A MAZE OF GREED

Darius left the Garfield mansion early in the morning. He did not inform anybody where he was going. Taking the familiar route- that he had used for a quite few times recently- he reached that corner of the forest where he tied his horse to his usual place.

Making sure that no one was watching him, Darius entered the dense bushes till he reached the known door. Walking through the door, he walked inside the dark cave. He stopped at the railing, looking down at the world he had created on his own.

The same cries and pleadings fell on his ears, along with the sounds of slapping and cursing. Darius walked down the stairs to reach the bottom.

Hilton was already there waiting for Darius.

Unlike any other time, Hilton's face was morphed into concern. And Darius knew why.

He deliberately avoided going straight to Hilton. Instead, he walked around the place, examining the progress of his brilliant experiment. His men informed him of the recent achievements and voiced out their concerns too.

"Lord Darius."

Darius sighed, hearing Hilton's voice. He could not avoid that man for long.

"Yes, Mr Hilton?"

"May I have a word with you?" Hilton asked. But the tone he used was demanding rather than requesting.

"Of course!"

Darius walked into one of the rooms at the back of the circular space, and Hilton followed. As soon as the guard outside closed the door of the room, the outside noises lulled down.

"Please have a seat." Darius said as he sat in one of the chairs around a table.

Hilton followed. After the two men settled down, Hilton touched the topic directly, without wasting more time.

"Darius, tell me what exactly you are planning?" Hilton asked.

"What is so rush Mr Hilton? Have not you said that you trust me?!"

"Yes, I did. But have you heard this news about Edwin O'Dell?"

Darius burst into laughter. "Of course! That motherfucker is injured by a rogue."

Hilton's lips pulled down in disappointment. "It is not funny Darius. You know that Edwin is too strong to take four supernatural leaders at once. A mere rogue can not hurt even a single hair of his wolf."

Darius's smile faltered at his words. "Are you here to praise him Mr Hilton? Praise the man who took everything from you?" He looked at Hilton challengingly.

"I am only trying to show you the mirror Darius. You must have also heard about his decision of not killing the werewolves rejected by their mates."

Hilton knew how sensitive this topic was. Darius's face became serious instantly.

"Yes, I have! That bastard even got a support of Wildline pack. People are literally worshipping him." Darius's hands clenched on the table.

"Exactly. And just to remind you... we are getting short on Painite at alarming level."

"What?" Darius's dark eyes perked up at Hilton from his clenched fists.

"Yes. I was reminding you to get more Painite. You know how rare that mineral is and how important it is for us. Now we are left with only two options. One- you get more Painite. Two- we stop this experiment right here!"

"No!" Darius barked. "We are not stopping until we acheive our goal, Mr Hilton. I am not turning back after coming so far. You know how much I have been through to get here. I even had to do this right under my father's nose. I will show him how capable I am!" Darius glared with his now red eyes.

"Then you should have thought about it before Darius. We are left with only a few more days of supply. What are we going to do after that?

You are not the only one who is working secretively. I am also with you since the very beginning, and your father does not even know about it." Hilton was also upset with Darius.

He was already not pleased with Darius's way of working. Darius had not told him his entire plan. He only informed the part he thought was important for Hilton to know at that time.

Hilton was used to working under Ambrose's leadership. Although he disagreed with him on many points, he still held respect for his leadership and the way he brought out the best of others.

"There is no need to raise your voice, Mr Hilton! You came with me instead of my father because you are convinced that only I can get you Edwin O'Dell's head on the platter and that too sooner. And my father can not! We are in this together. DO not forget that." Darius pounded his fist on the table as he did not like the way Hilton spoke to him.

"I am not denying it Darius. But you have to understand the need of the hour. We need more Painite or else this world you have created will be of no use at all. And we both will fail in our goals then."

Both men glared at each other. Darius did not say anything for the next couple of minutes. He calmed down a little. He knew that Hilton was right. They needed more Painite, and only Darius could arrange for it.

"Fine! You do not worry about Painite. I know where to get it. You do not stop and keep going with our experiment." Darius finally said.

Hilton nodded his head, although he had his doubts. "Do you think she will give you more of it?" He could not help but ask.

Darius smirked confidently. "Of course, she will. She must give more Painite to me if she wants peace for her people."

Hilton was not sure, yet he had no choice than believing Darius. If he had got Painite once, then he would get it again, he believed.

"But before that. I have something important to do." The smirk on Darius's face wiped out instantly.

"What are you planning Darius?" Hilton asked cautiously.

"Edwin O'Dell needs to be drag down to the ground again. I can not let him enjoy his pity victory with the Wildline pack."

With that said, Darius left, not sparing another glance at Hilton.

*

*

*

After the skirmish with Lord Augustus and Lady Theodora, Lester was tired both physically and mentally. He had not got any sleep or food since he left with Edwin for the Wildline pack.

"Lester you should rest for a while." Elsie said after her sister and parents walked out of the chamber.

She did not like how they all behaved in such a situation. But this was not the right time to delve more into it.

"Yes Lord Lester. You need a good rest before you face the upcoming craziness." Thea agreed with Elsie.

"And how do you know that it is going to be crazy?" Lester cocked his brow at Thea in curiosity.

"I have not seen a single sane thing happening around me here." She rolled her eyes exasperatedly.

Lester could not agree more with her on that. Their world was crazy, and the people of his world were adamant about making things crazier than they already were.

"Fine! I am going to my chamber." Lester said.

"Not before you tell me how this all happened!"

He was taken aback by Ruth's stern voice.

"Erm... Ruth... I will tell you about it later. Okay?" Elsie tried.

But Ruth was determined to know what happened with Edwin.

"No! I want to know right now!!"

The rest four shared a meaningful look with each other.

"Okay. If you insist then I will tell you what happened." Lester said after much contemplation.

"I am listening."

"We... we got a message that a group of wild animals... attacked a family who was travelling on our land. By the time we reached there, only the eldest son... Kevin was alive. Edwin got injured while saving him."

Ruth listened to Lester silently before she asked, "Then where are the dead bodies of the rest of the family members?"

"We have gave them proper burial."

The other three ladies looked at Lester in astonishment. He was speaking so confidently as if he had recited that story multiple times to get it perfect.

"Is that why Lord Augustus said that Lord Edwin is... self-destructive? Because he put his life at risk to save that man... Kevin?"

The silence she received from the others gave her the answer to her question.

They left the chamber one by one in silence but not before giving her an assuring look.

"I think you should stay with him. Someone needs to be here when the physician checks up on him." Elsie said before leaving as she was the last person to leave the room.

Ruth was too disturbed by what happened not a minute ago. She sat beside Edwin and took his good hand in hers. Edwin looked worse than before.

His pale face did not suit him at all. He was cleaned of all the blood. But the bandages on his body parts gave away how severely injured he was.

"Have you listened to what your uncle and aunt said about you?" Ruth whispered while holding his hand close to her cheek.

"They think that you are self-destructive person. And you put others in trouble. I do not know about others but right now... you have put me in trouble Edwin." She took his hand and placed it on her chest, right above her heart.

"Can you feel it? See how my heart is beating in worry and pain. You have caused it. You are the reason that I can not stop tears from falling through my eyes. You were going to tell me what I mean to you.

Please, Edwin... I am waiting for your answer. I am desperate to hear you, Edwin. Please wake up!"

Ruth sat there waiting for him to open his eyes as he lay there with closed eyes.