Heidi waited for a few seconds before she sat up straight. Pushing the covers, she got out of the bed and placing the pillows before covering it with blanket. It would take at least fifteen to twenty minutes before the maid would be back. She knew that taking the door and main entrance would be fruitless with either the maid or Stanley waiting to send her back inside as the sky didn’t seem dark now and there was no saying when it was start pouring. Looking at the tree being her only way out, she stepped out of the balcony and to one of the branches which was strong. It had been a while since she got on a tree and she only hoped no one would spot her because she wouldn’t know how to explain it. Carefully when she got down, she thanked God and slipped out of the mansion without anyone’s notice. She walked away and into the forest. It took her a sometime but she did manage to find the dungeon that looked no less than a cave. As she walked inside, Heidi wondered if the maid had found out about her disappearance.

  The cave was dark as it led into the dungeon underground. Surprisingly there were no guards to guard the dungeon. With the eerie quietness and her pounding heart she heard the rain begin to pour outside, numbing any possible sound that came from outside. The dungeon was a long pathway which had cells on either side. The fire ran low on the walls but it was enough for her to know where she was stepping her feet on.

  At the Rune mansion, the maid stood outside the Lord’s study room, her hands wringing with fear of what was to come. She had been given one task and she hadn’t done it right. Gulping, she raised her hand but instead pushed the door to see both the lords sitting on the plush couch. Not able to handle the news, she blurted out,

  “I-I am sorry, milord for intervening but Ms Curtis isn’t in her room,” the maid twisted her hands nervously.

  “Did you check the entire mansion?” Lord Nicholas asked calmly.

  “Yes, milord,” Lord Nicholas frowned and then turned to look at Lord Alexander.

  “I don’t want Norman sabotaging my empire and I would be delighted to have the nuisance out of Bonelake,” he said as the Valerian Lord stood up, “If it is assistance that you ask, I shall provide it, but that is until and unless my land is mine with no interference.”


  “Then we have a deal,” Lord Alexander said with a smile, “I won’t take more of your time with the urgent matter that waits you,” and this made Nicholas’ lips quirk up.

  “I wonder how far you’ve spun your web across the empires to find such details. It’s frankly frightening to think,” Nicholas chuckled as they stepped out of the room.

  “Not as much as the man who tricks them with their smile,” Lord Alexander commented before taking his leave.

  Nicholas walked up to Heidi’s room with the maid and the butler following behind him. The door which was already opened showed the bed which was well made with the pillows being placed at the center of the bed.

  “Why wasn’t anyone watching her?” he asked, the ill temper slipping through his calm demeanour.

  “Master it seems that Lady Heidi wasn’t doing well and had asked for a cup of tea with refreshments,” the butler piped in waving the maid to leave them.

  Nicholas stared at the bed and then spoke, “It has been less than half an hour since it happened. She wouldn’t have gone too far.I’ll go look for her.”


  “Would you like to accompany me master?” the butler asked.

  “That wouldn’t be required,” the butler bowed his head in compliance, “The wolves must be hungry. Send her to the den,” the butler bowed his head again to see his master walk out of the room.

  Back at the cell, with every empty room Heidi passed, she believed Nicholas’ words. Maybe Noah did go home without a scratch on him. With only four more cells, she stepped forwarded to only gasp in horror at the sight of a man in it. She covered her nose and mouth at what she saw. It was the same man whom she had met at Wilford’s soiree who had tried attacking the lord. Both his hands were bound in thick chains which was attached to the stony ceiling. One of his leg had been amputated. The man was unconscious and his body looked weak as if he had been starved to death but kept alive at the same time to experience the cruelty of life.

  “This is not a place you should be in.”


  Heidi turned around to see Nicholas standing at the far end. Too stunned to talk she looked at the man before leaving the dark pathway. With Lord Nicholas already out of the cave and under the rain, she followed him out of the forest. When he stopped walking suddenly, so did she. Nicholas then turned around to face her,

  “If you wanted to come here, all you had to do is ask. Didn’t I tell you not to look for something which isn’t there?” Nicholas asked her, his voice higher than the rain that fell from the sky, “Your lack of faith in me is something I need to appreciate,” his words were laced with sarcasm which was enough to jab at her.

  “I am sorry,” Heidi whispered looking down at the wet ground.

  “Please explain to me why you went out like a thief? Do you like the boy so much that you hid the fact of you coming here in search of him?”


  “What?! No!”


  “Or was it that you were trying to run away again?” Nicholas asked her sharply to see blood drain from her face.

  Heidi didn’t know how he found out about her running away but she shook her head, “I only wanted to confirm, confirm that you were telling the truth. Rhys killed Issac and Lettice doesn’t know about it. I found it suspicious that you would not tell me of his visit. You hid it from me. Why?” she demanded for answers.

  “Because it is only recently that I have realized I am quick to jealousy. I am not fond of the man who held your interest, Heidi. Even if it was a little in the past, the thought doesn’t sit well with me. I could have killed him but I didn’t. I called him on my own matters and left him unharmed yet you doubt me. Until now have I ever hid anything from you as a lie?” Nicholas asked her, his eyes cold, “I am who I have shown you to be. Is that so unbelievable?” Heidi shook her head.