A MAZE OF GREED

"Never... ever think that again! This is my last warning to you, my Luna! Or you will not like the consequences."

Ruth's eyes searched for a playful smile on his face instead, she saw dark blue eyes staring at her angrily.

Ruth leaned back, creating some distance between them as she stared at him wide-eyed. She had seen his eyes turning dark before, but never she had seen them so closely.

They looked like it was their natural colour. She realised that he looked all the way different even though only his eyes had changed their colour.

What was going on?

"E-Edwin... you... your eyes!" She stuttered.

He could smell her fear, feel it clearly. Edwin walked away from her, giving her a sense of security with the distance between them.

"Ruth, I know that you have many questions. I and even everyone always dodged your questions or blatantly lied to you. First of all, I want to sincerely apologise; also on behalf of everyone for treating you that way.

Do not be mad at them because... because they all were only following my orders. If anything, you can put that blame on me, and I am ready to receive any punishment that you want to give me." Edwin said, his darkened eyes looking sad and guilty.

Ruth could tell that his words were sincere, but now that she was reminded of every lie and every avoidance, she felt angry.

"Why are your eyes dark? And why do you, Rees and Lord Lester tensed abruptly and look lost? And their eyes also turn dark? WHat does that mean?"

If he was willing to answer, then Ruth had a list of questions ready in her mind.

While planning on how to tell Ruth, Edwin thought of just shifting into his wolf and then doing all the talking. But then she was a human, and she might have even fainted there, so he decided to go step by step with the talking at first and then move on to the shifting.

And he was going to stick to his plan!

"Because every time you see those changes in us... it means we are communicating with each other or other pack members through... the mind link." He answered truthfully.

Edwin was never good with explaining things as he never bothered himself with that for anyone before. So he did not know how to explain everything to Ruth either.

But then he decided to just answer all her questions truthfully as much as possible. Knowing her curious nature, he was sure that she would squeeze out every bit of information from him.

"What is mindlink?"

"It is a medium rather a way which we use to communicate with each other even if we are miles apart. It does not mean that we can communicate even if we are at the two opposite polls. That power also has its limitations."

Ruth did not nod, nor did her face give away her thoughts. There was no way, Edwin could tell if she was believing him or hating him for the lies as her heart kept beating normally.

"Does it happen to everyone?" She then asked.

Now Edwin was confused. Did she mean everything amongst the werewolves or the supernatural breeds, or was she including humans in it too?

"Pardon?"

"I have seen Lady Elsie doing the same a couple of times."

Edwin nodded his head. "Yes. She, Eloise and Ida can also do it."

Ruth noticed how he did not mention Theodora's name.

"And your aunt?"

Edwin shook his head. " She... she is not amongst us."

Now Ruth was silent, trying to comprehend whatever they had discussed till now. Now that she was quite aware of her powers, sure of the existence of witches, knew her past and about her father, she understood that there must be people different from humans.

Perhaps Edwin and the people around him belonged to any such category, she concluded on the basis of her experiences with them and what Edwin had told her just now.

'Okay Ruth, stay calm and keep your mind open.' She reminded her of the advice that Mr Payne had once given her.

"What are you?" Ruth came straight to the most important question that might give her most of her answers.

She did not want to ask one thing at a time and get confused by his answers. So she decided to address the core and then deal with the rest.

Edwin was taken aback by her question. She used 'what' instead of 'who', which should have been the obvious response from any human.

But then, whatever it was, he had to reveal himself in front of her.

He stared at her for a long minute. His face reflected the mix of all his emotions. Ruth had a hard time separating them, but one stood out amongst them- fear!

She did not understand what feared him, but she hoped it would not affect their love.

She braced herself by wrapping her hands around her torso as she sat on the rock near the waterfall. The moonlight illuminated the place enough to make the surroundings visible.

She watched as he took a few steps back, still facing her. She did not know what was going on in his head. She wished she had the power of reading his mind.

She could not bear that sad look in his dark blue eyes. They were strange, yet it felt like they belonged to him.

"I love you!"

She heard him say. She should be happy to hear it instead, she felt like she was about to lose something.

And then it clicked to her. She looked around then at Edwin in alarm. She saw this entire scene in her dream. He was sad in her dream just like now. The place was also the same.

Without thinking twice, Ruth jumped down from the rock and stretched her hand for Edwin to take as she ran towards him.

She saw him staring back at her with those same fearful eyes. He also lifted his hand to meet hers. But when she was only a few feet away from his hand, a shadow jumped on him, taking him away from her sight with it.

*

*

*

Lester could not sleep and was pacing in his chamber restlessly. For some weird reason, his mind kept going back to Ruth's dream.

Why did she get that dream? And as she feared, what if it turned out to be true again?

Lester was already concerned for Edwin's safety. It was not like he doubted Edwin's capability. He had seen that man taking an entire group of rogues alone. He was very difficult to beat.

But what about those snakes under the skin of harmless creepers?

Lester did not know if Edwin could win over them, especially the way he was dealing with them- by the way of love.

In Lester's opinion, it was useless to waste time and effort on those snakes. Edwin should have assumed complete control by now. Yet he kept giving his uncle repetitive chances for improvement.

And after that attempt of poisoning him, Lester was more alert and worried. He did not trust anyone around Edwin and thus was also careful with Mrs Payne.

But she had proven her loyalty many times, and the things she was trying to hide were impossible to discover until she guards them.

Giving up on his failing attempts at sleeping, Lester decided to go and disturb Edwin because he was the reason he could not get a peaceful sleep.

If Lester was going to spend the night awake, so was Edwin!

That man should be grateful that he had such a great best friend, but that despicable creature did not appreciate his fortune!

Lester left his chamber and began walking towards Edwin's with no idea what was awaiting next.

Lester knocked on Edwin's chamber, but when no reply came after many attempts, he got worried. He asked the burly guard outside his chamber, but he said he had not seen Edwin since the evening.

Now alarmed, Lester first ran to the only person who might know about Edwin's whereabouts.

Running out of 'the great manor' and towards the servants' quarters, Lester knocked on the door of a house.

Two minutes later, sleepy Rees came out, opening the door.

Before he understood who was at his doorsteps late in the night, he was bombarded by bombs of questions.

"Rees, where is Edwin? Why is he not in his chamber?"

"Lord Lester?"

"Tell me quickly!" Lester shook Rees's shoulders, waking him completely from the aftereffect of sleep.

Thea came out of their bedroom while wrapping herself with a shawl.

"Lord Lester? What happened? Lady Elsie-"

"Its not about her."

Thea relaxed hearing that, but her relief was only momentarily.

"Its about Edwin. He is not in his chamber!"

"What?" Thea looked at Rees the way Lester did.

That left Rees with no other choice than to tell them the truth. "Master... he is going to tell Ruth everything tonight."

That brought a wide smile to Thea's face. She clapped in excitement as Rees shared her happiness. But they both paused when they saw a thoughtful look on Lester's face.

"Where has he taken her?" Lester asked.

"At the waterfall where his parents first met each other. Why?"

-"I do not know what that place is Lord Lester. But I hear the sound of water."-

Ruth had told him while they discussed her dream.

Rees and Thea watched as Lester's face paled. Before they asked him anything, he was already running towards the woods while dragging Rees with him.

"Inform Elsie and come with her at that place!"

Lester called Thea without turning back.