Seven Fights, One Love.

Chapter 5: The Rising Storm

The next morning, Maya woke up sore all over. Her arms ached from punching Marcus. Her legs hurt from all that dodging and kicking. She had bruises she didn't remember getting.

She checked her phone and saw a text from Luna: "Are you okay? I'm so sorry about last night. Let me make it up to you. Breakfast?"

Maya smiled and texted back: "Yes. But you have to explain everything."

They met at a small diner called Rosie's. Luna ordered pancakes. Maya ordered coffee and scrambled eggs. When the food came, Luna started explaining.

"My last serious boyfriend was Victor Stone," Luna said.

"Wait," Maya interrupted. "The music producer? The guy running the Battle of the Bands?"

Luna nodded. "Yes. We dated for two years. He was obsessed with control. He wanted to know where I was every minute, who I talked to, what I was doing. It was suffocating. When I finally broke up with him, he lost it."

"So he created a league of your exes?" Maya asked.

"He tracked down everyone I ever dated seriously and convinced them to sign a magical contract. I don't know where he got the magic from, but it's real. The contract says that anyone who wants to date me has to defeat all seven exes in combat. If they fail, they can never see me again."

"That's crazy," Maya said. "And illegal, probably."

"Definitely illegal," Luna agreed. "But also magical, so regular laws don't really apply. I tried to warn you yesterday, but Marcus showed up before I could explain everything."

Maya ate some eggs, thinking. "Tell me about the other six. What am I up against?"

Luna pulled out her phone and showed Maya a list. "After Marcus, there's Sarah Chen—no relation to you. She's a skateboard champion and really fast. Then there's Danny and Leo, twin brothers who fight together. Then Yuki, who's a master of martial arts. Then Zara and Atlas, who are still dating each other but somehow both my exes. And finally, Victor himself."

"That's a lot of fighting," Maya said.

"You don't have to do this," Luna said, reaching across the table to hold Maya's hand. "We could just stop seeing each other. I could leave town. The contract would end."

"No," Maya said firmly. "I'm not giving up that easily. Besides, I kind of enjoyed punching Marcus through a wall."

Luna laughed. "You were amazing. I've never seen anyone defeat an ex on their first try."

They finished breakfast and Luna drove Maya home on her motorcycle. When they arrived at Maya's apartment, they saw someone waiting on the steps.

It was a woman in her mid-twenties wearing a tank top and ripped jeans. She was doing tricks on a skateboard in the parking lot.

"That's Sarah," Luna whispered. "Ex Number Two."

Sarah kicked her skateboard up and caught it. "Maya Chen? I'm here to fight."

"Can I at least get inside my apartment first?" Maya asked. "I just ate breakfast."

"No," Sarah said. She dropped her skateboard and charged.

The fight was different from Marcus. Sarah was incredibly fast, zipping around on her skateboard and striking from different angles. Maya had trouble keeping up.

Sarah hit her with the skateboard, knocking Maya to the ground. Luna screamed. Maya rolled away just as Sarah tried to stomp on her.

"Why are you doing this?" Maya yelled, getting back to her feet. "You don't even know me!"

"I signed the contract," Sarah said. "I have to fight you. Those are the rules."

"The rules are stupid!" Maya said.

They fought for twenty minutes. Maya finally won by grabbing Sarah's skateboard mid-trick and breaking it over her knee. Sarah exploded into coins just like Marcus.

Maya collapsed on the ground, exhausted.

"Two down," she said, breathing hard. "Five to go."