A MAZE OF GREED

The news of another pack member found dead hundreds of miles away from Vincardine unsettled Edwin. Augustus had not mentioned anything yet, but Edwin was sure that his uncle knew about that.

He was just waiting for Edwin's reaction.

All the hysteria of Rees and Thea's wedding is overshadowed by the tension. Edwin's wolf was constantly on the edge. He did not like the challenge to his authority.

Rees was in the garden of 'the great manor'. He was torn between his duty and his wish. After months of waiting, he and Thea thought that it was a perfect time to get married and, yet he was here doubting their decision.

How could he enjoy and be happy when his fellow pack members were haunted by a monster?

It felt wrong... so wrong.

"Rees?"

He faced Elsie as she walked in his direction. "Lady Elsie!" He bowed in respect.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"It is nothing, My Lady. I was just... thinking." He said.

Elsie's lips stretched into a teasing smile. "Is one of the best warriors of warewolf clan nervous about his wedding?"

Rees smiled, shaking his head. "Maybe. Should I be?"

"Well... you should when you are marrying Thea Green." And they both burst out laughing.

Ruth's mouth did not get tired of speaking about Thea. And although Elsie had met only a couple of times with Thea, she felt very familiar to her.

"Wait! Wait, you little pawn of satan. You caused me some loss here."

A maid's angry voice caught their attention. They saw her running, holding her dress in her hands little above her ankles for easy running. Then their eyes travelled ahead of her to see that the woman was chasing a small puppy.

The little ball of fur coloured in golden brown sprinted towards them then leapt at Elsie's feet. She crouched down and, scratch the puppy's head lovingly.

"Oh, look who is here?" She cooed delightedly.

The maid came to halt while panting. She bowed. "Lady Elsie!"

"Whose dog is this?" Elsie asked.

"I do not know, My Lady. I was carrying the earthen pots that filled with water when it jumped out of nowhere and... the pots fell from my hands." The maid explained in displease towards the adorable animal.

"Is that right puppy?" Elsie asked.

The puppy barked in response that stilled Elsie abruptly. Rees watched in confusion. Though for the maid Elsie was only playing with the puppy, Rees knew that she was actually conversing with it. Then what did the puppy say that made her tense all of a sudden?

Looking up at the maid, Elsie ordered calmly. "You may go now. I will see after this puppy."

The maid hesitated first, then said, "Pardon, My Lady. But you know that Lady Theodora do not like dogs. If she sees this puppy..."

"Do not worry about it. She will not know. Now leave!" Rees said commandingly.

"Yes, Mr Welby." Saying that the maid left.

Elsie picked up the puppy in her hands and stood up to her full height again.

"Is there something wrong, Lady Elsie?" Rees asked.

Looking around cautiously, Elsie answered. "This puppy is sent by Zoe."

"Zoe? Is he-"

"No. He is not a shade. She is smart than sending a shade in 'the great manor'. He has her message."

Rees sniffed the air around to know that Lord Augustus was somewhere nearby.

"Lady Elsie, you take it to the old building. I will inform Master and Lord Lester about it." Rees told.

Not wasting more time, they parted their way as Elsie walked faster towards the old building with the puppy in her hand. She prayed that her father would not see her.

Ten minutes later, they all were assembled in one of the rooms in the old building- Edwin's nerve centre.

Elsie communicated with the puppy, and he started barking and making noises that only she could understand. When she learned this discipline of zoolingualism in the Academy only because a teenage Elsie thought it was fun, she had no idea it would come so handy one day.

Elsie summoned her knowledge and looked into the puppy's eyes. Uncharastically, the puppy did not move or break their eye contact, as if it was hypnotised by her.

Lester, Rees and Edwin listened to every word she said attentively.

"Edwin, the darkest fears are about to come true." Elsie said in a trance.

Her monotonous voice and Zoe's choicest words sent a chill down their spines.

"We are called for an alliance. An alliance that holds many benefits for the Shades. I am no leader, I have no power. I can not stop it.

My brother is impressed with the offer presented. My father is neutral and does not want to interfere in his son's decisions."

Edwin clenched his jaw.

"We are not the only ones offered and called. There are others. The tables are turning, and the air is changing. It is time for you to awake, Lord Edwin.

This world does not need another destruction. The alliances are forming, and the time of the outbreak of the war is nearing. I wish I could do something, but my hands are tied. I can not stand against my family and clan. None of us can.

It is only you who can and have to stop it before it worsened. I hope you are ready for that. And I hope the people you trust and love are ready for the fight and the sacrifices."

Elsie blinked rapidly, breaking her eye contact with the puppy. Zoe's message had ended, leaving behind the fog of uncertainty and tension.

*

*

*

Ripon interrupted Barret's family time on a fine morning. He reached at his doorstep early in the morning, not waiting for him, to reach the Council headquarters.

"What brought you here so early Ripon." Barret asked, walking his way.

The green lush lawn around Barret's bungalow was freshly cut and watered by the Gardner. He gestured Ripon to sit on one of the white chairs placed around a small table. He himself sat across him.

His butler poured two cups of Barret's favourite tea from Ceylon.

The expressions on Ripon's face told Barret that it was an urgent matter that brought him to his door. He dismissed the butler.

Finding the isolation they needed, Ripon began after letting Barret take the first sip of his tea.

"Mr Chairman, the war is about to break."

"Is not that a good news, Ripon?" Barret smirked.

"It would have if the Garfields had replied to our letters. They are trying building alliances with other supernatural families like Centaurs, Shades and Goblins." Ripon had not touched his cup yet.

"That made Barret furrow his brows. Placing the cup on the table in front of him, he leaned back in the chair.

"They are not replying? What could that mean?"

"That meant only one thing Mr Chairman. That they do not need our assistance anymore."

"What do you mean by that Ripon?" Barret's voice came hard and laced with annoyance.

"Pardon, Mr Chairman. But that is what I think and the way Darius Garfield is acting it is the case I believe." Ripon still had that neutral tone.

"What is he doing?" Suddenly Barret felt like he was oblivious to the happenings around him.

Ripon took a dramatic pause, then answered, "He has killed three of Edwin O'Dell's spies to avenge the loss of Garfield's spy network."

Barret was shocked to hear that. His brows shot up. "Ambrose Garfield permitted him to do so?"

Ripon shook his head. "No. Darius is acting at his discretion. We do not know yet what Ambrose and Aurora Garfield's stake is about this. But I doubt it would affect much on Darius.

He is set on starting a war. He is desperate to show his dominance."

"Do you think that his Coven would let him act against Ambrose's wish?" Barret wondered.

Ripon gave it a thought. He was not sure but had speculation of his. "I do not know about the Coven but Mr Hilton would not hesitate supporting Darius directly or indirectly if it meant fullfilment of his revenge."

Th tables had turned in an unexpected way for Barret. He had planned to take down O'Dells in front of the royals and the world so he could acquire their place. That was his sole motto of getting involved in this supernatural shit.

The ambition of watching Lord Augustus ashamed in front of him led him to dig deeper into the true identities of the well-known families of the land to find out they were not humans but supernatural creatures, who were living by hiding their identities.

Barret decided to exploit the same when he first found out about it. Garfield's is the archnemesis of the O'Dells, that took him to them. Everything was going as he had planned, but this young Garfield had turned the face of the game.

"What are you thinking, Mr Chairman?" Ripon asked when Barret did not say anything for long.

If Garfield thought that they could sidestep him, and go on with their selfish motives, then they were sadly mistaken. There was nothing precious for Barret Addington other than his pride.

Ignoring his capabilities and avoiding him had made a large daint to his pride for which he would never forgive them. His wicked brain ran faster in various directions till it found the right one.

If he could not use Garfields to get the power he wanted all his life, then why not use the O'Dells like a puppet?

Greed makes a person blind, and Barret was no exception. If joining hands with Augustus O'Dell meant satisfying his greed, then he was blind enough to do just that.

He smiled, looking at confused Ripon. "Arrange my visit to Vincardine!"