Phoenix and Maya sat in silence for quite some time. Eventually, her tears ceased and a thoughtful silence enveloped them both as the sun began its daily descent, casting an orange glow over the office.

She didn’t feel like talking. Really, what was there to be said? The conversation she was having in her mind felt old and tired. Overused. She could cry and moan about how it wasn’t fair, but that was never going to change anything. She could kick and scream about how she didn’t want this burden, but that wasn’t going to make it go away. She needed to be strong but she wasn’t sure that she could be. The arm around her shoulders was strong though, along with the will of the man it belonged to. She took comfort in that fact.

She glanced sideways at Phoenix, who seemed lost in his own thoughts as he stared out the window. He would be going with her to Kurain. She knew he would stand behind her and give her all the strength he could.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Althea and the rest of the Elders... all they ever saw her as was some little kid. She could be bullied, pushed around and manipulated to do their bidding. They knew that she wasn’t ready to be the master. They knew she would rather be with Phoenix, and they used this to their advantage. She’d been through so much. She was just the poor little lamb that her own family knowingly lead to the slaughter.

Maya was kind. Accepting. Accommodating. But how would they react if she wasn’t? Maya tensed her jaw. She had to change, at least in their eyes, but she couldn’t do it on her own.

“Nick?” she asked softly, breaking the silence.

“Hmm?” he answered quietly.

“I’m not going to let them push me around anymore.”

Phoenix sighed as a soft smile spread across his lips. He squeezed her shoulder as he placed light kiss atop her head.

“That’s my girl.” He murmured into her hair, causing her to smile.

“You’ll be there with me, won’t you?” she asked hopefully.

“Every step of the way.” He responded earnestly.



Althea Fey rubbed her temples.

“What a mess.” She thought sadly to herself. The suspicious death of an Elder, the wounding of a respected member of the community and yet again the Master was not here to deal with any of it. And even more concerning, it had once again been a lawyer at the centre of the controversy.

Althea had always thought Mia Fey to be a bad apple; needless to say she had not been pleased to discover that both Maya and Pearl had been channelling that harlot to help their other lawyer friend with his cases. That other lawyer... Wright, was it? He would be a problem too and would likely be accompanying the Master when she returned tomorrow.

Scowling as she completed the necessary preparations, Althea began the ritual that would prevent Mia Fey from being summoned by anyone of any level. She knew that Maya would be in complete disbelief about her sisters’ actions, but the evidence that she could see was very much against Mia. Maya should understand evidence... her lawyer friend seemed to rely on it so much. Who knows what would happen if she attempted to channel Mia again, or manipulated poor little Pearl into taking on the task?

Althea closed her eyes as she began chanting the necessary words. She scrawled Mia’s name on the parchment in front of her, before rolling it up and placing it in a small black box, along with a photo of Mia. Opening her eyes, she closed the box and locked it with a large red psyche lock. Maya was not at a level to be able to undo this lock; in fact, it wouldn’t even be visible to her. There was only one other person who would be able to undo the lock, but the odds of her even stepping foot in Kurain ever again were slim to none. It was not something to cause Althea any concern.

Placing the box back in its allotted space in the vault, Althea sighed to herself. It was done.

Mia Fey’s spirit block was in place.



“So I was thinking...” Phoenix began as he returned to the couch, handing Maya the soda he had brought with him.

“And you tell me if you think it’s a stupid idea...” he added before continuing, “but maybe you could channel Mia, and I could talk to her and tell you what she says? That is, if you’re up to it...”

Maya shook her head in disbelief.

“Nick, you’re a genius! Why didn’t I think of that?” she asked animatedly. Phoenix smiled.

“Well I wouldn’t go that far, and you probably didn’t think of it because you’ve got so much on your mind...”

“Never mind that. Just be quiet so I can concentrate.” Maya said with small smile, cutting him off. She closed her eyes and commenced her meditative stance. It only took a few moments before Mia was sitting before Phoenix.

“Oh, Phoenix am I glad to see you!” Mia said in a relieved tone. “How is Maya? Is she doing okay?”

Phoenix nodded.

“She’ll be fine. But we need to know what happened.”

“It was Andre.” Mia said, her face contorting into a scowl. “He killed Lillian. Poisoned her.”

“What?” Phoenix said, surprised. “How?”

“I don’t know.” Mia said, shaking her head. “Something in a small bottle. He tricked me into putting my prints on it.” She finished sadly.

Phoenix gulped, and Mia could understand why. A little bottle like the one she just mentioned had almost once cost him his life.

“Why would he do that?” Phoenix asked.

“He’s going to pin the whole thing on me. He even went as far as to stab himself in the shoulder. If they think I did it, they’ll put a spirit block on me and I won’t be able to be summoned. I’m the only witness, Phoenix. He’ll get away with it.” Mia said, frowning.

“This is a lot to take in, Mia.” He said, taking a deep breath. His shoulders slumped slightly. “This is serious business. I never thought Andre would be capable of murder. Maya is in real danger.”

“I know. You need to protect her, Phoenix.”

“I will... but I’m just at a loss for what to do about Andre. Everything seems stacked against us.” He said with a sigh.

“It’s never been any different.” Mia agreed sadly. “The only thing I can think of is you have to find a way to prove the link between Andre and Morgan. Althea might support him now, but she’ll turn her back on him at the first sign of him bringing Kurain into disrepute.”

Suddenly, Mia stopped. She squinted and rubbed her forehead.

“Oww...” she said, before recognition set in. She froze.

“What? What is it?” Phoenix said quickly.

“I’m being removed. Althea must have set the spirit block.”

“Oh, great.” Phoenix said, exasperated.

Mia was fading. She rushed to get out everything she had to say. Phoenix listened intently.

“I don’t have much time. Tell Maya that all the information that she needs to take them all down is hidden in the vault. It’s all connected. Especially Hazakurain. I found a lot of stuff when I was researching what might have happened to my mother. There’s also an unmarked file in the filing cabinet here behind all the other files. Those are my notes, they might help.”

Phoenix nodded as he made a mental note of all she had told him.

“Please Phoenix, protect her. Tell her I love her.”

That was the last thing Phoenix heard Mia say before she dematerialised and Maya was once again sitting before him, looking at him expectantly.

“What did she say?” Maya asked, biting her lip.

Phoenix sighed and shook his head.

“It’s a good thing you’re already sitting down...” he started.



“What do you mean you had to change the plan!!?”

“Relax, mother. It worked out even better than even you could have planned for.” Andre said calmly into the cell phone.

Morgan was irate. Andre explained what had happened, and how he had to deviate from their original arrangement.

“How many times have I told you that the plan is of utmost importance? We must stick to the plan! Now you’ve gone and created variables that I have to factor in... There’s no telling where things will go from here.” Morgan fumed.

“I’m telling you, things are still completely on track. No one suspects me of a thing, and as an added bonus, we no longer have Mia Fey meddling in our business. Everything is moving along as it should be.” Andre said. “You know, I’m a little hurt that you’re not more proud of me for thinking so quickly under pressure.” He finished.

“Well you wouldn’t have needed to if you had been careful enough to have not been followed in the first place, Andre!” Morgan snapped back.

Andre rolled his eyes.

“Yes, mother.” He responded.

“Good boy.” Morgan said, pleased that he had once again agreed with her. “Give it a few days for everything to settle down. Call me on Friday and I will instruct you with what to do next.”

“Maya will be here tomorrow.” Andre said. “Althea requested her return and she agreed.”

“It won’t be permanent. I bet she will have the lawyer with her too.” Morgan said. “Do your best to make her look incompetent while she is in Kurain, although I suspect she will do a fine job of that herself.”

“Understood.” Andre said with a nod. “Mother?” he added after a slight pause.

“Yes, Andre?”

“Do you think that maybe I could come and visit you sometime, and we could just talk? Not about the plan or anything... just... I don’t know. Like we used to.” He asked sheepishly.

“Don’t be ridiculous Andre. Not only do we not have time for that right now, but it’s far too risky.”

“You’re right, it is.” Andre agreed quickly.

“You must get going now Andre. I will speak to you in three days.” Morgan said seriously.

“Okay, Goodb-“ The engaged signal cut off the rest of his farewell to his mother.

“Goodbye, Mother.” He finished with a whisper, as he stared at the now dimmed screen of his cell phone. He sighed before slipping it into his pocket and heading back towards the main house.

Unbeknownst to him, someone had been standing quite close by, and had heard every word of his conversation.



“So...” Maya began. “I can’t call my sis anymore? Not ever?”

Her voice was quiet and somewhat strained. She had sat quietly while Phoenix had filled her in on the details of Mia’s visit. Phoenix watched her sadly. It was hurting him to see her in so much emotional turmoil – he couldn’t even begin to understand how hard all of this was on her.

“I don’t know. You would know more about this kind of thing than I do.” Phoenix said softly. “I’m sure we can find someone to remove the block.”

“Hmm.” Maya said, half heartedly before resuming her silence.

She stared straight ahead, not fixating on anything in particular. It was that same blank, numb look. The one she wore after her mothers’ death. The expression that said Maya just couldn’t deal right now. Phoenix didn’t know what to say. He’d given her a lot of information to process. That’s probably what she was doing right now.

Maya let out a breath that she had been holding, before standing up. Phoenix stood as well in a somewhat protective manner, waiting on her next move.

“I think I’m just going to go to bed.” Maya said flatly. Phoenix reached for her, but she put her hand up to signify that she was alright.

“I’m fine, Nick. I think I just need some rest.” She said before turning and heading towards the stairs.

He watched her leave, before flopping back down on the couch. He rubbed his face. He felt fatigued, but it was more emotional than physical. It was too early to sleep yet though. Remembering again what Mia said earlier, he decided to see if he could find that file she was talking about. Perhaps if he had a flick through it, he might be of more help to Maya.

He made his way over to his desk and opened the top drawer of the cabinet. Rummaging around at the back, he found what he had been looking for. He wondered silently how he had never come across this particular file before. The folder was thick and held closed by a large rubber band. Phoenix sat the file down on his desk before clicking the lamp on and taking a seat.

There was a lot of DL-6 information in the folder. Phoenix wondered if any of that would come in handy. There were also a lot of bank statements that he didn’t quite understand. Letters of correspondence between Mia and various government agencies along with a flyer for a book signing by Elise Deauxnim...

“Mia sure was hot on the trail...” Phoenix thought, surprised.

He picked up a large white envelope that hadn’t been sealed. Inside were a pile of photographs. Phoenix smiled when he saw what the photos depicted. The first was a family portrait of Mia, Maya, their father and Misty. Scrutinising the photos, Phoenix decided that Maya looked like her mother, whereas Mia looked more like their father. He had never seen Maya’s father before. He didn’t even know his name, or how he had died. He set the picture aside and picked up the next. It was a picture of Misty holding a baby, which Phoenix presumed to be Maya, judging from the child’s black hair.

“Maya was such a cute baby...” he thought to himself with a smile.

The next picture was one of Mia. She looked about ten years old, and was laughing as a man carried her over his shoulder. He couldn’t see them man’s face, because the picture was taken from behind, but his brown hair told Phoenix that it was probably her father.

The last picture in the envelope was more recent. It was Maya and Mia, grinning broadly as they hugged each other with Mia’s arm outstretched having taken the photo herself. Maya looked the same age as she was when he had met her. This mustn’t have been long before Mia died. He sighed. He’d never actually seen the two of them together when she was alive, but he knew Mia loved Maya very much indeed. Phoenix remembered that he had an old frame upstairs that would fit this photo perfectly. He decided to frame it and leave it in Maya’s room.

A notepad full of random scrawling was also in the folder, but without Mia around to make sense of it, Phoenix was more than a little stumped as to what it could all mean.

Morgan’s name was in the book, underlined dramatically. Phoenix wished that Mia had been more organised with her note taking. Phone numbers and other random words also made no sense to him.

The words “Hazakurain Incident” stood out from the rest of the page. Phoenix blinked in surprise. This had been written at least three years ago. There had been another incident at Hazakurain?

Luciana Armando? Audrina Fey? What did these names mean?

A letter typed on yellowing paper slipped out from the back of the notebook. Phoenix picked it up and began to read.

“Dear Mia,

Due to your unfortunate connection with Diego Armando, the Kurain Elder Council and I have decided that it is in the best interest of the village if you would refrain from visiting. While we are not officially prohibiting you from entering the village, we would like to think that you understand our actions and will respect our wishes accordingly.

Your sister will be sent to stay with you for visitation once per month. You may arrange this by phone.

Should your circumstances change, we may be able to review our decision.

Sincerely,

Althea Fey

On behalf of the Kurain Council of Elders.”

Phoenix was stunned. They had prevented Mia from visiting Maya? That would explain why she had never gone back to Kurain while he had worked for her. Nor had she mentioned anything about her spiritual background.

And Diego Armando? That was Godot! What did he have to do with Kurain, or any of this for that matter? Was this Luciana related to him in some way?

Putting the file back down on the desk, Phoenix stretched and looked at his watch. He decided it was time to go to bed, especially since they had a rather busy day ahead of them tomorrow. He picked up the photo of Maya and Mia and headed upstairs to find that frame.



Pearl Fey sat on her bed in the darkened room, knees drawn up to her chest. Her plush Blue Badger that Scruffy Detective had given her was pulled close to her in a tight hug. She sniffed.

“Mystic Mia...there’s no way you could have done this, is there?” she asked no one in particular.

“Mystic Maya and Mr. Nick will be here tomorrow.” She thought to herself as she lay back down on her pillow. “They will make everything better.”



Phoenix changed into his pyjamas and picked up the photo frame he had just put together for Maya. He planned to go and check on her before going to bed. He would leave this on her bedside table for her to find in the morning.

He trudged up the hallway and opened her door softly. The light from the streetlamp outside streamed through the window and he could see that she wasn’t sleeping. She sat lengthways across her bed, legs outstretched and back against the wall. She looked over at him as he entered the room.

“I just came to check on you...” Phoenix said. She smiled weakly, but said nothing. “How come you aren’t sleeping?” he asked, moving across the room.

“Nightmares.” She said simply. “The nightmares are back. Just like after my mother died.”

Phoenix sat down on the bed, shuffling back and leaning against the wall so that he was shoulder to shoulder with her.

“I brought you a present.” he said, handing her the frame.

Maya smiled, touching the glass gently.

“Where did you find this?” She asked, her soft smile evident in her voice.

“In the file Mia was talking about. There’s some more pictures of your family in there too. Even your Dad.”

Maya said nothing, but leaned her head against Phoenix’s shoulder. She clutched lightly at the frame.

“You know,” she said softly. “Not only is Lillian gone, but Mia’s really gone too. I actually have to deal with her death now.”

Phoenix took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. He’d never actually realised that. With Mia always contactable, it was like she hadn’t really gone anywhere. But now...

“We’ll get her back.” Phoenix said, hoping to god he sounded more convincing than he felt. He needed to be positive for Maya.

“I don’t think I can do this, Nick.” She said softly.

“Yes you can.” He reassured her.

They sat there for a few moments, before Phoenix found himself yawning.

“You need to get some sleep.” He said, covering his mouth as he yawned again. “And so do I. We have to leave early tomorrow.”

Maya looked up at him with a pleading expression. He knew she didn’t want to go back to sleep, and she didn’t want him to leave her in her room alone. He cast a quick glance at her single bed. That would be an uncomfortable night for sure. There was only one other solution. Besides, it wasn’t like it would be anything new. With a soft sigh he stood.

“Cmon.” He said, extending his hand. Slightly puzzled, Maya took it and he pulled her to her feet. He led her out of her room and up the hallway towards his room. She stood for a moment, unsure of what to do when Phoenix walked over to his bed and pulled back the covers. But by the time he had climbed into bed, she had headed around the other side and climbed in next to him. She settled herself next to him, head resting on his shoulder. She draped an arm over his chest as he settled a hand on her waist. She closed her eyes, snuggling against him.

Phoenix knew she was exhausted. The emotional events of the day had taken their toll on her and if he had just left her in her room, she wouldn’t have slept at all. He looked down at her, feeling a strange mixture of concern, compassion, love and attraction. He could kiss her right now. Heck, he wanted to kiss her right now, but as much as he knew that she would be responsive to such an action, he knew it would be an utterly selfish thing to do.

She had enough to deal with right now. Having to deal with changes in their relationship at this point in time would just add to her emotional load. He couldn’t have that on his conscience. He would wait for the right time. There was no need to rush anything. Maya made him feel a sort of calm that was completely uncharacteristic. Something on a bizarre instinctual level told him that he had forever with this woman, and that everything would fall into place.

“Nick?”

Maya’s small voice surprised him. He thought she was asleep already.

“Yeah?” he whispered.

“Have you ever wished you were someone else?” she asked softly. He’d asked Iris that same question that night on the bridge. He wondered what was going through her mind to have prompted such thoughts. It was true, there had been some very difficult points in his life that he had wanted to just wish away, but looking down at the beautiful girl next to him, he knew that this wasn’t one of them.

“Not right now.” He said, tightening his grip on her waist. He felt her smile against his shoulder. Before long, she was asleep.

Not too long after that, the combined effects of shared body warmth and the steady heartbeat of the woman in his embrace also lulled Phoenix into a peaceful slumber.

His last thought, before falling asleep, was that he had to think up some excuse to get Maya to sleep here permanently.

Surely she wouldn’t need much convincing.

“Maya...”

His voice was barely a whisper. She could feel the soft warmth of his breath on her neck as he whispered in her ear. His nose grazed her earlobe.

“Maya, it’s time to wake up.”

Her eyes snapped open when she registered the gentle pressure of his lips just below her ear.

“Nick?” she managed to breathe. “What are you doing?”

Her breath caught in her throat as he slid a hand up her thigh, bringing it to rest on her hip. Her heart hammered in her chest. She gulped. Turning to face him, she was surprised by his somewhat predatory smirk.

Then he kissed her.

She froze for a moment, before the shock of his sudden movement wore off and her brain finally registered what was happening. Her body relaxed, and she began to respond, kissing him back just as eagerly. She clutched at his shirt, while her other hand made its way up to his neck. She curled her fingers into his hair, pulling him down with her as she sunk further into the pillow.

She felt dizzy. Her heart was pounding and so was his. She could completely understand what they meant in the movies when they talked about seeing fireworks... she’d never felt anything like this. Every inch of her body felt like it was going crazy.

He stroked her cheek before finally breaking their kiss. Breathing heavy, he studied her face before smiling softly.

“Maya, you really should wake up.”

She frowned slightly, confused.

“I am awake.” She said, still trying to catch her breath.

Phoenix sat up, leaning on his elbow. He shook his head.

“I’m afraid you aren’t.” He said simply before grinning at her.

“You mean...” Maya trailed off.



Maya woke suddenly to find herself staring at the ceiling in Phoenix’s bedroom. Reflexively she reached over to his side of the bed. It was empty, and the sheets were cold. He had been gone for some time.

“Damn it.” She muttered, annoyed at herself for having such an inappropriate dream. She sat up, pulling the sheet with her. Shaking her head, she brought a hand up to her cheek, feeling the heat radiating off her skin.

“What are you, fourteen? Get a grip Maya!” she reprimanded herself.

Suddenly, the bedroom door flung open, and Phoenix walked into the room.

“Aaaagh!” Maya yelled, the sudden intrusion startling her. She clutched at the sheet she had already pulled up to her chest. Phoenix raised an eyebrow at her.

“You okay?” he asked. “You look kinda flushed. You’re not sick are you?”

“I’m okay.” She said shakily, in a voice that didn’t sound like her own. Confused, she brought a hand up to cover her mouth, making a small ‘meep’ noise. Phoenix continued to look at her strangely.

“You sure?” he asked again. Maya nodded over enthusiastically. Phoenix took a seat on the edge of the bed.

“I was just coming to get you, anyway.” He said calmly.

Images of her dream flashed through her mind. Maya’s eyes widened and she felt herself blush.

“Why?” she asked, eyeing him seriously. Maybe it was because she woke up so suddenly, but she couldn’t help feeling like she was still dreaming. She watched Phoenix warily, looking for anything out of the ordinary to confirm her suspicion.

Phoenix’s brow furrowed. He was trying his hardest not to laugh. Maya was so weird right now.

“Because you really should wake up?” Phoenix said, raising his eyebrows and shrugging lightly. His statement was more of a question, seeking her approval. She narrowed her eyes at him.

“Didn’t he just say that in my dream?” Maya thought, alarmed. She opened her mouth to speak, but promptly snapped it shut again. What if she wasn’t dreaming?

“What?” Phoenix asked, puzzled by her expression. With a sigh she sat up straight, turning away from him and swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

“Nothing.” She mumbled under her breath, deciding she was probably awake and trying her best to regain some composure. “I’m up. I’m up.” She said with a sigh.

“Good.” He said, watching her as she crossed the room. “Train leaves in an hour.”

“Mmm hmm.” She murmured, heading towards the door.

“You’re weird this morning Maya...” Phoenix said with a chuckle.

“Am not.” She muttered as she headed out the door, towards the bathroom.

Phoenix heard the bathroom door close with a thud. He sighed deeply before flopping down on the bed, rubbing his eyes as he stared at the ceiling. He wondered why Maya was acting so strangely.

“I hope it doesn’t have anything to do with me…” he thought to himself. “Maybe I freaked her out a little bit bringing her to sleep in here.”

He sat up, shaking his head at himself. That couldn’t be it. This wasn’t the first time they had woken up together. He glanced over at the nightstand on her side of the bed. The photo in the frame of Mia and Maya stood out amongst Phoenix’s possessions. Maya must have still been holding it when she came into the room last night. Phoenix smiled.

“Her side of the bed…” he thought with a small smile. “I like the way that sounds.”

With a self satisfied expression on his face, Phoenix stood and headed out the door, passing the bathroom as he walked up the hallway. The shower was running, and he found himself fighting the completely inappropriate urge to sneak in and take a peek.

“Quit thinking like a teenager, Phoenix…” he chuckled to himself.

A rather explicit dream about Maya had forced him out of bed rather early in need of a cold shower. The last thing he needed was have to take another one.



Phoenix was relieved to find that Maya seemed back to her usual self after her shower. She finished packing quickly and the pair had made it to the train station with time to spare. The train trip to Kurain wasn’t really noteworthy. It was no different than any other day. The two of them had made this trip many times before, and Phoenix felt like he knew the scenery almost by heart.

Maya had been in a pleasant enough mood and was quite talkative, although neither of them made mention of the previous nights sleeping arrangements. But Phoenix couldn’t help but notice that as the landmarks outside the window began to signify that they were drawing closer to Kurain, Maya’s sunny disposition seemed to slowly fade.

She was afraid, he knew that. He glanced over at her as the train pulled to a stop at Kurain’s simple train station. His worried expression mirrored her own. He took her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze. She looked up at him, giving him a small, but grateful smile. She knew he was telling her that he was there for her and he knew that she was thanking him for that. No words were necessary.

“Here we are…” Maya said ominously. She took a deep breath, trying her best to prepare herself for the unpleasantness that she knew lay ahead.

“You ready?” Phoenix asked, concerned. Maya nodded.

As she stood, Phoenix noted significant changes in Maya’s stature. She took on a posture completely different to the one she normally displayed. Her shoulders were back, and her chin lifted slightly. Her jaw tensed and her eyes hardened. Phoenix was amazed at how such small changes made such a significant difference. Gone was the sweet young girl with the innocent smile who had left his office this morning, the Maya that stood before him now was strong, determined and in control. She looked just like Mia before a big court case, but Maya definitely had a lot more at stake here than getting an innocent verdict. He remembered what she had said yesterday about not letting them push her around anymore. He smiled proudly.

This is what he had been waiting to see.



Phoenix leaned against the railing overlooking the winding way, where he usually waited for Maya when she was attending to business matters that “didn’t concern him”. He liked this spot. The view was nothing short of spectacular, and there really wasn’t much else to do considering Maya had been dragged off to be fitted with her Master’s robes. He wasn’t even permitted to see Pearl.

Althea had been waiting for them as they exited the train, and Maya simply strode past her with her head held high. She didn’t allow herself to be intimidated, and Phoenix felt extremely proud. Althea stared daggers at him, but he wasn’t bothered by it. An icy reception in Kurain was something he had grown accustomed to over the years. The only people here that were ever happy to see him were Pearl and Maya.

“Mr Wright?”

Phoenix turned to see a woman who looked to be in her thirties dressed in acolyte robes.

“The Master will see you now. This way please.” She said formally, head bowed. Phoenix nodded and followed.

The woman led him through the halls of the main house towards Maya’s quarters, pausing outside the door. She motioned for him to enter, bowing her head once more. Phoenix slid the door open and stepped inside.

Maya stood on the far side of the room, with her back to Phoenix. She still maintained her regal posture, and her expression was serious as she turned to glance over her shoulder to see who had entered the room. Realising who it was, she smiled and allowed her shoulders to relax. She turned to face him.

“Oh, Nick! It’s you!” she said with a grin. “Boy, am I glad to see you.”

Phoenix tried to speak, but he couldn’t find the words, so he simply stared.

“Nick…” Maya said, watching him carefully. “What’s wrong?”

“You… You look… you look…” Phoenix stammered.

“Silly?” Maya finished, raising an eyebrow.

“Incredible…” Phoenix said, letting out the breath he had been holding.

Maya looked down at her master’s robes, smoothing out the rich purple satin of her kimono. It was long and well fitted, showing off a lithe figure that her acolyte robes had managed to conceal. Her hair had also been styled half up into a more elaborate knot, while the rest cascaded down her back. Phoenix was still staring. Maya couldn’t help but smile.

“I actually think it’s a little over the top…” she said with a shrug. Phoenix said nothing, just shook his head in disagreement. He looked around the room, a confused frown crossing his face.

“What is it?” Maya asked.

“My suitcase…” Phoenix began. “It was right here. It’s got Mia’s file in it…”

Maya went to speak again, but was interrupted by the sound of the door sliding open. Maya’s expression hardened when she saw Althea Fey enter the room.

“I see the robes fit well.” Althea said, forgoing any form of greeting.

“Althea.” Maya said flatly. “I would assume that you didn’t come here to compliment me on my wardrobe. Is there something you wish to speak to me about?”

Althea smiled, although there was nothing friendly about it.

“You are most correct, Mystic Maya. Although I do not wish to speak about Kurain business in front of outsiders.” She said, casting a glance in Phoenix’s direction.

“Mr Wright is serving as my legal counsel and will be accompanying me to all meetings during my stay. Anything you have to say can be said in front of him, in fact, I would prefer it.” Maya said coldly. Phoenix raised his eyebrows in surprise. He didn’t have a problem with it, but she hadn’t mentioned it to him at all.

Althea scowled. Maya was proving to be very difficult. She wondered what prompted such a change in the normally submissive girl. It was no doubt the lawyer.

“Uhh… sorry to interrupt,” Phoenix said sheepishly, hating that he had to speak to Althea at all, “but you wouldn’t happen to know where my suitcase is, would you?”

Althea raised an eyebrow, looking contemptuously at Phoenix. Rather than answering him, she turned her attention back to Maya.

“I took the liberty of having Mr Wright’s belongings moved to the guest rooms in the north wing.” Althea said matter-of-factly.

“I asked you to do no such thing.” Maya said, narrowing her eyes at the woman. “I would like them moved back immediately.”

“But Mystic Maya,” Althea started. “I hardly think it appropriate that Mr Wri-“

“It is not your place to tell me what you think is appropriate.” Maya interrupted. “Mr Wright will stay in my quarters.” She finished.

“But that is highly-“ Althea argued.

“There will be no more discussion.” Maya said, raising her voice slightly.

“Very well.” Althea seethed. “You will be required in council chambers in exactly one hour.”

She turned to leave the room, shooting Phoenix an icy glare.

“Don’t keep us waiting.” Althea said haughtily, exiting the room and closing the screen behind her.

Maya’s eyes widened and her shoulders slumped as she flopped down in her chair. She let out a huge sigh.

“Wow.” Phoenix said, shaking his head. “You were great!”

“You think?” she said nervously. “I was so scared.” Maya shook her head. “I can’t believe I stood up to her.”

“You did great,” Phoenix said with an appreciative smile. “You’re really something, Mystic Maya.” He said with a chuckle.

“You aren’t so bad yourself, Mr Wright.” Maya said with a grin.



Andre Fey knelt down on the grass, examining Althea’s geraniums for any type of weeds growing amongst them. A shadow appeared behind him, blocking his sun. He turned to face the offender, stopping short of berating them when he realized who it was.

“Whatever you’re up to, I will help you.”

Andre blinked a few times.

“Althea… I, I don’t know what you mean.”

Althea shook her head.

“Drop the act, Andre. I heard you on your phone yesterday. I want to get rid of that disgrace of a master just as much as you do. Let me know what’s going on.”

Andre frowned.

Mother wasn’t going to like this.

They both had a *ahem* interesting dream...

Poor Maya. Just a dream :(

But we don't bear witness to Phoenix's dream..

Andre slowly moved to his feet, brushing the dirt from his hands. He was a good foot taller than Althea, but despite the woman’s diminutive stature, she cut quite the intimidating figure. He took a deep breath, wondering which direction to steer the conversation.

Should he accept the help that Althea was offering? She was definitely someone who could ensure his plan came to fruition. Her position on the council and high standing amongst the villagers would almost ensure that. Or should he continue to feign ignorance? Morgan had been explicitly detailed with her meticulous planning and would no doubt be furious at Andre for being overheard. She had specifically mentioned how Althea was to unknowingly support their cause. The less people who knew what was going on, the less likely were mistakes.

He scowled as new thoughts raced through his head. Mother didn’t listen to him. She didn’t want to be around him. She didn’t want to talk to him. She certainly didn’t want to help him. All she was interested in was making sure that her beloved Pearl was the Master. That useless brat. Mother wasn’t concerned at all with making Maya and Phoenix pay for what they did. Why couldn’t she see that he was doing all this for her? They took his mother away and they would pay.

Why didn’t she see? Why wasn’t she proud?

But Althea... she was different. Althea cared about him. She listened to what he had to say. She understood him. That made his choice all the more clear.

“Meet me back here at sundown. I’ll explain everything.” Andre said emotionlessly. The gardens would be quiet at that time of evening. He watched Althea, waiting for her response.

She said nothing, only nodded curtly before turning and heading away. She asked no questions and seemingly understood the need for discretion at this time. Andre was impressed by that.

“Mother will most definitely not be pleased at all...” Andre thought to himself. But the game had changed, and he had to adjust the rules accordingly or else he would lose.

He was not going to lose.



Maya walked briskly towards the council chambers, and Phoenix struggled to match her pace.

“Hey, slow down will ya?” he complained as he reached her side. “Where’s the fire?”

“Althea is already going to be ready to tear my head off,” Maya explained. “If I’m late it will be even worse.”

“I thought she didn’t scare you...” Phoenix said with a smirk.

“Oh no...” Maya said, shaking her head to signify that Phoenix was incorrect. “She terrifies me. The key is though, to not let her know about that.”

“I see...” Phoenix said, nodding. “Well I’m pretty sure you have it under control, and unless we need to walk another 30 miles to the council chambers, you’re not going to be late. In fact at this speed, we’ll get there yesterday.”

“You’re getting old, Nick.” Maya said with a laugh as she began to walk a little faster again.

“Hey!” Phoenix cried. “I am not! Augh!”

He jogged to catch up to her before taking her by the arm and turning her around to face him. She raised an eyebrow.

“Need a breather, Grandpa?” she asked with a chuckle. Phoenix shot her an annoyed look.

“No.” He said flatly. “But if I’m going to be your legal counsel, I need to ask you some questions before we get in there.”

“Like what?”

“Like what am I meant to do?”

Maya squinted thoughtfully, trying her best to come up with an intelligent answer. Giving up, she shrugged. Phoenix’s shoulders slumped.

“I have no idea.” Maya said simply. “You’re the lawyer. Just do lawyerly things.”

“Lawyerly things?” Phoenix asked. “I’m so proud that you’ve learned so much in your time as my assistant, Maya.” He finished sarcastically.

“I’m sorry, Nick.” Maya said, her expression apologetic. “Althea had me all riled up and it just came out. I didn’t think it would be a big deal.”

“It’s not.” Phoenix said, shaking his head. “I just don’t want Althea to claim I have no business being there, and not have some sort of witty comeback to shut her up.”

“You’ll think of something.” Maya said with a grin. They began walking once more, although at a more leisurely pace.

“Besides. I’ll be able to stand up to her with you there.” Maya said quietly, watching the ground as she walked. “I’m more confident when I’m with you.”

Phoenix smiled, taking her hand in his and giving it a light squeeze. He dropped it quickly, feeling uncharacteristically self conscious about being seen holding hands with the Master. As they walked, passing villagers did little to hide the fact that they were staring. While it was probably due to the fact that Maya had not been in Kurain for such a long time, the fact that she was accompanied by a strange man probably didn’t help matters much.

Maya didn’t seem to notice, she was once again lost in her own thoughts. They stopped outside the doors of the council chambers. Phoenix stuffed his hands into his pockets and watched Maya, waiting for her to make a move.

“ You ready?” Phoenix asked, interrupting the silence and surprising Maya. She looked up at him, her face calm.

“You know what? I think I am.” She said, before smiling. “I’ve prepared for this meeting. I didn’t expect it to be so soon, but I’ve done my homework.”

“Too much homework.” Phoenix quipped, rolling his eyes.

“Don’t start.” Maya said with mock seriousness, pointing a finger at him.

“I’m kidding.” Phoenix said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He smiled at her, that same dazzling smile that always made her heart melt. Maya felt butterflies, but she knew they weren’t because she was nervous about the council meeting.

“You’ll be great.” Phoenix said earnestly, before leaning down to place a gentle kiss on her cheek. He chuckled softly at her slightly surprised expression and the tinge of pink on her cheeks.

“Let’s go.” She said, exhaling loudly. She opened the door and stepped inside, with Phoenix close behind.



Phoenix looked around as he sat at the bench next to Maya. Kurain’s Council Chambers definitely looked nothing like he had expected, given the traditional Japanese style of the rest of the village. The room they occupied was definitely much more modern. In fact, it sort of resembled a court room, which helped lift his confidence somewhat, the illusion of familiar territory. The only difference was instead of having one judge in the centre, five elderly women peered down at them from the front of the room, and there were no attorneys on either side. Only Maya and himself right in the middle.

He looked over at Maya, who sat calmly, fingers laced together and eyes locked on Althea Fey. She was waiting for the head council member to officially begin the meeting and despite her earlier admission that Althea terrified her, Maya was staring the woman down as if that was the absolute furthest from the truth. Althea shuffled some papers and adjusted her glasses before settling her eyes on Maya.

“I would now like to call this council meeting to session.” She said formally. “Although we normally convene much later in the month, in light of the unfortunate circumstances which have brought the Master to Kurain , I felt it prudent to call this meeting to discuss village business in her presence. It will be a privilege to actually hear her thoughts on village matters,” she finished. The note of sarcasm in her voice was not lost on Maya, but she decided to ignore it. She had no doubt that Phoenix heard it too.

“Unfortunately, as our first point of order, we must nominate a replacement council member due to the passing of Lillian Fey. I move to nominate Lillian’s younger sister Lisbeth. All in favour?” Althea asked.

The four other women at the front of the room all raised their hands. Maya didn’t move.

“I see that none are opposed.” Althea said. “By unanimous decision, Lisbeth Fey will be inducted as our sixth council member.”

Phoenix leaned over to whisper in Maya’s ear.

“Were you supposed to vote?” he asked.

“No. I’m not a council member.” Maya whispered back.

“Oh. Okay. I thought she was being her usual charming self and making a point of ignoring you.” Phoenix added. Maya stifled a laugh.

“Something amusing, Mystic Maya?” Althea asked, shooting the young woman a scathing glare.

“Not particularly, Mystic Althea.” Maya said, meeting the woman’s gaze. Phoenix was amazed at the fact that Maya was refusing to back down. Amazed and impressed. This was going to be an interesting afternoon.

“Very well then.” Althea said calmly. Both women were attempting to play the same passive aggressive game. “My first question of you is to ask why you feel that you need legal counsel for something as simple as a mere council meeting.”

Phoenix groaned inwardly. He knew this question was coming. He had told her this question was coming. And she hadn’t had an answer. He knew he had to think fast. He opened his mouth to speak, but promptly snapped it shut again when Maya beat him to it.

“The answer is quite simple, Mystic Althea, if you’ll allow me to elaborate.” Maya said confidently. Without waiting for an indication from Althea to continue, she began speaking again.

“I haven’t had to the opportunity to attend a council meeting in this capacity before, as the Master, and I have many things that I would like to bring to your attention. Kurain is behind the times in many aspects and I would like to begin my time as Master to instigate changes and progress that I feel overdue. I have requested Mr Wright’s presence to simply overlook proceedings and to ensure that if any of my changes proposed are rejected by the council, that they are rejected for a substantial reason and not just an aversion to change or a personal opinion of me and how I plan to run this village. While we may govern our affairs internally, we are not exempt from the law and I have every right to legally challenge your decision in a civil court if I feel discriminated against in any way.” Maya paused, lifting her chin slightly.

Phoenix was stunned. Ten minutes ago she had shrugged and said she had no idea! That answer was even better than what he would have come up with!

“Hence, I have employed Mr Phoenix Wright as my legal advisor. Is any further clarification required?” Maya asked, raising an eyebrow.

Althea’s jaw tensed. She had not been expecting this from Maya. The other women on the council bench shook their heads to signify that they had no further questions. Althea’s gaze remained on Maya. She vowed to break this facade of hers before the meeting was over.

“Very well, Mr Wright can stay.” Althea conceded, her cool outwards demeanour a stark contrast to the contempt she felt welling within her. “I planned to speak next about the details surrounding Lillian’s unfortunate passing, but I will leave that until later. Given the fact that the Master has spent so little time in Kurain over the last year I am curious to find out what changes she feels need to be made to make Kurain so much more effective than it is now.” Althea drawled, not bothering to even try to mask her sarcasm this time.

“Well if you’re done taking pot-shots at me and what you feel is my lack of duty towards this village, I’d like to begin.” Maya said, raising her voice slightly. Althea looked slightly taken aback as the other women on the council gasped. Phoenix marvelled at Maya’s gutsy response. He really hadn’t expected so much from her, but oh boy, was he ever enjoying himself!

“I know that some people may think that I have been neglecting my duty as Master,” Maya began, casting an annoyed glance in Althea’s direction. “But I’d like to begin by assuring you that that is most definitely not the case. The role of Master was bestowed upon me at a very young age; it is all I have ever really known. And although I am not yet old enough to officially accept the title, I still take my position very seriously. Up until three years ago, I had never really travelled outside of Kurain, save for brief visits to my sister. I had little knowledge of the workings of the world at large, as well as next to no idea as to how to run this village. I have spent my absences over the last three years studying the way things work outside Kurain, and the changes the world has seen that have yet to be reflected in our village. I plan to bring that wisdom back with me to be able to run Kurain more effectively and help all our people to lead more enriched lives. That being said, I will continue to base myself outside of Kurain for the time being and move back and forth when necessary.”

The council ladies nodded in understanding and acceptance, one even smiled in response to Maya’s enthusiasm for her position. Phoenix was thrilled. They seemed more than happy to let Maya run things from outside Kurain. All except Althea, that was.

Maya went on to outline all the improvements she planned to introduce to Kurain. From electricity upgrades and phones, right through to internet access and distance education for the young acolytes. She had plans to digitise the old texts so nothing was lost as the years went by and the books degraded. She suggested upgrading the channelling chamber with three more rooms to allow for more appointments and she had also completely planned a tiered system of channelling, which would categorise their jobs and give the harder tasks to more accomplished mediums and the easier channelling to younger girls in need of experience. This would allow for more work to be done, as more mediums would be available and therefore more money generated. The council women were incredibly pleased with her suggestions, asking questions and commending her ideas. Althea was uncharacteristically quiet.

“And finally, I would like to express an interest in sending funding and acolytes to Hazakurain.” Maya said.

“I don’t feel that will be necessary.” Althea responded, perhaps a little too quickly.

“Under what grounds do you object?” Maya asked. She looked over at Phoenix who began to write notes.

“Kurain would be foolish to squander its resources on another village that should be self sufficient. What is he writing?” Althea asked, annoyed.

“That is not your concern.” Maya said. “Kurain has wealth and population beyond its requirements, while our sister village does not. It’s a simple matter of math.”

“We do not have the funds to spare!” Althea said, growing slightly more flustered.

“I don’t know which bank balances you are referring to Althea, but according to my calculations we have plenty to spare.” Maya challenged. “I plan on doing a complete audit on expenses for the last five years anyway to ensure we are stable before sending any money to Hazakurain. I understand all the old bank records are stored in the vault.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Althea said quickly, fidgeting with her magatama. “I withdraw my objection.”

Phoenix reached into his pocket and quickly found Maya’s magatama. Not that he needed it. Althea was acting strangely enough at the mention of Hazakurain. The magatama just confirmed things.

“She’s hiding something.” He whispered to Maya.

“I know.” She whispered in return, not moving her gaze from Althea. “I wonder what. Isn’t it wonderful to see her panic like that?” Maya quipped. Phoenix smiled.

“Very good, Mystic Althea. Does anyone else have any objections to such an action?” Maya asked the rest of the council. No one raised their hand. “Excellent.” Maya smiled in a satisfied manner.

“Is there anything else you would like to add before I call a recess, Mystic Maya?” Althea asked.

“No.” She said with a small shake of her head. “I’m finished.”

“Good.” Althea said. “We will take a five minute break. Mystic Maya, please stay where you are. I wish to speak to you.”

The other four ladies stood and moved towards the rear exit, while Althea made her way over to where Maya and Phoenix remained seated.

“Mr Wright. Would you mind?” She asked, motioning to the door. Phoenix glanced over at Maya. She shook her head.

“He stays, Althea.” Maya said, annoyed. Althea crossed her arms. “I know your here to chew me out for being disrespectful in front of the council, so you can say anything you have to say in front of him.”

Althea slammed her hands down on the desk in front of Maya. The sudden action made Phoenix jump slightly, but Maya remained unmoving, glaring up at the older woman.

“I could care less about him!” Althea seethed, motioning flippantly towards Phoenix. “I don’t know who you think you are, but how DARE you waltz back in here and try to change everything. I’ve had to run things for so long because you’ve been off running around with him.” She finished her sentence with a snort of disgust and an annoyed glance at Phoenix. But she wasn’t finished yet. “Things were just fine before you came back with all your changes and improvements. You know NOTHING about running this village and you have no respect for its traditions!”

Maya stood, leaning her hands on the desk so that she was face to face with Althea.

“You don’t want to accept that I’m doing what is best for this village.” Maya said angrily. “You don’t like me, so you try and paint me like I’m some sort of useless child with no sense of duty or loyalty. Well I’m not useless, and I’m not a child! It’s disgusting that you would allow personal opinions to affect the wellbeing of the village. I know you don’t like me, you certainly didn’t like my sister and you didn’t like my mother either.”

Althea stood up straight, turning her back on Maya. She laughed strangely.

“Your mother.” She said, shaking her head. “You’re so much like her that it sickens me. I see you, especially when you’re with him, and it’s her all over again.”

“What? What are you talking about?” Maya asked, puzzled. Althea spun around quickly, her face contorted into a twisted grimace.

“Ha! Your mother… We sent her away to be educated as a teenager thinking it would benefit the village, and that little harlot fell in love with a lawyer and wound up pregnant. She was nineteen, just like you. She came back here and he convinced her she could change everything. It’s always the lawyers that cause the problems. And surprise, surprise. Here we have history repeating itself.” Althea said with disgust, glancing over at Phoenix with contempt. Phoenix knew that she was insinuating a physical relationship between him and Maya and he felt anger rising within him. He narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists.

“Hey!” Phoenix yelled. “You can’t talk about her like that! It’s not like that.” Althea ignored him as if he wasn’t there, and Phoenix fought the urge to grab the woman and make her look at him.

“I… I don’t understand...” Maya said, her confident grasp on the situation fading.

“Oh no, Maya. Don’t lose faith in yourself now. You’ve done so well so far!” Phoenix silently pleaded with her.

“You didn’t know your father was a lawyer, did you? They were married immediately and Mia was born only days after your mother turned twenty. Who do you think convinced your mother to help with that damn case that caused all the trouble?” Althea asked. Maya was dumbfounded.

“Right before he died.” Althea added cryptically, tilting her head slightly, making Phoenix wonder what that had to do with anything.

“Why would you even mention that?” he couldn’t help asking her.

“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to, lawyer.” Althea shot back.

Maya was desperately trying to process this new information as the other women began to walk back into the chamber.

“You’re a disgrace, Maya. Just like Misty.” Althea spat, just low enough for the other women to not be able to hear, before turning around and heading back to her seat. Maya sat stunned, a tear running down her cheek. Phoenix’s shoulders slumped. She had been so strong, but Althea had found a way to attack her mother and turn it around on her. She had used the fact that there was so much Maya didn’t know to try and rattle her, and she had succeeded.

Althea began to speak again, but Maya wasn’t paying attention. Her eyes were glazed over and she stared at nothing. Phoenix glared at Althea.

“Now that we are all back here, it pains me to do so, but I must inform the council of the circumstances surrounding Lillian’s death. This information is not to leave this chamber, and the rest of the village must go on believing that Lillian’s death was caused by heart failure.”

A surprised gasp and small murmurs could be heard from the other four ladies sitting at the council bench and Phoenix could not believe that Althea had waited until Maya was upset and barely functional to no doubt drag her beloved sister’s name through the mud.

“Lillian was murdered by Mia Fey, poisoned in fact, while being channelled by Pearl Fey.”

The council members looked positively stunned. Phoenix was beside himself. He stood and pointed his finger at Lillian.

“Objection!” he shouted on reflex, immediately realising that probably wasn’t the right thing to do. He had forgotten where he was.

“Objection?” Althea asked. Phoenix smiled awkwardly and fidgeted with his tie. “I am sorry, Mr Wright, but this is a council meeting, not a court case. If you have nothing constructive to add, then please sit down.”

“What I meant to say is, how can you know that? What proof do you have? Mia Fey was special to both of us and we will not have you tarnish her name without evidence!” Phoenix cried. Maya was finally paying attention to what was going on, but didn’t appear to be in any condition to contribute.

“Her fingerprints were found on the bottle which contained the poison. She also attacked one of the villagers with a knife reported stolen by her from the vehicle belonging to Lucas Fey. The attacked villager in question has reported everything he witnessed.”

“Who was attacked?” One of the council ladies asked.

“Andre Fey.” Althea replied.

The ladies murmured once more but Phoenix was not about to give up.

“I question the credibility of your witness!” Phoenix cried.

“On what grounds?” Althea snapped. Phoenix thought for a moment.

“On the grounds that he’s a lying jerk?” he thought to himself. He couldn’t say that out loud.

Althea seemed to think that he had no response.

“Mr Wright, Mystic Maya’s claims of discrimination due to personal opinion don’t just work in her favour, you know.” She said, turning Maya’s words against her. “You can’t discredit Andre simply because you don’t like him.”

“I question his credibility as a witness due to his relationship with Morgan Fey, who has previously made attempts at my client’s life!”

More surprised murmurs could be heard from the council bench. Althea clenched her teeth together.

“This meeting is adjourned.” She seethed. The other ladies simply stared at her, silent.

“NOW!” she bellowed, causing the women to immediately pick up their belongings and scuttle towards the door. She stepped down from the bench and walked towards Phoenix, who stood quickly, placing a hand on the desk protectively in front of Maya, as if that would shield the girl from whatever Althea had planned.

“You just don’t know when to keep your mouth shut, do you Mr Wright?” she asked, her eyes narrowed into small slits. Phoenix stood defiant.

“You don’t scare me. I’m not afraid of you.” He said. Althea smirked.

“You should be scared.” Althea said dangerously. “For her.”

With that, she turned and walked away. Phoenix watched her close the door to the chamber behind her, before turning his attention to Maya. He crouched next to her chair, tilting her face so she was looking at him.

“Maya, are you alright? We need to get out of here.” He said, his voice filled with concern.

“I didn’t know.” She said quietly. “I didn’t know about my mother or my father. Why does this family have so many secrets?” she sighed and shook her head. “Althea… she knows something about my father’s death, I know it! How could she say those horrible things about sis…?”

Maya’s brow furrowed. Phoenix stood and pulled her to her feet. He pulled her into a hug and she buried her face in his chest.

“We’ll get to the bottom of this,” he said as he stroked her hair. “I think it’s time to dig all of the skeletons out of Kurain’s closet.”

I checked the dates. Mia was indeed born when Misty was 20! Ho ho! Misty, you little minx you.