21|| The Forbidden Maze 🔞

It reached a point where Smite had no other choice but to turn and leave, her little crowd of gossipers leaving with her. I knew she was going to Concubine Naomi’s quarters. By morning, Naomi would know every detail of what had happened. That was fine. I’d already made my move. Now it was their turn. This was chess, and I’d forced them into the next play.

With a sigh, I shut the library book I’d been reading and leaned back, closing my eyes. The palace was very quiet and I couldn’t really hear anything except the long howl in the distance occasionally. I should be resting because my nightmares have finally stopped. I was not waking up in cold sweats and struggling to breathe again, and the heat that made me suffer for weeks has also stopped. The only thing that bothered me was the memory of those eyes…the eyes of the man in the library. Whenever I thought of him, my knees would involuntarily buckle and I’d feel this weird feeling in my stomach.

I was “alright,” but restless. Too restless. Maybe that’s why the dreams stopped, because I wasn’t sleeping at all. And under the restlessness was something else like a warning in my bones. Something bad was coming, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to protect myself when it arrived. I wanted to believe I could. But deep down… I wasn’t sure.

I pushed myself to sit up and moved my duvet from my lap, slipping my feet into my slippers. I then grabbed a small scarf to wrap around my shoulders, I didn’t bother changing out of my nightdress which was a thin white dress that clung to me in all the right places. No one would see me, I told myself. It was too late for anyone to be awake.

I slipped out of my quarters quietly, closing the door shut behind me, and took a deep breath. The palace could almost trick you into believing it was beautiful, if you ignored the monsters that lived inside it. The way the star twinkled like sprinkles in the sky and the way the breeze felt on your skin. It felt like a wonderland, a very dangerous wonderland.

Pulling the scarf tighter around myself, I started walking and thinking about my current situation. Editing and redoing my plan over and over and trying to guess what Naomi might do. I knew what I’d done wasn’t just rebellion, it was a declaration of way. And if Naomi was an evil bitch like I very much thought she was, she’d come ready to deal with me with no mercy.

I stopped walking when I realized I was standing before what looked like the entrance to a giant maze garden. That meant I had walked too far, far enough that I should’ve turned back. But I didn’t. I felt so curious.

Looking over my shoulder to make sure no one was watching, I walked inside, pressing my feet into the soil to leave small marks behind me, so that when I needed to leave it would guide me back out. The hedges were so tall the only thing I could see was the night sky. I had walked long enough to think about turning back when a sound made me freeze.

It sounded like voices, to my right, and it sounded urgent.

I walked closer, leaning carefully around the corner of the hedge where I saw two people standing face to face. A man, whose back was facing me so I couldn’t see him properly and opposite him was a woman who was very beautiful, her round face was partially hidden with a scarf. They were whispering, like they were in a massive argument, both trying to talk over one another but trying not to make too much noise.

Then, without warning, the woman slapped him across the face. The slap echoed in the quiet night and I gasped into my hand. She turned to leave, but he grabbed her hand, yanking her back. In the same second he pushed his mouth to hers.

The woman fought at first, her hands pushing against his chest. But then, her body melted into his. Her arms wrapped around his neck, kissing him so desperately they looked like they were about to swallow each other.

My heart slammed in my chest as I watched, unable to look away. The man’s hands pulled her scarf away, sliding down the shape of her body. The woman let out a tiny moan as he pulled at the fabric of her dress. They stumbled together, his mouth still devouring hers, like a hungry beast until she was pressed down on the grass, almost naked.

The man didn’t care that they were right there where anyone could see. He started undressing her, fumbling with his pants, while pulling her dress over her head before kissing and sucking her neck, while she was shivering under him, moaning and gasping in pure pleasure.

Her scarf was thrown over his shoulder and I can now see her face clearing under the moon’s glow. By the time he was done eating her face, her lips were swollen from his kiss and her face was so red. You could already see his love bites all over her neck to her chest.

The woman held his clothes tight like she wanted to tear it off immediately, mumbling something with her mouth and going from insulting him and whisper-yelling at him to kissing him and begging for more.

Like she hated that she couldn’t stop herself from wanting him and she hated it. The sound of fabric ripping made my lower lip. He growled as she wrapped her hands around his body with a desperation and need that almost scared me.

He lifted her hips so easily, dragging her closer, before pushing himself in her and I heard her give out a small cry. Their bodies moved against each other with raw greed, her nails scratching down his back while his hands gripped her thighs so tight, I knew it would bruise. The sound of his skin slapping against her rang out with his grunts and her desperate moans.

I stood there frozen, my feet stuck to the ground. I knew I should turn away. I knew watching was dangerous and if I got cause I was doomed. But I couldn’t. Whoever these two were, this wasn’t just passion, it was forbidden and so reckless that I almost felt so fucking jealous.

I took a step back, ready to turn and leave, when a strong, warm hand gripped my shoulder from the back.

“Looks like I’ve found you again, little kitten.”

Shit.