Thank you for reading on ! We provide free access to all our stories, but maintaining this platform requires ongoing costs. To keep the site running and continue offering free content, we display advertisements. You can close the ads anytime, or upgrade to premium membership ($5/month) for an ad-free reading experience while supporting our mission. You can also earn premium for free by completing simple tasks. We truly appreciate your understanding and support!Barto hurried through the palace corridors, his mind racing. He had to find Maya. As he walked, a small pixie appeared before him, darting around with an urgency that matched his own. "You should come with me. We need to go," the pixie insisted. "Where are you from?" Barto asked, confused as the tiny creature tugged at his long hair, trying to pull him along despite his reluctance. "There's no time for questions! You have to convince Maya to return to the land of the fairies, or she will die." Barto's heart sank. "What do you mean? What illness does she have?" "The disease of the fairies.The only way to heal her is to take her back to their realm, but she refuses to go." Barto's younger brother caught up with him, breathless. "Explain what you mean by illness. What does it do?" "The women who swore loyalty to the queen cannot abandon their lands. They must return, or they will weaken until they perish." "But Maya broke her oath," Barto replied, frustration creeping into his voice. "Even if her oath is broken, the ties to the fairy kingdom remain. There's nothing that can sever them.If we don't act soon, the kingdom will fade away." Desperation gripped Barto as he thought of his sister's life hanging in the balance. "I'll tell her to go back and heal. I'm sure she-" "No," the pixie interrupted. "She's already too far gone. I can't cure her. Her vital strength is slipping away." Barto felt a chill run down his spine. "What do you mean? There must be another way!" "There isn't. The fairy realm is the only place that can save her." "Then you must take her back!" Barto insisted. "No! She can't return to the human world.The queen won't allow it." "Is that why Maya doesn't want to go?" Barto asked, his voice softening. "She doesn't want to leave her human lover," the pixie replied, her tone heavy with understanding. "But she must." Barto clenched his fists. "You will convince her to return to the land of the fairies." "Take me to her, now," the pixie demanded. Barto followed the pixie to Maya's room, urgency propelling him forward. He opened the door and was met with the sight of his sister lying on the bed, looking frail and pale. It struck him like a blow to the chest."What are you doing?" he asked, his voice tight with concern. Ignoring him, Barto rushed to her side, taking in her condition. She looked worse than he had imagined, her skin cold and clammy, as if she were fading away. "It's true, you are dying," he whispered, his heart aching. Maya managed a weak smile upon seeing him, but the pixie perched on her shoulder was not as gentle. "You need to listen to your brother, Maya." Barto's heart sank further as he watched the flicker of hope in Maya's eyes dim. "What did you say?" Barto turned to Cassian, who had just entered, his face a mask of fear."What did you say to her?" Barto ignored Cassian's question, focusing instead on Maya. "You need to tell him it's a lie, that you're not dying." Maya wanted to deny it, to claim it was all a fabrication, but the truth hung heavy in the air. "I can't lie anymore," she admitted. "The fairies don't lie, Maya," Cassian said, desperation creeping into his voice. Barto felt the weight of the moment. "Since when have you been sick?" "Since I created a bond with you," Maya replied, her voice barely a whisper. "Why didn't you tell me?" Cassian asked, anguish etched on his face."I didn't want to worry you. I didn't want to see you suffer," Maya said, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "But I can't lose you. I'm your partner," Cassian pleaded, his voice breaking. "You don't understand," Maya said, her voice trembling. "I didn't want you to feel burdened by the knowledge that our time together was limited." Barto interjected, "You must return to the fairy realm. It's the only way you can recover." "I won't go back, Barto. I can't," Maya insisted, shaking her head. "You'll die here!" Barto exclaimed, frustration boiling over. Cassian was bewildered."Why do you want her to return to the fairy realm?" "Because I believe April can cure her. We must wait for her to come," Barto replied, his gaze steady on Maya. "But what if she can't?" Cassian asked, fear creeping into his voice. "She will heal you, I'm sure of it," Barto insisted, desperation lacing his words. The little pixie, feeling the tension, spoke up. "She can only delay the illness. If she doesn't return to the fairy realm, she will die. If you love her, you must let her go." "Be quiet," Maya snapped at the pixie, her patience wearing thin.noveldrama"I don't want to hear any more about returning to the land of the fairies. Just leave me alone." The pixie vanished, leaving Barto feeling helpless. "I'm sorry, Maya. I just want what's best for you." "I need to rest now," Maya said, her voice barely above a whisper. Barto nodded, understanding the weight of her words. As he left the room, a heavy silence settled between Maya and Cassian, their gazes lingering on each other, both grappling with the uncertainty of what lay ahead.