Page 53 of Vipers and Vendettas

Silence follows, and I keep my mouth covered, hoping against hope that they don’t hear my heart beating because they must be supes, or else how did they get here?

A few minutes later, and the hidden square I’m standing in opens, revealing a narrow path.

I send a silent thank you to the maze for protecting me and Jellybean, and I walk down it. It changes as I walk, and I know it’s trying to keep me hidden from these intruders, but after a few minutes, I find myself on the outer path and in view of the house. As soon as I’m clear, the hedge closes, and I start hearing multiple terrified and anguished screams from inside it.

I turn and run, my plan forgotten in the wake of my almost-kidnapping. How did they even get on the property? The estate’s boundary spells are second to none. How did they even know I was here?

I’ve let myself back inside via the kitchen before I remember I have the key to get back into the fold, but as I go to grab the handle of the nearest door, it opens unexpectedly.

I stumble back, my eyes widening as I find Maddox on the other side.

‘Pleasant midnight stroll, darling?’ he hisses before he lunges, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me to him roughly.

I swallow my cry as I’m pulled unceremoniously out of the kitchen and down the hall to the library. He thrusts me inside and closes the door, locking it.

I whirl around, my breathing hard and irregular.

‘Maddox,’ I try, but his eyes flash as he strides to me.

‘What did you steal this time?’ he thunders, dragging my hands over my head and holding them there while he trails his hands over me.

‘Nothing!’ I cry. ‘I didn’t take anything!’

But he ignores my words, his hand everywhere as he searches me.

A sob bubbles up from my throat, and I silence it mercilessly, but tears track their way down my cheeks as I shake in front of him.

Finally, he stops and takes in my tear-stained cheeks, his expression grim.

‘Are you really going to try to tell me that you weren’t trying to escape?’ he growls. ‘Choose your words carefully, pet.’

‘I was,’ I whisper, ‘but something happened …’ I turn my eyes towards the windows where I know the maze is, though it’s too dark out there to see it.

I’m pulled over to one of the chairs in front of the desk and pushed into it.

‘Don’t you bloody move,’ he hisses, running a hand through his blonde hair in exasperation. His jaw sets. ‘Vexing female!’

My stomach lurches, and I clap my hand over my mouth.

Not now!

A metal trash can is thrust under my face as I vomit loudly. When I’m finished, Maddox hands me a tissue to wipe my mouth and takes the can to the door, putting it out into the hall.

‘So busy with your machinations that you didn’t drink your tea?’ he asks, leaning against the desk in front of me.

‘I did drink it,’ I whisper.

He lets out a sigh and goes behind his desk to where he usually keeps his brandy. In its place, however, is a china tea set, three tiny wooden boxes, and a plug-in kettle, which he turns on, and it begins to whir.

I watch as he spoons something from each of the boxes into a tiny metal strainer over one of the teacups. He ignores me as the water boils, and just before it does, he pours the hot water through the strainer to fill the cup.

He takes the strainer off and puts it to the side in a little dish. Then he turns and passes the cup to me.

I take it by the saucer, glad that my hands are steady. I smell it, and my eyes find his in surprise.

My tea.

‘You make it?’ I ask. ‘But I thought Tabitha?—’