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.

"Such an exhilarating hunt you've sent us on. Getting lost during a ball? So . . . seductive, wouldn't you say? The chase is the best part of the hunt though. I do hope I get a chase at least."

I bite my lip, holding my breath, my jaw trembling. I don't want to be alone with him.

"Isn't there something so thrilling about being the prey?"

I hear his footsteps. They sound like they're moving away. But away in the direction where the path I'm on curves to the right. The path probably loops around toward him.

"Some part deep in all of us wants to be caught. It longs to know what would happen to us in the arms of our pursuer. That tantalizing what if?."

Colton steps out at the end of the path, a tantalizing grin on his face. "Run."

Unfortunately, for the both of us, when it comes to my flight or fight instinct, I usually choose fight. He walks toward me with glorious confusion on his face. This could have a horrible outcome.

"This isn't a hunt."

"Isn't it? Don't ruin my fun, darling."

"Thank God I caught up with you," Erik's voice comes from behind me.

I spin, coming face to face with him. "Erik." My voice is hoarse.

He looks behind me. "Colton, I see you also found her."

I'm actually slightly relieved to see Erik because to put it simply, Colton's—well—

strange.

Colton reaches us, his hands clasped behind his back. "Very fortunate that we found her before she panicked." Already did that.

"I see no one bothered inviting me."

The new voice startles me, causing me to snap my head up and right into the eyes of a new man. A sharp ache runs through my head, and I tilt forward enough from the jolt that I force myself to lean against Erik to not fall. The man presses his fingers against his forehead. I've never met him, but I know who he is. The Digamma. Sixth in the Order.

"Iris." Erik bends to look me in the eyes. "You all right there?" I nod, and he looks to the man. "Bently? Is something wrong with you as well?" Bently Blackwood. Easily the most arrogant prince of the Society. Whenever I've seen him on television being interviewed, he chooses which questions to answer—the ones he deems are worth his time—and criticizes the reporter. He's had civilians detained for being in his way, speaking to him out of turn, and for not bothering to nod when he passed by them.

Bently drops his hand from his head, his eyes settling on me. "I'm fine. Who's this?"

"This is Iris." Erik keeps an arm on me. "Iris, this is my cousin, Bently. He's the Digamma."

That headache. It was the same that I've had with Jonas and his siblings. "I know."

Bently cocks his head. "It's always interesting to meet a woman on the Estate who isn't somehow related."

Colton clucks his tongue. "This one's Erik's."

I bristle, but I don't think any of them notice.

"You know I have no interest in her." Bently's eyes survey me before looking away to Erik, his face dissatisfied. "Erik, I was about to text you. Percy needs to speak with you as soon as possible. He's here in the maze in the courtyard with the fountain."

"Great." Erik sighs. "Can you both make sure Iris finds her way out?"

"I'm actually going to go find Vienna," Colton says. "She's still looking for Iris."

Can anyone actually direct their conversations about me to me?

"Don't worry." Bently motions for me to step forward. "I'll show her the way."

Erik shakes his head. "If he tries to hurt you, Iris, you have my permission to punch him. I do outrank him."

Bently doesn't look thrilled by that final statement. There's no doubt Bently is a horrible person, but Erik thinks he would hurt a guest that he doesn't know is Expired?

Colton and Erik both head off in the direction the Beta came from, leaving me alone with the Digamma. I wait for him to bring up the headache, but he starts walking. That's good, I think.

"Thank you, Digamma."

He doesn't answer. Why am I not surprised?

After what seems like too long, we stop. I have no idea if we're any closer to the exit. I don't like this though.

Bently turns, his eyes meeting mine. There's no pain, no dull ache. "You are an interesting one." His eyes survey me again but this time he looks like he's viewing an animal in a cage—one he's never laid eyes on before. "Did Erik really go and find himself a new girl?" He rubs his thumb along his chin. "You felt it, right? I saw that you did."

"Felt what?"

He tsks before walking away, disappearing to the right.

I open my mouth to call him back, but an arm wraps around my waist and something hard and plastic-like is shoved over my nose and mouth. I struggle, and there's a hiss followed by a sickly-sweet smell. Again, I feel trapped in a wave. I throw my elbow back, but as I do so, my legs give out. The arm around my waist is the only thing that prevents me from hitting the ground. I struggle to keep my eyes open. The smell's too strong . . . My knees hit the ground and I fall and fall and