A MAZE OF GREED

Last evening when Ruth's friends came to meet Mrs Payne, she gave them some cookies she had bought during her journey for them.

This morning when Ruth was getting ready to leave for work, Mrs Payne asked if she wanted to take some cookies for Lady Elsie and Edwin, to which Ruth gladly agreed.

Ruth first went to see Elsie. She gave her the cookies, which Leser also devoured... even more than Elsie. Leaving them to fight for the last cookie, Ruth skipped to Edwin's office as she knew that man got on work as soon as his day starts.

She knocked on the door, and after hearing permission from the other end, she opened the door. Closing it behind, she ran to him and hugged him tightly.

Edwin held her close with a smile. Her joy was contagious.

"Someone seems delighted today!" He commented.

Ruth smiled, rubbing her head in a yes on his chest. "Why shouldn't I when I have the great Edwin O'Dell head over heels for me?!!"

His laughter was like a twinkling sound to her ears. The vibrations in his chest made her smile widen.

Pulling away from him, she gazed up at him lovingly. She was glad that she made him smile even for a short time when he was always tensed and worried.

"What?" Edwin asked in confusion.

Ruth shook her head before pulling him to the bed. She made him sit on it then pulled out the bag of cookies from the cloth bag she carried.

She tore the packing, and taking one cookie, she smiled at Edwin.

"Come on Cocoo open your mouth. Say aaaaa...."

She cooed, holding the cookie in front of Edwin's mouth. He raised his brow in amusement at her.

But then instantly turned serious, all the humour faded from his face as he stared at her with hard eyes and his brow slightly pulled together.

Ruth noticed the sudden change in his demeanour.

"Wh-what happened?"

Ruth was now mirroring the same seriousness as him. She reckoned her brain to know if she had done something wrong.

"E-Edwin?"

"Take a bite." He commanded.

Ruth was confused about his actions. Was he suspecting her from past experiences that the cookies were harmful or anything like that?

Ruth put the cookie in her mouth and took a bite but what happened next made her shriek in shock. Edwin pulled her head towards him, and before she took the bite completely in her mouth, he took it in his.

Their lips moved on each other. Pulling back, he smiled at her.

"Now it tasted sweet!"

Ruth realised how he fooled her. Recovering from the shock, she punched his chest, but that only brought a free, loud laugh from him.

"I hate you!" Ruth grumbled with a glare.

Edwin caged her with his arms and pecked her on the forehead. "No, you don't!"

"Yes I do!" She said stubbornly.

"Okay, but I still love you!"

Ruth pushed him away and stood up. "Good for you!" Winking at him, she ran to the door before he stopped her.

"Mrs Payne has given them for you. Enjoy!" and just like she came, she already left.

Edwin still had the same smile plastered on his face. Sometimes he wondered what he had done to deserve such a lovely woman? And what if she rejected him?

Edwin did not want to think about that part yet and miss the time they were having.

Edwin took another cookie and put it whole in his mouth. But then his face morphed in confusion as he sensed something in his mouth.

Opening his mouth again, he pulled out a small note from it.

Edwin's brows furrowed.

He dusted the cookie's particles and read the message.

"Back of the old building. Afternoon."

Edwin took a deep breath, whispering, "Mrs Payne."

The rest of the day, the note remained on Edwin's mind. He thought about telling Lester about it, but then he decided against it. If Mrs Pane had taken efforts to send the message so secretively, then she must be expecting him alone.

Edwin waited for the afternoon looking forward to his meeting with Mrs Payne. After lunch, he told Thea to not disturb him as he wanted to take an afternoon nap.

Making sure that everyone was busy in themselves, Edwin went into the balcony of his chamber that faced the town. He knew that the guards must be busy with lunch, and it was the best time for him to slip away.

Edwin stood on the railings of the balcony, and without wasting more time, he began climbing down the building. He praised himself for planning this way of escape at his young age.

The slits and the protruded stones at places made it easier for him to climb down safely. After using that route after years, his childhood memories refreshed. Edwin used that way to slip out of 'the great manor' and train for extra time.

Landing on the ground, Edwin ran towards the old building. He hid, ran, pretended all along the way to not attract anyone's attention.

He reached the old building safely and turned around the corner to see Mrs Payne already present there.

Walking towards her, he said, "You could have come to my office."

"But then how I could have tested if you really trust me or not?!"

That old woman had wicked ways of getting the things done as per her likings.

"Thank you... for trusting me!" She took him by surprise, to which Edwin reacted only by a nod.

"Is this place safe?" She then asked.

Edwin observed her before noticing a bag in her hand. He wondered what was inside it.

"Would you mind coming inside?" He asked.

Mrs Payne followed him into the old building, where he took her to the room on the second floor.

With the required privacy, Edwin faced the old woman.

"I assume you have much more to tell than you have alredy told me and Lester."

Edwin was always fascinated by her braveness. There was hardly a time when he had seen fear in that woman's eyes.

"Yes, now before you also assume that I do not trust Lord Lester, let me clear it out. I do trust him but he is bit... impulsive."

Now Edwin was amused. "That is my virtue Mrs Payne."

She smiled. "Yes, but you are evolving Young Master."

Edwin was speechless at that. Clearing his throat, he asked, "It's good that you asked to meet yourself. I wanted to meet you anyway."

"Then I would like to hear you first." Mrs Payne said.

Edwin took a moment to gather his thoughts. "Mrs Payne you seem to know more about our world than any other human and that concerns Lester. He is my best friend and you are like a family. I can not chose a stand between you two but I also need to be sure about some things."

Mrs Payne nodded her head in understanding.

"Where did you go Mrs Payne? What was so important that you even lied to Ruth?" Edwin asked.

Mrs Payne pursed her lips. She had promised to not lie to him at least. "I will tell you that. I even called you here just for that."

If she needed Edwin's help, then she must make sure that he trust her. Besides, she had no name on her mind who was able enough to help her in that situation.

"What do you mean?" Edwin

asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Young Master, what I am going to tell and show you now should remain only between us. Not Ruth nor Lord Lester should get a whiff of it. I want your word on it." She said with grave seriousness.

Edwin had no idea what was going on in that old woman's mind, but if he wanted to know, then he had to agree to her condition. But he also could not agree to everything she said just like that.

"Do not worry. It does not involve betraying or harming anyone. You just need to do what a leader and a warrior should do. So are you willing to give your word on it?" Mrs Payne asked.

Edwin was not sure of what she exactly wanted from him. Yet he agreed. Because as she always said, she had not given him a reason to not trust her.

"Fine! I, Edwin O'Dell-

the werewolf leader- is willingly giving you the word that whatever we will discuss today will remain only between us and nobody will get a whiff about it." Edwin promised in his deep and steady voice.

He saw relief spread on Mrs Payne's face. She opened the bag she was holding close to her chest all this time and pulled out a pouch from it.

Edwin was curious and excited too. He wanted to know what she had with her that she trusted it with only him.

Mrs Payne opened the pouch and pulled out a black crystal. It was so mesmerising that Edwin's eyes widened at its sight and its glint.

"Young Master, here is the mystery that you are trying to decode- Painite!"