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“Don’t get ideas,” he said in a more serious tone. “You’re still our prisoner. I’m just taking you to a better room. You’ll be staying with us longer, so might as well keep you comfortable. Right?”
When I didn’t move, he leaned down and grabbed my arm, hauling me to my feet. Without another word, he dragged me up the stairs until we reached the door.
My eyes blinked against the sudden brightness. It took me a moment to realize we were inside a modest-sized room. Bright morning sunlight shone through the windows, illuminating digging forks and shovels that were lined up against one of the walls. An upturned wheelbarrow sat in the corner. The smell of freshly-turned earth hit my nostrils, confusing me.
Where exactly was I?
Looking down, I saw a long, white dress clinging to my frame. My feet were bare and dusty from walking around in the basement.
“This way,” said Leon.
I glanced toward him, seeing him properly for the first time.
His back was turned toward me as he walked out of the room but I caught a glimpse of flaming-red hair that was gathered into a low ponytail. He wore black jeans paired with a matching leather jacket.
I hurried after him, walking through the door and finding myself transported to a very different place.
Green hedges, taller than me, fenced me on both sides. They enclosed the narrow path ahead, tapering into a bend in the distance.
The next thing that drew my attention was the imposing Gothic manor rising in the distance. The architecture was built of weathered black granite, reminding me of middle-aged European cathedrals.
What was such a building doing in the middle of Ashville?
Are we in Ashville?I wondered confusedly.
I had no clue what else was around me because of the tall hedges on my either side. They grew to a height of at least fifteen feet, forming walls of green.
Leon had already disappeared beyond the curved path before me. I hurried forward, feeling relieved when I found him further along the narrow passage. He glanced back and gestured for me to keep following him.
“Where are we?” I asked, keeping my distance from him.
“Home,” he said without glancing back. “It’s grand, isn’t it?”
A tourist might find the Gothic monstrosity “grand”. It suited a monstrous man like Yakim. I could easily imagine him sitting on an ancient throne, like a beast from a fairy tale, who watched over his dreadful, barren estate.
As a prisoner though, I just wanted to get the hell out of here.
“I haven’t spoken to Yakim yet,” Leon continued to say. “He was going to throw you back to your brother but that plan’s going to change. We need to keep you here longer.”
Anxiety coiled tight in my gut.
Being handed over to Callum was bad but staying here longer would be worse. They already abused me and hurt me. Whatever happened last night would happen over and over again until they were bored of me or killed me.
I need to get out of here.The thought took root in my mind, blinding me to all logic and reason.
Gathering all my strength, I ran past Leon, sprinting down the hedge-lined path.
“Hey!” he called out.
I didn’t even turn around to see if he was chasing me. A couple of feet later, I came across a solid wall.
There was a different route back there, I thought, deciding to back up and go that way.
Panting, I ran that way but a minute later, I came across another solid wall built of the same hedge.
No matter which way I ran, I was always met with an obstacle. My insane need to escape kept getting blocked by hedge walls that were too tall to climb. It was a while before I realized what was happening.
I was trapped inside a hedge maze.
