A MAZE OF GREED

"Welcome, welcome to Kinsville, my friend!"

The man with a height of six feet and two inches with a lean body and black hair smiled at Barret.

He was dressed in black with a red shirt underneath his coat. His black hairs were styled perfectly backwards. His black eyes were large, but there was no life in them. Only a silent promise of danger resided in them.

His long sharp nose and high cheekbones complimented his pale skin. And his red lips smiling at Barret accentuated his handsomeness. Though lean in physic, Barret was aware of the man's strength.

He walked towards Barret with long strides, but his every step was full of such grace that it felt like he was not walking on the ground but was floating above it.

"Hello, Mr Garfield, Mrs Garfield. The pleasure is mine that you accepted me in Kinsville." Barret said politely.

The woman on the hand of the man- Ambrose Garfield was his wife- Aurora Garfield.

She had worn a black velvety floor-length dress that hugged her slim figure perfectly. She had not done much makeup except the cohl adorned eyes and a red lipstick along with diamond-studded earrings and a bracelet in her hand.

She had a pleasant smile on her face. Her golden hairs were styled beautifully on her head.

"I would not deny that your visit has caught us by surprise Mr Addington." Her sweet voice sounded like a hiss of a snake to Barret's ears.

"I apologise for the sudden visit. But it is an urgent matter, Mrs Garfield."

"Come on, love. Let our guest be comfortable first." Ambrose Garfield told his wife while gazing at her lovingly. To him, she was the most splendid creation of the creator, and she was his... all his.

Aurora clapped twice and a maid clad in a black dress came and bowed.

"Prepare the lunch and keep our guest's taste in mind."

Barret shivered, for he could not help but acknowledge the double meaning in Aurora's words.

"Come on, Mr Addington. Let's have a seat." Ambrose showed his hand towards the chairs in the hall.

He walked to sit on the golden throne. But what confused Barret was why Aurora also ascended those steps when there was no other chair. Soon he realised the answer when Ambrose pulled her on his lap, and she gladly relaxed in his touch.

Barret was uncomfortable when Ambrose pecked his wife's lips. These people were different. They did not shy away from displaying their affection or their desires publically.

Barret sat on the first chair left of the throne. Sitting in the chair at the foot of the platform, he felt small. Ambrose and Aurora Garfield looked at him smiling, but Barret knew the unspoken words were 'that is your place... below us.'

He clenched his hands into fists but maintained his calm demeanour.

He had to keep up with the Garfields for what he wanted. And when he would succeed, he would not hesitate to show them their rightful place that was below him.

Ambrose engaged Barret in light conversation about the happenings outside Kinsville, and Aurora joined them till the servant called for lunch.

"My Lady, the food is ready to serve."

"Mr Addington, let's discuss more during lunch." Aurora smiled.

The three of them stood to walk out of the hall and towards the direction of the dining room. Ambrose and Aurora chatted amongst themselves as if they were discussing something interesting.

Barret rolled his eyes when Aurora giggled for the hundredth time since he had arrived here.

'Why these people keep laughing all the time when they do not mean it?'

They were led to a room that had a long table placed in the middle and large windows letting the daylight in by the servant.

Ambrose took the head position, and Aurora sat to his right.

'Thank god, she did not decide to use his lap as a chair this time!' Barret sighed. He sat on the other side of Ambrose, leaving a chair between them.

The servant served the food that looked palatable to his eyes. But when he looked at his host's plate, he found it empty.

"Mr Garfield, why is your plate empty?" He asked in confusion.

"Do not worry, Mr Addington. We have special food for ourselves." Ambrose smirked.

Another maid came with silver goblets in a tray. She placed each in front of Ambrose and Aurora.

"Enjoy your food, Mr Addington, or would you like to taste ours?" Aurora showed her goblet filled with red liquid.

And the smell indicated that it was not fruit juice. It was BLOOD.

Barret's eyes widened at her offer, and he shook his head. Aurora laughed at his reaction while Ambrose smirked.

Barret decided to not mind them and focused on his food. At least he knew what he was served, and it was according to his human taste.

Halfway through the lunch, Ambrose asked, "What brought you here unannounced Mr Addington?"

Now that his stomach was content and Ambrose had finally addressed the potent issue, Barret wiped his mouth with a napkin and put his cutlery down on the table.

"Mr Garfield, it looks like the situation is slipping out of our hands."

"What do you mean?" Aurora asked after a sip of the blood from her goblet.

"Ripon went to Vincardine."

Ambrose straightened his back upon hearing that, but his face was as calm as before.

"He met Lord Augustus and Lester Wright." Barret informed.

Although the Garfields knew everything, there was an exception. Their limits ended where the boundary of Vincardine started.

"Lester Wright? The future alpha of the Bluemoon pack?" Aurora reckoned through her memory.

"Yes, Mrs Garfield."

"What was he doing there?" She wondered.

Now that Barret got a chance to rub it in their faces, he did not waste it. "Seems like you do not know everything after all."

His comment did not sit well with the couple. Ambrose's smirk widened as his black eyes pierced through Barret's.

"We have our pawns for that, Mr Addington, haven't we?"

Now it was Barret's turn to get upset. Not reacting to that, he continued, "The Wrights and O'Dells are again coming closer. Everyone wonders why, but no one knows the reason."

"If it is so, then it is something we all should worry about." Aurora took another tentative sip of the blood.

"It indeed is, Mrs Garfield. But there is more that we should worry about."

Ambrose cocked his brow in questioning.

"Lord Augustus has found some clues in his investigation. He did not take anyone's name in particular. But he knows who is behind those five murders. He also suspects that someone is supporting them. He said he is going to expose everything in the royal court soon. He is just waiting for some more evidence."

A brief silence followed Barret's words. None of them touched their food as various thoughts and numerous possibilities ran in their minds.

What Lord Augustus had possibly found? Whatever that was, was it enough to put everyone in danger? If true to his words, Lord Augustus presented all the facts and the pieces of evidence in the royal court, what that would mean to the Garfields?

The questions were so many, and only Lord Augustus could answer them.

"I do not think he has any such evidence. If he has, then why is he silent?" Aurora charted out the possibility.

Both she and Barret looked at Ambrose, who sat quietly in his chair.

"He told that to Ripon because he indeed knows everything. He is not silent. He has just sent a warning for us."

Barret's eyes widened at that. He had not thought about this possibility.

"Does that mean he knows that I-"

"Are you afraid of the O'Dells, Mr Addington?" Aurora's words came sharp.

Gulping down nervously, Barret cleared his throat. "Not at all, Mrs Garfield. I am a chairman of the Council and a trustworthy counsel of the King. I do not need to be afraid of anyone!"

He purposefully stressed the word- anyone.

Another moment of silence passed.

"Where was Edwin O'Dell? Was he not present for the meeting?"

Barret shook his head in negation. "No, Mr Garfield. Edwin O'Dell was not present for the meeting. Lord Augustus said that he had to go on a business trip."

Ambrose's brows knitted in confusion. "Since when Edwin O'Dell became interested in the business?"

"We do not know that, Mr Garfield. We asked our informers, but there are no clues of him. No one knows where he is till this day."

"Strange!" Aurora narrowed her eyes and shared a look with her husband.

"So what do you propose, Mr Addington? A wise man like you would not come all the way to Kinsville without a plan." Ambrose leaned back in his chair, and that smirk again made its way on his handsome face.

That was what Barret was waiting for. Another offer for the Garfields would take him a step closer to his aim.

Sipping the water, he looked square at Ambrose.

"In this situation, we have two choices. One, we have to quit our plan."

"Mr Addington!" Aurora's voice raised. And for the first time, her face had not a smile on it.

"Two, we strike again."

Now that was something that brought a smile to Ambrose's face.

And Barret knew that he had hit the bull's eye!