.

"No worries," Maya said quickly as she pushed the book into her purse again.

"What was that?"

"Just a journal," Maya gave a short laugh. "Private stuff."

"I'm sorry," Ella apologized again.

"It's not a big deal," Maya shrugged her off as they stood up. Over her shoulder, she sensed Maksim coming into the room and sinking down onto the couch. He had pulled on a pair of basketball shorts and a plain white t-shirt.

Ella gathered her messy hair into a bun once more as she began to walk towards the kitchen. Maya turned around to see Maksim staring at her like a love sick puppy.

"I'm going to make some breakfast," Ella announced. "Do you gu-"

Maya flicked her finger and froze Ella in time. Maksim jumped up from the sofa in alarm as he stared at his mate.

"Ell?" he called to her.

Ella stood like an ancient Greek statue. Her hands in her hair, adjusting her bun, her body slightly turned to look at her mate, and her soft features in a gentle smile.

"She's fine," Maya said calmly as she took a seat on the arm chair. "Just frozen for a bit."

"Maya, what the hell?" Maksim said with anger as he glared at his cousin. "Unfreeze her."

"We have to talk first."

"I'm not talking until you undo the spell."

"She's fine, Mackey!" Maya rolled her eyes. "She won't even know what happened to her. I need to talk to you in private and it's not like you will leave her here to step out to get coffee with me or something so this is a compromise."

"This is not a compromise!"

"We could have been half way down with our conversation right now," Maya sighed.

Maksim's eyes flickered to his mate and then to his cousin. He groaned in frustration as he gave his cousin the nod to go on.

"Okay..." Maya inhaled deeply. "I need your help."

"And this is how you ask?"

"I'm not asked, you dick," Maya said. "I'm telling you that you will help me."

"And what makes you so sure that I will help you?"

"Because you are newly mated," Maya said. "The memories of finding Ella are fresh in your mind. You two are still in the 'honeymoon phase' of your relationship so you will understand my predicament better then anyone."

"What predicament?" Maksim rubbed his jaw.

"I found my mate....."

"Oh?" Maksim looked pleased. "Congratu-"

"Hold your horse, pretty boy," Maya held up her hand. "It's Heyder."

Maksim shook his head as if he misheard her, "I'm sorry?"

"Yeah, so am I at this point for my family."

"Hold up," Maksim grew serious. "Did you just say Heyder, the devil jinn who had the hots for my mother, is your.....mate?"

"He didn't have the hots for your mother," Maya rolled her eyes. "He was confused."

"Are you confused?" Maksim asked. "How do you even know he is your mate?"

"It's a long story,"

"We got time," Maksim huffed. "You froze my mate! We have all the time in the world now."

Maya's eyes flickered to Ella before she turned to look at Maksim. If she was going to get him to help, then she needed to tell him everything from the beginning. And so she did.

Maksim listened attentively but every few seconds his gaze would flicker to Ella. Maya would have to snap her fingers in front of his face to regain his attention as she continued with her story. Once she was done, Maksim let out a heavy breath as he rubbed the back of his neck and then his shoulder.

"Damn," he said. "That's a lot."

"No shit, Sherlock," Maya leaned back in her chair.

"So what are you going to do now?"

"I need to get him out. And I need your help."

"No," Maksim shook his head. "That's a stupid idea."

"What if Ella was locked away?"

"Ella is not a murderous jinn!"

"Hey, Hey! Heyder didn't kill anyone!"

"Not that you know of," Maksim scuffed. "Look, Maya. I just think It's dangerous. We don't know a lot about him. Maybe Paws or Mom and Dad can help."

"They will never agree."

"With good reasons," Maksim said.

"Mackey....." Maya walked over to her cousin and knelt in front of his. She took his face into her hands and looked into his eyes. "Think about Ella. This about the 3 weeks she was unconscious at the hospital."

Maksim flinched from the memory. His eyes once again moved to Ella's smiling face as Maya continued.

"I'm feeling that right now as we speak......I've been feeling it since I was 13 years old."

Maksim's gaze flickered to the girl in front of him. His heart softened a tad bit as he saw the pain in her blue eyes.

"I know my family is not going to jump for joy when they see him. I know our journey together will be long and tough. Heck, I might even get kicked out for picking him."

"No one is kicking you out," Maksim shook his head as he rolled his eyes.

"Maksim," Maya frowned as she leaned back on her legs and sat down on the floor. "I love him. Like I've never loved anyone or anything before. I will get him out with or without your help......but I would really appreciate some family support. I know everyone will be against my decisions."

"Maya," Maksim sighed, dropping his head. "It's too dangerous. He's not good."

"Isn't that what Ella's family said about you?"

Maksim's head snapped up, "This is not the same thing."

"Isn't it?" Maya asked. "You are all against him just as they were against you. I want him just as Ella wanted you."

"I did not manipulate people," Maksim pointed out.

"No," Maya said calmly. "You didn't have to. Because the girl you thought was your mate wasn't in love with another. I really wonder what you would have done if you were in Heyder's shoes."

"You're trying to emotionally blackmail me."

"I'm trying to get you to see the other side of the coin," Maya said.

Maksim stared at Maya for a long time. The determination in her eyes were admirable, but Maksim needed to think this through. Her judgments were clouded by emotions. He needed to make sure her plan was full proof before he decided on anything.

"Unfreeze Ella," maksim said with a sign. "I'll think about your proposal."

A small smile appeared on the girls lips. She rose from the floor and began to move back to her seat.

"I think I liked you better when you were impulsive," she teased over her shoulder.

Maksim shook his head as he sighed. Maya took up her original position on the armchair before she un-freezed Ella.

"Guys want some?" She finished her sentence as if she was in a movie scene that was just un-paused.

Maksim smiled up at her and shook his head, "I'm good, baby. But thank you."

"Maya?" Ella turned to look at the witch. "What about you?"

"I'm good too, babe."

Ella bare feet patted into the kitchen as Maya and Maksim stared at each other. After a few seconds, Maksim rose from his seat and followed Ella. He pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head several times as he inhaled her scent.

"I love you," Ella giggled as she leaned over his head and popped some bread in the toaster.

"I love you so much," Maksim whispered into her ear.

From the corner of his eyes he watched Maya pick up her purse and head towards Cleo's spare room. Maksim's arms tightened around Ella's waist as his mind debated with all the information she had just shared with him.

For the remainder of the day and the whole evening, Maksim was lost in his head. Maya and Ella had stepped out to the city leaving him alone to his thoughts. Ella worried there was something he wasn't telling her, but Maksim assured her it was just school stuff and that she should go out with Maya and have a good time.

While the girls were gone, Maksim paced the floor of the apartment. He wrote out the pros and cons of Maya's plan. He tried to think of the worst case scenarios and prepare plan A, B, C and D. By the time the girls got back, he was exhausted.

Ella found him sitting at the kitchen counter with his head in his hands. With worry, she walked over to him and placed a soft kiss on his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" she asked with a frown.

"I missed you," he said as she turned around and pulled her into his arms.

Maya hovered by the entrance watching the couple embrace. She took a long deep breath before she took off her heels and began to head towards Cleo's room.

Maya, Maksim stopped her through their link.

Yeah? Maya looked over her shoulder.

I'm supposed to be attending the event with Sofia tomorrow night, Maksim said. We have to make sure your plan is foolproof.

EEEEEE what will happen now? What pat did you like?