Page 29 of Moonlit Thorns

A half hour later, I’m in one of the guest rooms inside Midnight Manor.

“I don’t think this is a good idea. Mr. Voss won’t like this.” I don’t have to say which Mr. Voss I’m referring to. We all know.

Marcel waves away my concern at the doorway. “Nonsense, he’ll be fine with it.”

“Does he know?” I arch an eyebrow, hand still on the handle of my suitcase.

“I called him, and he didn’t answer, so I left a message. He won’t even know you’re here. This is a huge house.”

I shift in place, uneasy about this. But what am I supposed to do? I have to sleep somewhere, and he’d probably freak out more if I left the property entirely and went home for the night.

“Okay… if you’re sure.” I’ll just sleep here tonight and figure something else out tomorrow. Or make sure that Marcel has gotten Asher’s okay before I spend another night in the manor.

“That’s the spirit.” He claps his hands in front of himself. “Do you need anything else?” He glances around the room. “Everything is always kept stocked, so you should have everything you need in the adjoining bathroom, but if anything is missing, please let me know. You might even know where to find it.” He chuckles, but he’s not wrong.

“Thanks for coming to my rescue, Marcel.”

He gives me a dramatic bow before leaving, closing the door.

I take a moment to examine the space. The room is large, which is no surprise. It’s probably ten times the size of my original room. One wall has an arched window typical of the manor, and the large fireplace on another wall has an ornate mantel and surround. The furniture is all dark wood and matches the age of the property. There’s a couch with a pair of black fabric ottomans opposite it on the far side of the room, and the chandelier hanging in the middle of the room casts a dim light over everything.

I roll my suitcase over to the long bench at the end of the bed and heft it onto it. Since I only plan to spend one night here, there’s no point in unpacking, so I only pull out my pajamas.

Once I’ve changed, I take my face wash into the adjoining bathroom and wash my face, then apply my moisturizer. I turn on the bedside lamp before making my way to the wall near the door where Marcel turned on the chandelier lights.

When I switch it off, the room is even more dim. I make my way back to the bed, walking quickly and feeling exposed. I’m not sure why. It must be the size of this new room when I’m used to something much more modest.

I’m tugging down the covers on the bed when the door whips open, bouncing off the wall.

My eyes widen at the image of Asher Voss—black dress pants, black button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, hands flexing at his sides. “I thought I told you I didn’t want you in the west wing.”

I didn’t even realize that’s where I was, though it makes sense that of any of the brothers, Marcel would put me in Asher’s wing. “There was a burst pipe or something in my bedroom, and there was nowhere else for me to stay tonight.”

His voice is filled with fury. “So you decided to stay in the manor despite my making it very clear that you are not welcome here?” His chest heaves as though he can’t pull enough air into his lungs.

“All the rooms in the staff quarters are full. Marcel said I should stay here. I only planned to stay tonight. I assumed we’d figure something else out in the morning.”

He shakes his head. “What do you not understand about not being wanted? Have I not made it perfectly clear to you?”

“I thought I was doing the right thing! I thought this would be better than leaving the grounds for the night.”

“This was my mother’s room!” He grabs the small table set against the wall to his left and tosses it to the side.

Fear lashes inside me, so sharp and stinging it hits me like a whip, and I run. I run from the room and down the hall, the need to preserve my safety driving me. I need to get as far as I can from Asher Voss. He shouts my name behind me, but I don’t slow.

I run until I find myself outside and in front of the hedge maze. Glancing behind me, I race into its depths to be swallowed up and hide from the beast.

Chapter

Fourteen

ANABELLE

It’s a full moon, and I use its light to guide me through the maze. The hedges rise on either side of me, feeling as if they’re curling in over me as I rush past them. The grass is cool on my feet with every step as I twist and turn deeper into the maze. Panic grips me when I hear Asher shout my name.

It’s impossible to tell how close or far he might be, so I keep running, the image of his eyes when he said the room was his mother’s seared into my brain for all eternity. There was so much rage, yes, but also grief and pain. All of it is overwhelming and echoes some of the emotions I’ve been trying desperately to push down inside myself.

Of all the rooms I could have taken in the manor, it was apparent then that I was in the worst possible one.

---