“You never told me how to keep in touch. I would’ve. I worried.”
He shrugs. “Wasn’t my problem. You’re a princess. I’m a commoner. We weren’t kids anymore.”
I say nothing and instead watch him, waiting for a crease in his frozen features to tell me if this is his truth.
Nothing occurs.
“We’re meeting as a team in a couple of days. You’ll be briefed then on the current threats and strategies for upcoming visits.” My hand rests on the trunk of the tree, feeling its roughness, the braille that tells its story.
He nods.
“I’ll see you then.”
As he walks away I fight the urge to run after him, like the one time when we argued and he stormed off.
“Ben.”
He stops. Doesn’t turn.
“Why did you come here? To the maze?”
Silence. Not even a jackdaw caws.
“Same reason you did. To see what ghosts need exorcising.”
I let him go, watching his back, his ass, his height. When he’s gone, something lingers. A darkness, inky blue darkness that wraps around me, spiralling.
My back is scraped by the bark as I slump down against the tree, my head starting to thump. I close my eyes, resting my head against the trunk, hearing the nearby buzz of bees and the whisper of leaves.
And I don’t feel alone.
Sixteen years of this maze feeling empty and now I don’t feel alone.
Maybe it’s the ghosts.
Thirteen Years Earlier
“Lennox is annoying me.”
“That’s what big brothers are for. That and beating up boys who ask you out.”
Our arms are touching. It’s cool for summer, even for Scotland, and I forgot to bring a jacket. Ben’s wearing a T-shirt as usual but I don’t think he even knows what cold feels like; even in winter he’ll go without a coat, sticking to hoodies with some band’s logo on them.
I lean my head on his shoulder, just. He’s grown a ton these last few months and my head barely reaches his shoulder now. We’re sitting against part of the old wall near the oak in the centre of the maze. It’s become our spot; no one else bothers with the maze, let alone the centre of it.
“There are no boys asking me out so he can cool the whole big brother mode. Besides, he’s not supposed to hit on my friends.” Ben smells of the same musk he’s always done. I don’t think it’s a cologne, I think it’s him. When I’m away at school, I remember the smell and it makes me miss him even more.
He chuckles. “This about Elise?”
“As usual.” I groan and wrap my arm around his. He stiffens. He’s been doing that lately, since I came home for the holidays. “Please tell me you’ve never done anything with her.”
“I’ve never done anything with Elise.”
“Are you lying?”
He laughs. “Do you want me to be?”
I try not to make the huffing sound that’s habit when I’m pissed off. “No. I want you to keep your hands off that skank.”
