42 The Maze

135K 7.8K 726
                                    

Iris~~

The maze seems to flip upside down. Or maybe I do. Nothing is clear. Everything is off. Her words pound in my head. Erik killed Molly. Erik killed Molly.

"He still loves her after all this time." My voice sounds like it's coming from underneath me. Or maybe above. "He couldn't have—have killed her."

"All I know is that he did. I know we don't know each other, but I want you to be safe. I wanted to tell you when we went to dinner, but the opportunity never came."

The walkway and hedges tilt. I have to get out of here. "Excuse me." I push past her, reaching for the hedge wall.

"Where are you going?"

"I need space."

"You're going to get lost."

"I don't care. I need to be alone."

I stumble along, not knowing if I'm headed back the way we came or if I'm only pushing farther in. There's plenty of time to find my way out later, once I can sort through these thoughts and the maze lands back in this dimension.

Erik's always blamed the Society for her death. Does Vienna expect me to believe her over Erik?

Erik did kill that Veil without hesitation, but he did it to save me. My stomach churns, and I feel like I'm going to throw up. I sink to the ground and shut my eyes, closing myself off from the world. It's like I'm trapped in a wave being pushed and pulled and prodded in whatever direction a power greater than me desires.

I hear my name being called by multiple voices. I didn't think people would start looking for me—it's not as if they're actually concerned. The only way they'd look for me is if Erik or Jonas ordered it, but Vienna certainly didn't go to Erik. Would she go to Jonas?

I stand, the ground still swaying, and make my way toward where I think the voices are coming from, but with my current state of hearing, they sound as if they're coming from all directions, including below. I hold tight to the hedge, heading to the right and then to the left and again to the left.

One voice, though muffled, sounds familiar. Maybe that's only because it seems to be the closest. I round the next corner and stop. Erik stands to the left of a fork in the path.

"There you are." He steps forward, but I move back. Could Vienna be right? I can't forget about his and my last conversation that really wasn't much of a conversation at all. He's volatile. That's what I know about him. I don't know what to do anymore to not set him off.

"Are you all right?" he asks.

I shake my head, continuing to back up. "I don't want to be found yet." I turn, picking up my skirts and run the best that I can manage even though the maze sways, even though it closes in on me. I push through. Every step is a struggle. Every breath reminds me the maze is closing in on me. I don't think what Vienna said would be affecting me like this unless I believed, even if it's deep down, that it's true.

"Iris." That voice, cool and crisp, jolts me to a halt. The world settles back into its right positions. The maze no longer seems to be crushing me. It's exactly where it was. Away from me. My heart pounds and what feels like ice travels up my spine. I know that voice. As sure as life and death itself.

"I hear you breathing." His voice comes from the other side of the hedge to my right. "Let me help you. I know you're there."

I try to quiet my breathing, but my heart beats too fast—I can usually keep that under control.

Expiration Date (Books 1 and 2)Where stories live. Discover now