"Mother!" She shouted, diving straight into the network of confusing hedges desperately.
It didn't take her much time to understand that she was lost. Every time she had even come a little close to the two women, they vanished into thin air, until she finally stopped seeing them. She was all alone in the cold, the snow starting to bite into her feet slowly.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" She called out, tears pooling in her eyes. "Mother? Please!"
"Eve?" A familiar voice called from behind her, the tone filled with confusion.
Eve stilled, her eyes widening in surprise as she turned around. The familiar voice belonged to a certain Hugh Tarleton who was for some reason standing in front of her, clothed in fine silk, his perfume wafting towards her even in through the cold air.
"Lord Tarleton?" She asked, looking at him in confusion. "What are you-"
"Oh Eve!" The young lord exclaimed, cutting her off. She was dumbstruck when his arms wrapped around her. "It's really you!"
Eve grunted, trying to pull away from him. But his hold over her torso only tightened. Swearing under her breath, she pushed at him with her hands that were squeezed between their chests. But the man did not nudge an inch.
"I'm so relieved!" He exclaimed, as if ignorant to her efforts at breaking free. His voice was thick, straining from emotions as he nuzzled his face into her neck, breathing in her scent. "I'm so relieved, Eve!"
Eve gritted her teeth. "Hugh. Let go." She warned, irritated beyond comparison.
Tarleton chuckled, stepping back from her only to raise his hands and grab her face. "My Eve." He whispered, the pale blue of his eyes moistening as he leaned forward.
Eve narrowed her eyes at the man, knowing full well his intentions. No. She was not going to fall for this again. She had given him a chance despite everything. Yet he went and ruined it. She could feel his warm breath on her face, the scent of alcohol beating against her nostrils. Scrunching her nose in disgust, she raised her knees, readying herself to land the blow.
But the very next moment, it happened. Hugh Tarleton screamed as he was plucked from the ground, his fingers loosening from her face as his limbs flayed in the air before landing a few feet away from her with a soft thud, the snow cushioning his fall. Her eyes widened at the sight of the enormous wolf hovering over the screaming man, one of its paws pressing against his chest that appeared too small under the beast's enormity.
She recognized the creature. It was the same wolf that had tried to kill her that day in St Yvon. That very same beast that would have eaten her whole if not for the regent's intercession. The one that had torn Litty's father apart. Her heart dropped at the sight of the creature baring its fangs at a pale Tarleton in a threat.
As she watched, Theodore walked out from the cover of the hedge, passing the creature and the fallen man, his face a picture of arrogance and power as his gold-rimmed black cape dragged behind him through the snow.
With every step that he took towards her, her breaths grew shorter. Eve cursed, quickly lowering her eyes before bowing to the king in an act of submission.
Theodore stopped, standing inches from her. "It seems that you're not an obedient one." He said, chuckling in delight. "I like that. But then again, I wonder what my uncle would have to say about his little Walker sneaking out to meet a human in the middle of the night." He said, the hint of the threat in his words apparent.
Eve raised her head, standing straight before the man. "It's not what it looks like." She said, keeping her eyes on her fast-numbing toes.
"Ohh?" He asked, reaching out to grab her hand. She looked at him in alarm as he pulled her towards him, crushing her to his chest. "And what does it look like?" He asked, looking down at her with an evil smile.
Eve gritted her teeth, not knowing what to say. She had unknowingly walked into his trap. If she were to utter another word, she would be digging her own grave. His golden eyes flashed brightly for a second as she glared at him in irritation.
"Don't touch her!" The young lord Tarleton screamed, mirroring her anger.
Theodore sighed, turning back towards the two. "Dmitry." He called, creasing his brows in disappointment at the beast.
The wolf barked, baring its fangs at the man beneath its feet as it issued a warning. Hugh Tarleton shivered, closing his eyes in fear. Theodore nodded, satisfied with the response he got. He turned back towards her with a smirk.
"You're coming with me, tonight." He whispered, leaning into her ears. "I'll keep you safe for Nikolai."
Eve arched her neck back trying to move away from his warm breath that was disturbingly sending the wrong kind of signals through her body once again. "I don't want you to-"
"Dmitry, let the man go. He's a guest." Theodore said, suddenly stepping away from her.
Eve looked at him in confusion. What was he playing at now? She wondered. She watched the wolf step off of the shivering man, keeping its glowing yellow eyes trained on him.
The king turned to Tarleton. "Ambassador Tarleton, these mazes are dangerous. I hope you find another girl to spend the night with." He said, pausing to point a finger at her before saying, "This one here is out of your little league."
Hugh Tarleton's mouth fell open at the statement. He turned towards her as if asking for an explanation. But Eve did not even get the time to get hers when Theodore swung low, picking her up with the ease of carrying a doll as he slung her over his shoulder, taking off into the air without a warning.