“He’s… Intense. Very handsome up close… that’s when he’s not been completely rude and arrogant. But sometimes he’s soft and …”
Hannah sighs, all dreamy.
“Intense.” I finish on.
She’s smiling. Guilt swirls in my chest. She deserves her prince, and that isn’t Lucas. I’m not sure what he is. The only thing I know is that he is emptying me of all my previous notions and refilling it with him.
“Okay, I found three that I think will blow his mind.”
Jessie arrives in and Hannah claps her hands in excitement.
After what feels like hours in my room discussing makeup and the ‘date’ my head is ready to explode. I’ve settled on a black fitted dress. It hugs my body and touches the floor. No skin is showing, yet everything is. I’ve decided to pin my hair up and paint my lips in red.
“He will be tripping over his words.” Hannah’s jaws have to be sore from all the smiling. Jessie is even smiling now as she nods.
“He will tell you his password to his safe if you ask him,” Jessie says.
We giggle and laugh for a while until we are called to the drawing room for some TV time. Some crime show is on, but I can’t focus for even one second. My head is pounding with all that is swirling around it. Everyone is transfixed on the TV and I use the opportunity to leave the room. I need air.
The gardens offer me the time I need. I keep my wits about me, making sure I avoid speaking to anyone. I do see a man pruning the roses and make sure I give him a wide berth. My mind won’t leave Lucas. I thought I could clear it out here, but I’m still thinking of the kiss. I shake out my hands, I need to pull it together. The question is did I really think he hurt Vicky? never mind kill her and the answer is honestly no. He has a temper, but would he hurt one of us – no. His bark is definitely worse than his bite, under it all I can see a flicker of something good. But it’s a flicker that can disappear as quick as it arrives.
I find myself close to the maze. Alex had brought me here that first day. It felt like such a long time ago, yet it had only been days. I step into the maze and I love that I have to focus on where I am going. It makes my head stop spinning and just focus on this one task at hand.
The maze is bigger than I expected and I soon realize after trying to exit it several times that I’m lost.
“Hello.” I shout, hoping I’m near to the front and that maybe the gardener I had seen earlier hears me. I listen, but only the rustle of the wind reaches my ears. Great.
I try again and hit three more dead ends. I’m not sure which direction I’m going in. “Hello,” I shout louder.
A panic has my heart racing and I smile to try to calm it. I’m not going to be stuck here forever. I just need to relax and start again. The worst-case scenario is if I don’t return, I’m sure the girls will look for me. Someone had to have seen me come out here. My stomach twists. I had tried to avoid being seen. Panic rushes into my veins again and I take a breath. I need to keep it together.
“Hello.” I keep calling every three steps I take. That’s what I focus on. Three steps and call hello. I repeat this for I don’t know how long, until I’m so close to giving up.
“Hello.” A male voice calls back.
“Ah, can you help me?” Someone has finally heard me. Relief banishes all my earlier fears. “I’m stuck in the maze, I don’t know how to get out.” I shout into the bushes not sure what direction the voice had come from.
“Keep talking.”
I jump at the closeness of the voice. “I’m here. Here. Here.” I keep repeating until the man who looked just like Lucas appears in front of me. My heart leaps. He has a black eye behind a pair of glasses.
“Thank you. I was so foolish to come in here,” I say as he continues to stare at me. My skin starts to crawl with how he assesses me.
“You were foolish and very lucky I was here.”
He hunches like a wounded animal as he speaks. He looks up at me from the corner of his eye and I shiver. The air has grown cool. Night is close. I had been out here for a while.
“Can you lead me out?” I ask as he stares at me.
He straightens to his full height and he smiles. “Of course.” I wonder if he is even aware of how he hunches when he speaks. It’s creepy.
“Thank you.” Now I just want to get away from him and the maze.
“I’m Henry.” He reaches out a hand. He looks normal now, even attractive. Lines crinkle at the corner of his eyes. He’s older looking than Lucas.
“Ella,” I say taking his hand. He stares at me until I shift under his gaze.
“I really need to get back before they send out a search party.” I half laugh, but it falls flat.
“Ella,” he repeats my name.
I nod. “Yes.”
There is an awkwardness as we stand close to each other. “Are you Lucas’s brother?” I ask to break the tension.
It does. “Yes, has he spoken of me?” His question is delivered with a sneer that borders on deranged.
No. Never. “You just look so alike,” I say instead. They do, but the longer I’m around Henry the quicker that similarity I have seen is vanishing.
“So he hasn’t spoken of me?” He stands tall again, I wonder if he is aware of how he alters his posture.
“I really haven’t spoken to Lucas.”
He smiles. “Lucas. You are very familiar with my brother.”
My cheeks heat. “No. I apologize. Master Lucas. I forget my manners sometimes.” My skin starts to crawl again and I scratch my neck. “I really should be getting back.”
He starts to walk and I follow. Every few seconds he glances over his shoulder at me. Each time my heart thuds. He is making me feel unsettled.
“Have you met Alex?” He tries to sound casual but his words are heavy.
“Yes,” I answer honestly since he already knows.
“He is charming,” he says and this time it sounds like he’s smiling, like he’s fond of him.
“Very much so, but our meeting was brief.”
He glances at me again. “You will keep it that way.” He stops walking as he turns to me.
I don’t respond as my heart rate skyrockets.
“What would happen if I said that you had seduced me?”
My stomach plummets. “But I haven’t.”
He nods and smirks. “Stay away from Alex, or this day will come back to haunt you.”
I tighten my fists. What was wrong with him? “I have done nothing wrong,” I repeat. It isn’t fair.
“I can leave you here to find your own way out. I did after all create this maze, so I know you won’t get out without me.”
He is all kinds of crazy, it isn’t even his words, his eyes dance with madness.
“You think if I don’t return that Lucas won’t come looking?” I try to show that I’m not afraid.
He laughs and it sends waves skittering down my back. “Lucas won’t come in here. He becomes a child when he sees the maze.” He sounds so happy about what he’s saying.
And I want to know more about Lucas as a boy. “Why what happened?”
Henry’s smile dissolves. “I’ve warned you now.” He stands taller. “You better listen.”