“You are—” Whatever words he wanted to say, he bit in half as I moved toward the manor. “Are you walking away from me? I jumped into the river to save your life!” he called. “Shouldn’t I be getting a teary-praise like heroes get in books?”
I answered without glancing back. “There is very little worth shedding tears for. This? Wasn’t one.” My fingers loosened on the knife as my mum’s words left my lips, then I halted, my jaw clenching. “Thank you,” I muttered, before moving on.
Although I would never admit it out loud, he was right. He saved my life tonight. But if he was really expecting something in return, he was about to be sorely disappointed. I’d rather choke on the water and lie in the riverbed than let someone use me as a pawn in their own selfish games.
I was passing the maze, its shadows hovering over me, when a sudden realisation struck me, bright as lightning. I turned down a narrow path and slid between the maze’s winding walls.
My feet skid to a halt under the dark stone in the centre. I kneeled, running my eyes over the small letters etched into the silver plate.
Orion Thornbury.
And underneath, the Latin phrase.
Tenebrae vorant tenebrae rapiunt et ex iis regnamus.
I knew it was familiar when Lilian said it. My eyes glanced at the small crest with a swan in the centre, sitting below the Latin sentence.
“Darkness consumes, darkness takes, and from it, we rule,” Preston read from behind me. “Nice family motto, I must say.”
I tried to ignore him, but his words clawed past the walls of my mind.Family motto.It was a strange one, but it wasn’t half rubbish.Darkness consumes, darkness takes.It fit the folktales written of this place. So it must fit the family living here as well.
I pushed myself to my feet, and to my annoyance, Preston did the same.
“A good fit, if you ask me,” he said.
I turned to face him. “I didn’t.”
He towered over me and I narrowed my eyes, my fingers squeezing the penknife.
“Don’t you like to ruin things, poison?” He spat the name, like saying it was enough to poison. “Aren’t you drawn to darkness?” he whispered, and I stiffened, unsure what he was getting at.
I forced my lips into a sharp smile. “Depends,” I tipped my head with the same cockiness he used, “would I be ruining you, Davenport? Because if so, then yes, consider me a fan.”
A muscle ticked along his jaw, unreadable emotions flickering behind his fathomless green gaze. I stepped back, letting my eyes linger on the sculpture a moment longer.
Never trust the darkness, bug.
My mum’s words whispered once more, and my gaze shifted toward manor.
“Do you know anyone named Alex?” I asked suddenly. “In Lilian’s circle, I mean.”
I knew who Hudson was, and I knew who Vitalie was. So knowing nothing of Alex had bugged me.
“You ask an awful lot of questions without giving anything in exchange,” he replied.
I hugged my arms around myself, the wet fabric of my clothes clinging to my skin like cold breath. “What do you want?” I asked, knowing very well, whatever it was I wouldn’t give it to him.
A white blur slid into my vision, too fast to catch clearly. I twisted my head toward the gaping dark of the maze, but the pathway was empty. Still, goosebumps rose along my arms.
“The truth,” Preston answered, drawing my gaze back to him. My forehead creased as I waited for him to elaborate. “You’ve been lurking around the manor since the day you arrived,” he continued, stepping closer. “You walk into rooms and disappear for hours. You ask questions no one should care for, and you act like you’re ready to be attacked at any given moment…” His eyes narrowed. “Why?”
The last word cut sharp. I stayed still, my breathing slow. “Maybe for the same reason you’ve been watching me.”
His gaze, usually well cloaked, now told me everything I needed to know. He didn’t trust me, which was good, because I didn’t trust him either.
“Somehow, I doubt that,” he lowered his voice at the same time the white blur flashed in my vision again.
I turned, scanning the maze, expecting to see someone staring back at me from the dark.
