A MAZE OF GREED

Ruth came after meeting Mrs Payne with a bag of medicines. Ruth took out all the ingredients and mixed them together in a bowl with some water. She stirred the mixture until it changed its consistency to form a thick paste.

Edwin watched Ruth working with concentration. He crinkled his nose seeing the green thick paste. Its strange smell made the bile rose in his throat.

"Do you know what are the ingredients?" He asked after not being able to keep quiet.

Ruth shook her head in negation. "No. I do not. Why?"

"Because it looks like a puke of a dragon!" Edwin exclaimed dramatically.

Ruth rolled her eyes at him. "Right! As if you know how a dragon's puke looks like." She commented sarcastically.

"Of course I kn-" Edwin abruptly held his tongue back before it spelt more beans.

"What?" Ruth stopped stirring the paste as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"I mean... of course, I know how it looks because I am a King and Kings have dragons in their kingdom!" He blurted out the first thing that came to his mind, although it sounded cringy to his own ears.

To mask his uncomfortableness, he gave her a sheepish smile.

Ruth's eyes narrowed further before she tsked. "Fine! Now lay down. I think it is ready."

Edwin was helpless. He could not argue with his woman even though the smell of that mixture burnt the hair in his nostrils.

He quietly lay down and waited for her smooth touch on his skin. Ruth made sure that she had everything ready that she would need. She opened the bandage on his back and began uncovering his wound.

Edwin had his head turned so that he could watch that cute frown on her face when she worked in concentration.

After she was done with taking out the bandage, Ruth put it aside for disposal. When she looked at Edwin's wound, she found it in better condition than normal. She stared at it a minute longer. Instinctively her fingers ran on his back, along with the lines of claws.

"What happened?" Edwin asked, seeing the thoughtful look on her face,

"Your wound... it is healed better than before." She told absentmindedly.

Edwin knew what she was pointing out.

"Is not it a good thing love?"

Yes, but how is it possible, Edwin? I have never seen someone healing so fast." She sounded genuinely surprised and... suspicious.

"I have already told you that it is because of how much care you are taking off me."

Ruth glared at him. This man did know the right time of showing his humour.

"I am serious Edwin. It is so strange!" Ruth said, running her fingers again on his bare skin.

"You must be mistaken, Ruth. It might not have healed as much as you think." Edwin tried.

"How can I be mistaken. I know every line on your body Edwin. After all, I am the one watching you half-naked all these days." Ruth said in irritation.

But she unknowingly gave Edwin a way out of this topic.

"Hmm.. you are right! You must know every line on my body just like I know every spot on yours. Afterall I was the one who took care of you when the animal attacked you in the woods." He wiggled his eyes suggestively with a meaningful grin adorned his face.

"I-" His words downed upon Ruth like a bucket of cold water poured on her head.

She instantly clamped her mouth shut as she blushed furiously.

"What happened my Luna? Do you want to know how much I saw? hmm?" Edwin raised himself, balancing on his good hand.

Ruth shut her eyes close as he stared playfully at her.

"I know every spot on your body, my love. Do not worry I was careful to not peek at the inappropriate parts. But I have seen enough to have my favourite mark on your body. Do you want to know what it is?" his voice dropped down dangerously, moulding itself in between husky and seductive.

"Edwin please!" Ruth now covered her face with her palms as she felt the heat gripping her neck.

But Edwin was enjoying her state a little too much. And the advantage of diversion from the topic of his rapid healing was his bonus reward.

"My favourite mark on your body is a little below your right collarbone. A greenish black leaf-shaped mark!"

Ruth's hands fell down instantly, her eyes shot open in shock.

"Wh-what?"

Does he see her birthmark? Did he know anything about Theodora's lost child?

"But do not worry sweetheart. Soon you are going to get another mark on your body which is going to be my most favourite one!" Edwin winked at her suggestively.

Ruth released a sigh of relief. He had no idea!

She mock-glared at him. "Enough! Shut your mouth and lay down!"

Edwin's deep sound of laughter hugged her as she fought back the blush on her face.

She was about to take some paste on her hand when the door of his chamber opened and walked inside no one other but Theodora and Eloise.

Ruth paused, looking at the door. The first thought that came to her mind was to hurry away from Edwin, but then... she did not need to do that now!

Edwin sat up with his wound open for everyone to see. He faced his aunt and cousin, but his face held no happiness to see them.

Of course, Lester has already told Edwin what happened when he was unconscious.

Theodora put up a fake smile on her face as she walked to his bed.

"Oh my dear! How are you now? Let me see your injury." Theodora's voice came too sweet to be true.

Edwin saw Ruth's lips turned downwards in displease as her eyes followed Theodora. One more thing they had in common, Edwin thought.

He did not move for Theodora's convenience. He was not sure how much she saw, but she gasped dramatically with her face morphed in pain.

"Oh my God! It looks so ugly Edwin!"

She extended her hand to touch it but retreated it back as soon as she saw that nasty wound. Ruth saw her face scrunched up in disgust as she stepped away instantly.

Ruth clenched her jaw. What else she could expect from this selfish woman? Even if it was her own daughter in that place, then also she would have acted the same way!

What if she had seen Gerald in his last days? Would she have reacted in the same way then too?

"How are you brother Edwin?" Eloise asked, not moving from her spot.

Edwin did not miss the unimpressed glare she threw in Ruth's way while she thought he was distracted by Theodora.

"I am fine," Edwin replied, unenthusiastically as if he found it useless to speak.

"We were so worried for you Edwin. See how pale I look! I could not eat or sleep well as my mind was concerned for your health!" Theodora said, putting up her best acting skills.

Edwin knew the truth to believe her blindly. And the way Ruth was frowning at Theodora confirmed his thoughts.

"Thank you aunt Theodora for your concern. But you do not need to be harsh on yourself for my sake. I have many people to take care of me." Edwin glanced in Ruth's way while saying the last part.

"You do not need to bother yourself." He completed.

Where Theodora kept silent while studying the changed dimension between Ruth and Edwin, Eloise quickly jumped at their defence.

"How can you say that brother Edwin? After all who can take care of you better than your own family? The outsiders can not share your pain no matter how much they try." Eloise said, glaring at Ruth.

Edwin's face was set in a mould that was void of any emotions.

"Are you done? It is time to change my bandage." He asked, quite rudely.

But then when was he not rude with others?!!

"What is that?" Theodora asked, looking at the bowl Ruth had just prepared.

"Medicines." Came Edwin's curt reply.

"Let me have a look at it then," Theodora said, looking in Ruth's way.

Ruth silently held the bowl in front of her. Theodora took it in her hand and smelled it. The line on her face became prominent as she scrunched up her nose in disgust.

"It smells so aweful Edwin! I am not letting you put it on your wound. Let me speak with the physician. Fannie?"

Theodora called Fannie. As if waiting for her call, Fannie rushed inside the chamber. The first thing her eyes settled was the partially naked form of Edwin.

Ruth clenched her fingers tightly in fists till her knuckles turned white. No woman should look at her man like that. Ruth instantly stood up and took a shawl that was sprawled on the nearby chair. Taking that shawl, she hurled it around Edwin and covered him with it.

Yes! She had made the point here!!

Edwin's wolf felt ticklish inside him at that act of possessiveness by his mate. He suppressed the smile that risked breaking out on his face.

"Fannie, go and get the physician here right now!" Theodora ordered.

"No need!" Edwin stopped her.

"These medicines are not given by the physician." He replied.

Theodora's eyes widened in shock. "What? Then from where these came?" She demanded, although she very well knew the answer.

When Ruth came back after meeting Mrs Payne, Fannie saw the bag in her hand. She heard Ruth talking with Ida about the contents in that bag. She hurriedly ran to Theodora, telling her about it.. Eloise happened to pass by when she heard their conversation and joined them gladly to see the upcoming drama.