Maldows Isles

Chapter One

In the beginning

I was running, wind whipping through my long red hair. I stopped to catch my breath, leaning against a white oak tree, but suddenly I heard it, them. They were coming for me. I took off again, but it was too late, I feel arms wrap around my waist.

"Rosemary stop, it's me, Stallin.", he whispers into my ear. His voice sounds familiar, Stallin, and then it hits me. Yes! I remember, Stallin is my mate, he's trying to help me.

"We have to keep going Stall, we can't let them get her!", I place my hand on my pregnant belly, "We have to move now, Stall!"

We press on, I'm tired, but we have to make it to the tunnels. The tunnels will keep us safe, hidden until I give birth to my daughter, my heir. Just a few days until she's here, safe in my arms, my Amaria.

"Aaaaaah," I scream in pain, holding my stomach.

"It's early," Stallin screams, "We're almost there, let me carry you."

He picks me up and carries me to the tunnels. she's already coming, I can feel her.

"Open the portal, Stall, we don't know what Sariyah knows, we don't know if the tunnels are safe." Sariyah, my sister, wanted my daughter dead so she can rule Maldows Isles. I will not have it. I scream in agony again, she's coming. Something's wrong, I don't feel well. I hear her first cry. It's so sweet, it was also the last thing I heard. She's here and my kingdom will be safe.

Amaria's POV

"Little Lily, it's time to wake up."

I hear my dad calling out to me, it's the first day of my senior year. I roll out of bed, just a few more months and I'll be out of this school, and house. I love my dad, I do. He's just too overprotective. It was sweet until I grew boobs. He didn't like it one bit. It meant I was growing up. He wanted his sweet little lily forever. I, however, was over it. I was almost eighteen years old. Freedom was calling my name.

"I'm awake, Dad"

"You have twenty minutes, or you'll be late."

I rolled my eyes, it's better to be late to make an entrance. I'm recreating myself this year. No more Mrs.Nice Girl. No more pushover Mari. I start to brush out my long, strawberry blonde. Dad says it's a mixture of his and my mom's hair. I've only seen a picture. Her name was Rosemary, she died while giving birth to me. Dad has been alone ever since, he hates when I try to set him up on dates with the ladies who come to the library at night. He says mom was the only one for him. After I finish off my hair I do my makeup. I always go for a natural look, I don't need too much, I've always been pretty. A little eyeliner and mascara and I'm done. I brush my teeth, grab my schoolbag, cellphone, and meet dad at the door.

"Time to roll old man." he chuckles and pats my head, "Hey don't mess it up."

"You look like your mother, beautiful."

"Thanks, Dad."

We didn't live far from the school so we got there pretty fast. I go in search of my oldest friend, Kenya. I've known her since I was ten years old. We had just moved here, a little town in Louisiana called Raine. Dad took me to the park. I was on the slide. Kenya walked up and said she needed a see-saw partner, we've been friends ever since. I try to look for her black curls. There was a touch on my side, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"Gottcha," Kenya's melodic voice came from my right side. I turned to face her.

"Not cool," I laugh and hugged her tightly. the bell sounded above our heads.

"Good thing we only have half of a day," Kenya said cheerily.

"True, I'll see you at Murphy's for lunch, and then we'll walk home together, RI-" I didn't get to finish because I was falling. I hear shrieks of laughter and then a loud smack. I looked up just as Kenya's hand left Cynthia's face.

"Now you've done it b***h," There I was, on the ground, looking up at my best friend and my rival, Cynthia. Kenya always protected me, but now it's my turn to stand up for myself.

"It's okay, Kenya, I've got this." I step in front of my best friend and look Cynthia in the eyes, "Look, Cynthia, this year I'm not putting up with your s**t. So you can either apologize right now, or you'll regret it."

She looks at me a laughs, like really laughs, and says, "Or you'll regret it. Look here freak, I don't give a f**k about your "plans for the year" I will still f**k you up. Like I've always had."

Then, I did something she never expected. I spit in her face and walked away as she shrieked in disgust. Kenya was laughing so hard she had to hold herself up against the lockers.

"Rotten b***h deserved it. I'm proud of you Mari! See you after class."

The rest of the day was uneventful and boring. I was relieved when the lunch bell rang, signaling my last class of the day, and I headed to Murphy's. It was right across from the school, so I waited for Kenya at our usual table. She had one more class today and she'd be out for the day as well. I had the sudden urge to use the bathroom and I got up and backed into something. That's weird, there wasn't anything placed here. I turned around and was shocked. HE was gorgeous. He had full plump lips, beautiful, but strange purple eyes, and white-blonde hair. I realized I was staring so I introduced myself shyly.

"I'm so sorry, I'm Mari, I didn't mean to bump into you."

"Is Mari short for something," he grins, "It's okay, but I think a full name would be better."

"Amaria, Mari is short for Amaria, but please call me Mari."

"Amaria is pretty though, I'm Ash, just Ash though," He smiled and held up his sandwich, "I'm going to eat now."

"Oh, sorry again." I watch him retreat to a table in the corner, by himself and thought it was odd, why would a handsome guy be alone. The bathroom forgotten, I go to sit with him.

"Hi, sorry again, but why are you by yourself?"

I watch as he swallows the bite he took, "Oh Goddess" goddess? What a weird thing to say, "This is good, and because I'm new to town. I don't know anyone."

Just then Kenya walks in and she is staring hard at Ash. Eyes wide she motions me over.

"Oh my god, who is that?'

"Ash, at your service," he shakes her hand. She blushed, Kenya blushed. Then something moved out of the corner of my eye and I looked. Ash noticed also, but Kenya did not. I looked around but did not see anything. I saw it again, but this time there was a figure. It was a man, but no one noticed him. What was he doing? I started to walk to him and Ash stepped in front of me and tilted his head.

"No," he whispered. Then he took off. The man followed him.

"Where is he going, I hope you got his number," Kenya watched Ash leave, she still hadn't noticed the other man.

"Did you not see the man?"

"What man?"

"Never mind, let's go home."

We hopped into Kenya's car, a birthday present from her parents and she dropped me home.

"I have a shift at my dad's shop, I'll see you at school tomorrow."

I hugged her and hopped out of the car. My dad wasn't home yet, so I had the house to myself. I go to my room and shut the door. I heard a noise coming from my bathroom. I opened the door and screamed.