The Key of Hearts by Mia Rodriguez

  Chapter 14

  Selena woke up so abruptly that she nearly fell off her bed. The word deviations bellowed harshly in her ears. Then making an important realization, she shot straight up and put her hands over her face.

  Xavier wasn’t in my dream, she said to herself. His mother was there but he wasn’t. She laid back down trying to remember all of the details.

  Xavier’s mother had told her that humans had many deviations getting in the way of their better selves.

  “Like Moonflower and her obsession with Saul and losing weight?” Selena asked, her nostrils filling with Clara’s sweet perfume of lilacs.

  “Yes, she’s deviating from her true self,” Clara said, suddenly moving away from her.

  “Where are you going?” Selena asked.

  “I’ve got to go.”

  “But I need you to meet with Xavier. I need you to—“

  “I’ll be back as soon as he’s ready.”

  “But—“

  “He’s not ready for me yet,” Clara said with deep sadness in her voice.

  “He’ll be so disappointed.”

  “It can’t be helped.”

  “But—“

  “Don’t forget what I said about deviations.”