The Daughter of Time (Ace of Queens #6)

Ch.3 Life's a beach

"And we want everything we can't have."

"That's my girl. Now go try again. I'm watching you."

"Okay," Maya nodded as she pushed her hair out of her face. She rose from the share and shook out her arms. Exton watched her as she walked over to the table and picked up the spell book.

"Do that hand thing," he said.

"What hand thing?"

"I don't know. Your mom always moves her hand when she does magic."

"Okay..." Maya said, not very much convinced. "I'll try."

Exton folded his arms over his chest as he stood up to get a better look at what Maya was doing. She opened the book in front of her and moved the pencil near it. With a deep breath she placed one hand in the air and the other under the Roopcian words. Attentive, Maya recited the words. But the pencil remained still as a rock.

"Again," Exton said.

Maya obeyed his words.

"Again." Exton said when the spell failed.

Maya shook her head and tried once more. She pushed her mind to release as much energy as she possibly could towards the wooden object. When not even the wind around it moved, Maya bit down on her cheeks. She recited the spell over and over and over until the pencil shot up.

"That's my girl!" Exton clapped as Maya laughed in amazement. The pencil hovered midair as she heard her father's excitement.

"Now move it," he said.

"Where?"

"Send it to me," Exton held out his hand.

Maya narrowed her eyes on the pencil and willed it to move forward. She imagined she was holding it with her hand and pushing it through the air. Her sharp eyes stayed locked on the object as it inched forward.

"Very good," Exton said calmly so as to not distract her. "You're going great."

Maya walked beside the pencil as she moved it through the air. She felt the air around her heat up as her mind focused her energy. But something suddenly snapped.

Maya didn't know what happened but she felt a ripple of hot current rise from her toes and move over her body. As it reached her head, her brain tingled as if all her neurons and electrons were firing at once. The pencil shot forward like a bullet and lodged into Exton's chest.

"Oh my god!" Maya screamed. "Dad!"

"I'm okay," Exton groaned as he immediately began to apply pressure to his wound. "I'll heal in a second."

"I am so sorry!" Maya rushed forward as she grabbed towels from the sink. "I wasn't trying to do that. I swear."

"Look that way," Exton pointed to the window.

"What? Why?" Maya said in confusion.

"There's a bird outside,"

"What bird?" Maya turned to look over her shoulder. Just as she did, she heard her father pull out the pencil from his chest with a quick groan.

"Dad!" Maya jumped forward with the towel. She placed it over his wound as he applied pressure.

"I'm fine," Exton said. "Look I already healed."

"I don't want to see it," Maya's grimace made her father laugh. She watched him as he lifted the towel and looked at his bloody shirt.

"Yep, already healed," he said.