The Mind's Door

Book excerpt: Maya San Lucas had been lost in her dreamworld for the better part of five years. Desparia was just a fantasy world for her to explore during stretches of boredom at school and at home. Going to that world let her have adventures, exploring secret locations, and searching through towns and cities for loot to come away with. The life of a thief was so much more exciting than high school, especially with no friends to speak of. When she met the three women outside the tavern, everything changed. While she never seemed to have much control over her daydreamed world, her skills had always been there to help her through it. But as they gradually faded, Maya was forced to tag along with the group as they stormed the fortified home of the emperor. Their plan was to kill him, but Maya just wanted to make it out of there alive. Perhaps with a few items of worth along the way. After all, what was the point in breaking into a place without coming away with some loot? It all started so innocently, when Maya had first started going to Desparia. All she wanted out of life was not to be lost and alone as she started out in middle school. But when her father died unexpectedly, and her friends abandoned and ostracized her, the only way that she could turn was inward. Inward to the world just on the other side of her mind.