MAYA
The ceremonial robes clung to my skin like they were made for me centuries ago. The red runes moved when I moved, pulsing like living things. I caught my reflection in the hallway mirror as I descended the stairs: silver streaks glowing under the moon runes, eyes too old for my face, and for one heartbeat, I didn’t even recognize myself.
Xander waited at the bottom. His breath caught when he saw me. “You look…” His voice cracked. “You look exactly like the first night I saw you under this moon.” He reached for my hand, reverently, as if touching me might break some spell.
I forced a smile and let him lead me to the car. My brain scrambled for landmarks: the crooked oak on the corner, the blue mailbox shaped like a fish, the gas station with the broken neon sign… anything to remembe
