Being cooped up in one place was never Maxi’s style. She preferred being out in the open, always moving, always working on something. But for the past few days, she had been stuck inside like some grounded princess.
Issac, on the other hand, was the only one who got to leave. It didn’t sit well with her. Maxi was great at blending in—there was no way some messy Fae could catch her—but Issac wouldn’t take any chances.
"You’re my mate. I don’t think I could forgive myself if something happened to you," Issac would say.
The old Maxi would’ve rolled her eyes and called his protective streak bullshit, but now she could sense his panic and fear through their bond. She knew he wasn’t exaggerating, so she gave in. If there was one thing Maxi had learned since becoming Issac’s mate, it was compromise.
Maxi had always worked alone. Her life had been solitary for as long as she could remember, with Aldric being her only close connection. But things were different now. She had responsibility, not just to herself but to Issac. Her actions could hurt him, and she couldn’t bear to cause him pain.
So, here she was, staying indoors like an obedient mate. The bright side? Issac made sure she had anything and everything she wanted to eat, and Oma and Kayla occasionally kept her company. At that moment, she and Kayla were playing a card game to pass the time.
Midway through the game, Maxi shifted in her seat, feeling a sudden pressure in her stomach. Without warning, she let out a loud fart. It was impulsive, and she immediately glanced at Kayla to gauge her reaction.
Kayla froze, her eyes wide as the foul smell hit her. For a moment, neither of them said anything. Maxi felt a stab of guilt. She hadn’t meant to do that, at least not right in Kayla’s face.
"I’m sorry. It must’ve been that awful breakfast we ate."
Neither Issac nor Oma had been around to make breakfast that morning, and Kayla, as it turned out, was a terrible cook. Maxi wasn’t much better herself—"manageable" would be a generous description. She’d spent most of her life surviving on whatever animals she would catch in the wild, and when she wasn’t out there, she had food at Aldric’s palace eat from. Cooking wasn’t exactly her forte.
That morning, however, she’d tried something new. A recipe of sorts, if you could even call it that—just a random mix of ingredients that somehow turned into an edible meal.
"Strangely edible," as Kayla had put it. With no Issac or Oma around, they had eaten the entire meal, which probably explained why Maxi now felt gassy.
Kayla, still recovering from the smell, shook her head. "Oh, you don’t need to apologize," she said, her voice oddly casual.
"What?" Maxi was confused.
Without missing a beat, Kayla lifted her leg and let out a loud, echoing fart.
"Ahh," Kayla sighed, throwing her head back with satisfaction. "That feels good. You have no idea how long I’ve been holding that in."
Maxi’s nose twitched, and her face contorted as the stench hit her. Unlike her own fart, which she found relatively mild, Kayla’s smelled like rotten eggs. The urge to gag overtook her, and she fought to keep her breakfast down.
Kayla, seeing her reaction, burst into laughter. "How’s that for one? You should’ve known—I’m the Queen of Farts!" She was laughing so hard she barely got the words out.
Big mistake.
Maxi’s face hardened. She wasn’t one to back down from a challenge, and Kayla had just thrown down the gauntlet.
"Fine. I accept," Maxi said, her voice deadly serious.
"What?" Kayla’s eyes widened, then narrowed as well, her competitive spirit kicking in. "Bring it on."
The two of them sat on the long couch, cards forgotten between them. Maxi was the first to strike. With a vengeful gleam in her eyes, she raised her leg and released a long, thunderous fart that echoed throughout the room. It was so powerful that it seemed to rumble on and on until it finally stuttered to a stop.
Kayla tried to maintain her composure, but when the smell hit her, she retched and turned away, pinching her nose.
"What in the Fae do you store in that stomach of yours?" she cried, waving her hand in front of her face in a futile attempt to clear the air.
Maxi laughed, her victory sweet. This was revenge, and it felt good. She delighted in Kayla’s torment.
But Kayla wasn’t one to back down either. Revenge flashed in her eyes, and she was determined to reclaim her title as the Queen of Farts. She raised her leg higher and, with a grunt of effort, let out a booming fart, then another, each one louder and smellier than the last.
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