Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 63289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
“Perfect.” I remained close to him as we walked, enjoying the powerful heat radiating from his muscular frame. “So. . .tell me about this witch.”
“It is said that she possessed the ability to control time.”
I stopped us from walking. “What?”
He smirked. “I figured you would love that, since you are amazing at spinning paranormal tales of love and magic.”
I tensed. “Umm. . .yes. Thanks, but. . .the witch. She could control time?”
“Yes.” He led us forward. “She had many followers who would come to her for guidance and protection. However, her powers also drew the attention of fanatics who feared and hated her for that very power. She always had assassins coming after her.”
I looked at him. “When you said that she could control time, what do you mean?”
“Stop time. Start time. There are some stories that claimed she could rewind time too.” Ethan chuckled. “Of course this is all legend and folklore.”
“But, what if she really could control time?”
“Then, that would have been amazing.” Ethan pointed in front of him. “And here we have Aria’s maze.”
“Aria?”
“That was the witch’s name.”
I turned my view and gasped.
This was something that I could have never dreamed of. It was massive. Green trimmed high hedges formed the elaborate pathways, and the foliage was meticulously sculpted and trimmed to create a massive living labyrinth.
Ethan smiled. “They say Aria grew the hedges with magic.”
“Really?”
“When I was a boy, I would run through the paths and touch as many leaves as I could, thinking I would be magical too.” He guided us to what I assumed was the beginning of the maze.
“I can’t imagine being a kid and growing up in such a grand place.”
“It was definitely fun. Granted, a few times I got lost in this maze and would scare my parents and the staff.”
I chuckled. “So, you were a naughty kid.”
“Very naughty.” He gazed at me. “In fact, many would say that I am still naughty.”
My skin warmed.
He stopped us at the entrance. “Would you like to enter?”
“Do you know the way out now?”
“I do.”
“Then, let the adventure begin.”
We headed inside. The hedges towered over me. Shadows lingered throughout the path. It seemed like endless leafy walls.
Ethan spoke, “I spent years as a kid trying to solve this maze.”
I attempted to imagine a kid playing around in this huge puzzle of nature.
The walls of the maze already towered over me, blocking out the moon and any sense of direction. It must have been gigantic for a kid.
Even though I was with Ethan and he clearly knew the way, I still had a small sense of unease, as though someone was watching us from the shadows and hiding in the maze.
However, despite the disorienting atmosphere, the thrill of the challenge and the desire to reach the center of the maze surged through me.
Plus, it helped that I was having this alone time with him.
No glass of poisonous champagne will kill me out here. Maybe. . .the night won’t reset.
We hit a fork in the road where one path would lead to the left and another went to the right.
Ethan looked at me. “Which way do you think we should go?”
“Right.”
“That’s a dead end.”
“Oh. Then, left it is.”
We headed that way.
I looked at him. “So, why did you spend so much time in the maze?”
“My nanny told me that whoever solved the maze would be granted unlimited wealth and power.”
“And that’s what you wanted as a kid?”
“Most definitely.”
I chuckled. “I can appreciate that.”
We rounded a twisting, winding path.
“Unfortunatly, when I finally did solve the maze, no great magical power came.”
“Some would say you were already born with wealth and power.”
“It is true. I had a privileged upbringing and one day I will inherit more wealth when my father passes.” He nodded. “However, I was never content to simply live off of my father’s money and success. I wanted to earn my own.”
“And I’m guessing you succeeded.”
“I did. I found a passion for investment banking, worked hard in college, then did grad school. Eventually, I worked with a firm under a fake last name.”
I quirked my brows. “You didn’t want them to know you were a Vanderbilt?”
“Exactly. I wanted to. . .prove to my father and the world that I was my own person.”
“And you did that?”
“I did. I worked double hours, earned several promotions, saved money, and later started my own firm.”
“All by yourself.”
“Once again you are correct.” He beamed.
“But why?”
A bench stood several feet away. He led us in that direction instead of guiding us around another winding path.
“You ask why.” He pursed his lips together. “No one has ever asked that question. Hard work doesn’t impress the people in my world. Why did you ask?”
“I am a writer. We are extremally nosy people.”
“You are an excellent writer.”
Warmth hit my heart. “Thank you, but back to my question. Why did it mean so much to gain success on your own?”