Chapter:- 9

The hedge maze was vast and beautiful. It didn't take long for Ammy to be completely lost, ambling at a slow pace, enjoying the numerous fountains, alcoves concealed by ivy and exotic flower beds she stumbled across. The maze was impressive but daunting in the dark, not enough torches and gas lamps to dispel all the shadows. The air was humid, and the heavy smell of damp vegetation clouded her sensitive nose, thunder rumbling like a pleased alpha purr. The hedges loomed over Ammy as she wandered, towering high and blocking the din of the ballroom. The only sounds were her soft footsteps in the damp earth and various night birds and insects. No guests had dared to venture so far, and Ammy reveled in the solitude, the sense of adventure she felt.

Ammy's dearest wish since she was a child had been to travel the world and journal her experiences. She imagined herself as an old woman, reading to her children and grandchildren of the adventures she had in her youth. Always, in her most secr