by Matie Cole
“And if she is found?” Ray shot back instantly. “Who can we blame it on this time?”
“I don’t care. Bryson, maybe. Why the hell not? That guy was weird anyway. If Maisie’s body is ever found, which will not happen because you are going to do a good job, then we can blame it on him. We are good at passing off murder on someone else, do you not think? We did a good job with Duncan.”
“Maisie helped us with that because she ran away as soon as she realized that you were pinning it up on her, but Bryson will have a whole clan of people who know otherwise...”
“A clan that live nowhere near us, Ray, so stop making excuses, will you. Just get out there and kill her. You cannot get away with this. You have to do it. Right here, right now.”
Something was happening to Maisie, something was stirring deep within her. She could not explain it, but she could not move as it happened. She did not know much, but she was aware that she had to wait where she was while it washed over her, sinking into her fully.
Chapter 17
“M urder?” All of a sudden, something hit Maisie hard. “You killed him. Ray saw you with a bloody knife.
She could hardly breathe as this horrible memory overcame her. It was the first full memory that she had experienced ever since she lost her whole life, and it was a bad one. It was Lauren and Ray sneering over her, yelling at her, and letting her know that they were going to pin her father’s murder on her.
“Oh, my God,” she whispered to herself with her hand clutched to her chest as her foolishness hit her hard. How could she not remember that from the very first second she laid eyes on Lauren?
This woman was her wicked stepmother. She knew that she was evil instantly but did not feel like she could say anything because it was the first time that her father had found happiness. Her mother died in childbirth, that was why she did not know her. So, when he fell in love with Lauren, she could do nothing. Even when she suspected that Lauren only wanted her father’s money. Did she suspect murder though?
Her head hurt. It ached a lot, so much that Maisie knew it would be a challenge to move, but she no longer had any choice in the matter. Lauren murdered her father and would see her dead too. She was not sure who would end up being the one who put the knife into her, but it hardly mattered.
She gripped on to the medallion hard, allowing some tears to trickle down her cheeks. She had been holding on to the dream that she would get to see her mother again, that she would be the one to explain who she was, but that would no longer be possible. Her mother had never been alive at the same time as her, and now her father had been taken away as well. All that Maisie could do was cry for them.
“Bryson,” she whispered to herself as she finally managed to stagger away from the carriage, breaking the power that it had over her at long last. “I want Bryson. I just want to be with him.”
That was where she would head now. She did not know the direction in which she needed to head, but somehow she would find it, she would find him once more. Maisie could only hope that Bryson would still want her after everything that she had put him through. Especially now that she knew some of the truth.
“I will go back the way that we came,” she hissed to herself. “At least, what I think anyway. That will be the best way. Back the way that I came and somehow... somehow I will find him once more.”
Every step pulled her away from Lauren and Ray, away from the impending doom in which they threatened her with, but it was not enough. Nothing was ever going to be enough. This would scare her, as would the memories that Lauren had brought back to her. No wonder she blocked everything out. Her past life was so unpleasant, something that she absolutely needed to escape from.
“They want me dead and buried,” she whispered to herself as she wiped away some of the tears soaking her face. “So that they can have a fortune that I do not even want. Even if it does belong to me.”
Maisie could not see that her life was worth any amount of money. Or anyone’s life for that matter, but there were clearly greedy people in the world who did not see it that way. These were the sort of people that she wanted to spend the rest of her life avoiding. They were horrid, she just wished that her father had seen it. Maisie could not understand how she had allowed herself to be tricked by the idea that her father wanted her to marry Ray. He would never want her anywhere near that pig. Not a chance.
“Keep going,” she hissed as she stepped backwards, trying to tip toe so as not to draw any attention to herself. “Keep going until you can start running and never look back. Keep going, do this...”
As soon as Maisie picked up the pace, she would make noise, and she was going to have to outrun the pair of them. It was not going to be easy which was why she needed to get a head start on them. Right now, Ray and Lauren were arguing over what action they were going to take next, who was going to murder her, which was why she needed to take full advantage of this freedom while she still had it.
Snap. Maisie jumped. She did not know what twig caused the snapping sound, but she was pretty sure that it was loud enough for Ray and Lauren to hear, which meant that it was time to go. No more freaking out and being quiet. She would have to use every scrap of strength within her to make it back to Bryson.
I am coming for you, Bryson, she thought desperately as she took off at the speed of light. I am, I promise. We are going to have the wedding that we want, the live that we need, the happy ever after at last.
Of course, she could not be certain that would all happen, right now it was only a dream, but it was better than focusing in on the nightmare that she was currently existing in. The nightmare that had been haunting her for as long as she had been with Bryson. The snake coming for her, trying to kill her.
The snake was Lauren and Ray. It was always Lauren and Ray, she just did not realize it before. They had always been coming for her, nipping at her heels, wanting to take her down and crush her dead.
Her head pounded, her legs ached, but she did not stop. She kept on running, even when it became difficult in the wedding dress, even as the wedding dress caught on a nearby branch and tore. There was a part of Maisie that simply wanted to whip the dress off and throw it to the floor to make it easier for her to run, but she did not have the time to pause for even a second. That would take too long. Anything would.
“Argh!” She stumbled, she tumbled forwards. Her hands slapped onto the floor hard. She cried out in agony, pretty sure that she would have blood there now. On her hands and maybe even leaving a trail behind her. Anything that could leave a trail for them to find her was bad news. “Argh, oh, my God.”
She tried to get herself upwards once more, but her dress made it challenging. She continued to fall over and over again, which only brought about more tears. She was a mess, a real mess, which was not helping her one bit. Maisie knew that she needed to suck in some more air if she was going to calm down, but that felt impossible. She could not get any air into her lungs however hard she tried.
“Come... come on, Maisie,” she hissed to herself. “Come on. You need to get to Bryson.”
She thought of Bryson, only Bryson as she rose to her feet. His memory got her moving once more. She remembered all of their special moments together, every kiss that they had shared, every special night. It helped her, it made her feel better, it made her freer... so free that other memories returned to her as well. Memories from her previous life. Playing with her father, him giving her his undivided attention, laughing and giggling as she raced around the castle, her castle, her thinking that her life was always going to be safe with her father. How little she knew about what was eventually going to come her way.
She knew her life now though and that was a good thing. Those memories were a part of her, she could own them, even the ones involving Lauren which she did not like so much. If she could claim them for her own then she could start moving forward with her life properly, if she could escape these people.
Maisie felt exactly the same as she did in her nigh
tmares as she was trying to escape the snake that was coming for her. Every step was just as painful, the ice-cold fear hurt her just as much, it was as if her body had been trying to prepare her for this exact moment the entire time. Her nightmares were premonitions, warnings of what was about to come. She should have paid more attention.
“Bryson!” Maisie called out loudly, the moment she felt like it was all getting too much for her, that the exhaustion was really beginning to weigh her down. “Bryson, please come for me. I need you.”
He was her hero once before, he saved her by the river when she was getting away from Lauren, Ray, and the accusation of murder, so maybe he could do it again. Fate had brought them together as he happened to stumble across her while he was out for a horse ride. Maybe the same could occur again.
“Bryson, come for me,” she wailed, her sadness aching her lungs just as much as the running now. “I cannot do this much longer. I am afraid that I will end up dying because I am tired...”
She staggered and tripped forwards again, knowing that if she fell once more, she would not get back up. She did not have the strength to keep on going. Perhaps it was better for her to find a hiding place until Lauren and Ray gave up on her. Surely there had to come a time when they would assume that they could not catch up with her and they would let her go... or was that a pipe dream? If they had succeeded in following her to Bryson’s castle and the wedding, then there was a chance they would never give up.
Eventually, Maisie found a rock big enough to hide herself behind. She tucked herself out of sight and sucked in plenty of air in the hope that she would finally return to normal. She needed to get her breathing under control, or her panting and rasping would make it so much easier for them to find her.
“Calm down,” she whispered. “Calm down and hold on to the medallion. It has always helped you.”
Maisie held on to the medallion with her shaking hands, trying her hardest to hold it together while the whole world around her was falling apart. The medallion was the only thing that had helped her through the time when she did not know who she was. Someone had tried to steal it from her and got everything else, but the medallion... oh, which could have been what happened to her in the first place.
Wow, someone had tried to steal from her, someone had hurt her, and she still managed to keep the medallion. Even when she had been so badly injured that she lost her memories, she kept it with her. And certainly not because Ray had given it to her, but because it was the only thing that she had of her mother.
The medallion had saved her before, and it would do so again. All Maisie needed to do was cling on to the medallion and keep it with her at all times. Without the medallion, she could not go on existing in the world, and that was all she wanted. But she did not need to worry about that. She had the medallion and her mother protecting her. She was going to be fine. She had to be. It was the only way that she would ever see Bryson again.
Chapter 18
“W hat the hell was that?” Ray snapped angrily. Much as Lauren had started to grow impatient with him, he was becoming increasingly irritated by her as well. He had simply assumed that she would do the killing since she seemed to enjoy it so much last time. He did not really care enough about Maisie either way to do the dreaded deed. Really, all that he wanted was to have her gone so that he could get his spoils at long last. He was not necessarily with Lauren for her sparkling personality, but for what she could offer him.
“What are you moaning about now?” Lauren snapped back. “I do not want to hear any more of your excuses. This is just getting silly now, Ray. I could not be more annoyed with you if I tried...”
“This is no excuse.” He pushed away from her, no longer desiring Lauren’s hot body. He had something else more important in mind. “I heard something. Surely, it is taking far too long for Maisie to be sick. I think that something has happened. I believe the girl might be running away.”
A stream of unpleasant curse words flew out of Lauren’s mouth as she ran to the other side of the carriage to see if Ray was right. If the girl had run off while they were arguing, then she was going to be so damn annoyed. If Ray would just do what she told him to without causing any issues, then they would not be in this position. Sure enough, there was a disgusting pile of vomit by Lauren’s feet, but no one attached to it. An intense rage so powerful she feared she might erupt like a volcano overtook her.
“Ray, look what you have done!” she screamed. “You have put off the killing for so long she has gone.”
“I did nothing wrong.” Ray was behind Lauren in a heartbeat. “I do not know what you are talking about.”
“I bet it is because you mentioned her parent’s names.” Lauren flung her elbow backwards so it would dig into Ray’s ribs. Instantly he doubled forwards in pain. “I bet her memories returned...”
“If I had not said anything then she would not have been allowed to come with us.”
“I am the one who spoke out about the medallion. You cannot take credit for that.”
“No, but for some reason you think that it is alright to blame me for her running away, Lauren. You know, I get sick of this sometimes.” Ray threw his hands in the air in frustration. “I am like your lap dog. Always the one there just so you do not have to take responsibility for yourself. You always choose me to be the fall guy. That is why I have had to sit back and wait while you always do what you want.”
“What do you mean?” Lauren’s intense fury was growing by the moment. “I have done nothing...”
“I had to sit back and wait while you married that old man, showing him affection in front of me...”
“You think I wanted that?” Lauren screamed. “You think that was fun for me? It was dreadful. I believe that I am the only one who has sacrificed for us here. For some reason, you cannot see that.”
“I do not know why you are acting like this, Lauren. I have sacrificed as well,” Ray insisted.
“Not as much as me.” Lauren’s hands flew on to her hips in defiance. “You will not even kill the girl.”
“No one will kill her if we cannot find her,” he growled right back. “She has vanished. She might be running back to Bryson right now to tell him what we were planning for her. Perhaps she even overheard us talking. You are not exactly known for your quiet voice, are you?” Lauren snorted but chose not to respond to that one. “If Maisie does have her memories back and she is going to tell him, then not only will a war start between our clans, but we will be outed. Not everyone will believe her, but some might.”
As irritated as she was, Lauren understood what Ray was saying. Maisie running off was problematic for the pair of them. They absolutely had to catch her and kill her before she revealed anything.
“We must split up,” Lauren insisted. “She will have run off that way, away from us, out of our sight, and back the way that she came. Especially if she is looking for Bryson. I have my sgian dubh with me.” Lauren pulled out her Scottish dagger from her pocket. “Do you have any weapons? Just in case.”
“I do.” Ray nodded determinedly. “I have my sword with me. So, I guess whoever finds her first will be the one to do the deed. As long as it is done, then me and you are safe. And that is the main thing.”
Finally, on the same page at long last, Ray and Lauren nodded determinedly at one another. It was time to head out into the woods as quickly as they could manage, to finish off the plan that they started all those months ago when Duncan Ferguson met his end. He was supposed to be the only one who died. His daughter was going to take the blame and spend her life in jail, with Lauren telling the sad story of jealousy and grief sending her crazy, but since things had changed, this was how it would end up panning out.
“Let us get going then,” he declared. “I shall take this path and you take the other. We can meet back here once the deed is done and continue on building the life together that we have been working on.”
Lauren was glad to have Ray back on her side at long last. They needed
to work together to ensure this all worked, and they came out on top, so this was good. And Ray might have to kill after all. Lauren really needed him to kill. It was the only way that she would be able to truly respect him as a man and believe that he was on the same page as her. Right now, she was not sure if she needed to get rid of him too...
Every noise made Maisie jump. She was not sure if she was being chased or not, she did not know if Lauren and Ray could find her where she was hiding, but she continued to freak out more and more with every second that passed. She had needed the break because running was getting too much for her, but as her body finally calmed down, she was not sure that she should have stopped after all. Maisie did not know if she would ever be able to move from this position again. She feared any movement would lead to her discovery and she had no idea how long Ray and Lauren would keep looking for her.
I cannot stay here forever, she tried to tell herself desperately. Otherwise I will die anyway.
Maisie did not want to be killed by the people who were determined to wipe out her family for financial gain, but she also preferred not to freeze or starve to death. At some point, she was going to have to recover from the throbbing inside of her body to continue on with her journey to Bryson.
Get yourself together, her brain hissed at her. It is time to move in a moment. You have to.
She experimented with trying to get her legs shifting, just a little bit, but it was as if they had been encased in lead. They did not want to go anywhere because she felt much safer where she was.
“It has gone quiet,” Maisie whispered to herself, needing to break the odd silence. “It is time to go.”