Chapter 5
A Visceral Reaction
Maya hit something solid but surprisingly soft.
Before she could register the fact that she was still alive, her body rolled, then it spun, as if she had been launched off of something.
Confused, she opened one eye and saw a lot of yellow and gold colors moving around her.
Then she was once again airborne, and she found it impossible to surmise what was happening.
The sunny colors moved around her again, this time wrapping around her and creating a sense of warmth and comfort.
No, this isn’t real. The thought was quickly quieted as Maya decided it didn’t really matter. If her last moments felt comforting, she wasn’t going to destroy the illusion.
With a jolt, she knew that she had hit the ground, but it felt far softer than she had expected.
Then the ground beneath her felt strange and it moved in a way that did not feel flat.
The next thing she knew, Maya rolled to the actual ground as a low groan sounded from where she had just been.
She squeezed her knees tighter as the pain in her stomach intensified.
Digging her nails into her legs, Maya tried to focus on the sensations her nails created.
Anything to draw her mind away from the feeling that her insides were being shredded.
“I’m so sorry!” A hand touched her shoulder and rolled Maya so that she was in a sitting position, or would have been if she had let go of her legs.
“I had no idea, I’m so, so sorry.” Arms wrapped around her and Maya felt warmth spreading through her, easing the pain and allowing her to pay attention to her surroundings.
A familiar scent of vanilla wafted in the air around her, and Maya rapidly worked out how she knew the smell. Exploding like a bomb, she threw her arms and legs out, breaking the hold on her. The pain immediately returned in her stomach, but Maya ignored it. “Get away from me!”
She scrambled away, then rose as quickly as she dared. Placing a forearm over her stomach as she stayed hunched over in a crouched position, she glared at Apollo.
He held up his hands. “Please, Maya, I can help you. At least let me minimize the pain.”
“Don’t touch me! Don’t even come near me!” Her voice was a low primal growl.
“I didn’t realize, Maya, but I think I can understand what happened. I can help you, if you let me.”
“You don’t understand a damn thing, you condescending asshole. Now, get away from me before I really make you regret it.”
“I’m a healer, and I can’t just let you suffer because of me.
Please.” The pained expression on his face almost made her listen.
He approached slowly, and she watched him warily.
As soon as he reached out to touch her, Maya held up a hand, sending a blast of air against him.
Apollo went flying backwards, landing several feet from her.
“Don’t. Touch. Me,” she hissed as he tried to sit up. His hand slipped a few times, and he fell backwards. Realizing he was stunned, Maya stood up as tall as she could as the pain in her belly intensified.
“You … need … treatment.” Apollo’s words were breathy because the force of the blast had knocked the air out of his lungs.
Ignoring him, Maya walked toward some trees, although she had no plan for what she was going to do next. All she wanted was to be alone. Then she could think and decide what came next.
To her disbelief, Apollo began following her, although he was careful to keep a safe distance. “Maya, you need help.”
“I can handle it,” she shot back.
Still keeping his distance, Apollo hurried forward and stood in front of her, his hands held up. “You are bleeding internally, so—”
“I know,” she growled at him. “I know exactly what’s happening. I don’t need your condescending explanation for what’s happening to my body. Now, get away from me.”
He stood still, and for a second, she considered striking him again.
However, her magic was becoming too unstable because of the pain, and there was no guarantee that using it would have the desired effect.
Instead, she began stepping away from Apollo, her eyes narrowed and glowing with the kind of intensity that only occurred when her emotions flared.
Her abject refusal to accept his help drew an almost exasperated cry from him.
“Why are you being so stubborn? I am literally trained to help people.”
Shaking her head, Maya continued to walk away from him.
“It’s always the same.” Her voice changed, perfectly mimicking one of the hundreds of people who had made her empty promises.
“I can help you and take away your pain. All you have to do is trust me, Maya.” She spat on the ground.
“Then it’s,” her voice shifted again to something darker, “I helped you, now you have to do something for me.” Channeling the pain she felt into her words, she snarled, “I don’t trust you—or anyone—any farther than I can fly.
So take your meaningless pity and shove it.
I neither need nor want your help. Now or ever. ”
“You are bleeding, Maya.”
“So are you, you fool.” Her words shot back at him, and he reached up and wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth.
“I’ll be fine,” he said. “Because my body is already healing itself. Yours won’t.”
“You didn’t care a few minutes ago. I would appreciate it if you would keep that cold indifference going because I don’t want anything you have to offer.”
Her words seemed to break him, and Apollo dropped to his knees. “Please, I implore you. Don’t make me sit here and watch you suffer like this. I swear, I won’t ask for anything in return, Maya. Not if you don’t want to offer anything. I … I helped to save Sasha’s life. Please let me help you.”
Maya paused. “It’s not the same, and if you were worth anything as a healer, you would know that.”
“Without being able to treat you, I can’t know anything.”
“Good,” she spat out the word. “And I’ve no reason to let you learn any more about it.
You want off this island so badly, just leave.
” She flailed an arm up toward the sky. “All you have to do is to fly away. But for some reason you morons just keep forgetting that you can fly. If you really wanted to leave, you would have already.”
He swallowed before speaking. “I tried.”
“Don’t tell me you have issues too? Because I won’t believe you.”
“They’ve made it so that no one can leave by just flying off of the island. Believe me, I tried. It’s what I was doing when you went off to sleep. They’ve changed things, made it harder for people to leave.”
Maya watched him, wishing that she had the ability to detect if someone was lying. Anything to help her determine how much of what he said was true. “I know. They are manipulating people now.”
“What?” His expression shifted a little. “What do you mean?”
“Go ask your lackey Cosmo. I’ve nothing more to say to you.” Maya turned, causing the pain to grow worse. She could feel her vision start to narrow as the pain grew, and she was able to see less of the world around her.
“Your body is going into shock. Without intervention, it could end up killing you.” Apollo’s words were low, but when she turned to yell at him, Maya realized he was still kneeling on the ground, watching her.
As much as she wanted to do something hurtful to him, Maya felt a twinge of pity.
The shifter seemed to be genuinely suffering because he was being forced to watch someone endure pain without being able to do anything about it.
It was not at all the same look that most people gave her when they wanted to do something to get a favor from her.
His expression spoke to a feeling she could understand because she had felt that way several times in her life.
Swallowing, Maya wasn’t yet ready to trust him, but she decided to give him one more chance. “Why do you act like my pain is yours?”
He looked at her, the glow of the sun making his eyes look golden. “I can’t stand to see people hurting. And while I may not always be successful in my efforts, I can always do something to bring comfort and alleviate some of the pain.”
“But why do you care? You have made it clear how you feel about me. That I’m cruel and vicious. It doesn’t sound like I have any redeeming qualities, so why worry yourself about me?”
He shook his head slowly. “I was trying to—your words cause her a lot of pain. I was upbraiding you, thinking you were indifferent to her pain. I was clearly wrong. There is something else at play here that I don’t know about, and so you have my deepest apologies.” He bowed his head.
Maya watched him for a moment, thinking she had found his angle. “So you were trying to stick up for Naomi? And you thought that being a complete ass to me was the way to go about it? Not learning more about the situation?”
His shoulders sagged a little. “You are right, and I was very much in the wrong. The situation is not nearly as straightforward as I thought. I just wanted to help Naomi.”
Maya paused, momentarily considering telling him that Cosmo was also interested in Naomi. No, he doesn’t deserve that bit of information. Of the two of them, Cosmo isn’t the one to lash out and treat people horribly because of his assumptions. Ironic as that may be.
Shaking her head, Maya said, “I’ll be just fine, Mr. Blond.
” He looked up at her, a strange look on his face, and Maya turned away.
“I don’t care about what you did because it’s far from the worst judgment I’ve dealt with.
However, I have no desire to associate with you any further.
You are free to leave and seek out Naomi knowing that no serious harm will come to me. ”
“I know you can’t heal yourself, Maya.”
Her face snapped around and she looked at him. “I’ve been dealing with this condition for a couple of decades, so I can manage it well enough.”
“It will only get worse without proper healing.”