SOPHIA
"Sophia, I don’t wish to fight with you. Let’s make peace."
"No."
Jace reached out, no doubt to grab , because apparently husband trumped consent. I whirled away and ran back to the starting line. I hurriedly wiggled back into the waiting prey.
I had to find the hidey hole as quickly as possible.
Penelope was prey, too. I could see her down the row of people in front of . I would have to escape her and Jace, too.
I saw that Jace was looking for again, so I ducked down. Why was it taking so long to ring the damned bell? If it wasn’t for Nathan’s enthusiasm and the chance to spend ti with him, I might well have walked away.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Screams of joy pierced the air (and my ears) as the prey surged forward toward the maze’s entrance. I was carried by the montum of the people around and couldn’t free myself from the crowd until we were nearly to the first bend in the maze.
The problem was that the people surrounding had turned right.
I was supposed to go left. By the ti everyone had scattered enough for to walk on my own, I was much further into the maze than I should’ve been. I didn’t know how to reach the hiding spot from my current location.
All I could do was return to the beginning and start over.
The full ten minutes had nearly elapsed before I managed to return to the entrance. If I didn’t hurry, I would overwheld by hunters. Thank goodness I wasn’t in one of those ridiculous dresses or I’d be royally screwed.
Okay. Left. Decision point. Right. Stay to the left. And ... where was the hiding spot?
I thought I had stopped midway, but try as I might, I found no place in the hedge where I could slip into a hidey hole.
I ran back, went to the left, and spent too much ti patting the flat waxy leaves of the hedges. A little more than midway through my hand suddenly vanished into the branches.
"Found it!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The second signal bell. Hunters were being loosed into the maze. A roar went up and the thundering of the hunters entering the maze sounded like stampeding cattle. I didn’t have ti to ss around. I shoved my way in, just as I heard voices filtering down the walkway.
The alcove cut into the hedge wasn’t exactly comfortable, but at least I was hidden. All I had to do now was wait for Nathan to "capture" .
"Where do you think she went?" said a male voice. "I can’t stop thinking about her."
"She looks a thousand tis better than most of the ladies I’ve seen this evening," answered another male voice. "I truly wish every woman had that clean skin look."
"Her lips were such a luscious pink. I want to kiss her."
"You want to do more than that."
They laughed together.
"I swear to you Sophia Pagemoore will be mine tonight."
"And you’ll share with ."
"Not on your life."
"Then I’ll have to find her first."
"The hell you say."
I heard the aty thunk of a fist hitting flesh. Then a rough oof.
"You bastard!"
Another round of smacks and groans ensued.
I clutched at my cape. They’d been talking about . Like ... like I was so sort of pleasure doll put on this earth for their amusent. I wish I had the knowledge and strength needed to punch their lights out. They both should be kicked in their privates, imdiately and without rcy.
Then I heard different sounds. Click Swoosh. Splat. Aaaaaahhh!
"If I ever hear you speak of Sophia Pagemoore, or any woman, like you did just then, I will remove your balls and serve them to you on platters."
Duke Stonehart!
I heard a quick succession of clicks, swooshes, and splats. Finally, one of the original male voices said, "We beg your rcy, Duke Stonehart. We will never speak of the fairer sex in such a foul way again."
"Get out."
After a few monts, Nathan’s voice ca again. "Sophia? Are you there? Are you all right?"
My heart squeezed in anticipation. I stuck an arm through the bramble and waved my hand. "I’m here! I’m okay."
I felt the gentle clasp of his fingers around mine and he held onto while I extracted myself from the hidey hole. I was able to get most of the way out of the hiding spot, but as my foot ca free, I tumbled forward.
Nathan caught easily.
He held at an angle, his muscular arm serving as a brace against my back. We stared at each other. His eyes were so dark, like the night sky, and just as beautiful. I swear if I looked long enough, I would be able to see stars in his gaze.
"Can you stand?" he asked.
"Yes. Yes, of course." Heat flushed my face as embarrassnt crawled through . What was I doing? Clinging to him like a wayward caterpillar on a tree limb.
He righted , made sure I was steady on my feet, and let go. He reached past and wiped a finger across so of the leaves splattered with orange paint. He lightly stroked my cheek.
"I caught you," he said. "Now, you’re mine."
It was such a thrill to hear those words. Claid by Duke Stonehart. Oh, my poor heart. It beat so fast. And my lungs failed to function properly. How was it that this man simply sucked up all the nearby oxygen? I was dizzy in his presence.
"Here." He pulled a silver dallion from his pocket. It dangled like a military tal from a silver pin. "This is the Stonehart crest. It’s two swords crossed over a heart. Father once told that our family serves at the emperor’s behest. We must have stone hearts so we can bloody our swords for country and crown."
Nathan pinned the dallion onto my dress. "Now we match." He pointed out the sa dallion pinned to his jacket. "This will tell everyone else that we are a team."
"I love it," I said, touching the cool tal. "It’s perfect."
He took my hand and clasped his fingers around mine. It was unseemly to hold the hand of man who was not my husband, but I didn’t care. I would rid myself of Jace as soon as possible.
He would never control again.
And I would never, ever love him again.
"Let’s go," said Duke Stonehart.
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