Undertow (Catching Fire)

Maynard/Danny, Alternate Universe, Magical Elements, Drama, Angst with a Happy Ending, Slow Burn

Summary

Fire never asks permission. On the tradition-bound island of Solémar, fire mage Maynard has spent his life treading the line between belonging and burning it all down. His world cracks open when Danny, a visiting surfer with an easy command of water magic and an infectious grin, arrives and sees the brilliance Maynard hides.

Their bond ignites, but in a moment of desperation, Maynard makes a life-altering choice: trading his fiery passion for the peace of a normal life. The life of someone who doesn't have to shrink to belong.

But Danny refuses to let Maynard’s wildness vanish without a fight. A stolen painting smuggled into Solémar's yearly festival shatters Maynard's peace and makes him a pariah all over again. The outrageous piece catches the eye of a gallery curator on the mainland, where art is encouraged to be wild and challenging—all the things Maynard used to be.

As acclaim draws him into the mainland’s vibrant chaos, Maynard faces one final reckoning: Is it better to belong, or to be true?
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