Fae Fiefdom - M. Sinclair Page 0,6

hiding place because no one would ever be able to find me here, it was my maze, and I was insanely possessive over the piece of earth.

Especially the center. The center where roses surrounded all sides, blooming fully and tilted upwards, as they crawled up the large hedge walls and over the statues placed there. I found myself in the center and as usual, I almost expected to see that little boy from that odd--memory? Dream? All those years ago.

Tilting my face upwards and sitting on a large stone cement bench, its back spread in the shape of wings nearly cradling my body, I relaxed letting the rain wash over me. I was alone. I had hated that for so long, but it had become my norm. Now, I wouldn't know what to do if I wasn’t alone. Somehow, I had a feeling that would never be a problem.

I’d been alone since the day my mother died and that wasn’t changing anytime soon.

Chapter 2

Ophelia Rose

Fine Lines of Imagination: Concepts the Mind Creates

I had no idea how long I sat in the center of the maze. My hair was dripping with water and while my clothes were mostly dry, due to the dark jacket I wore, a slight chill ran over my skin. Despite feeling eyes on me, I stayed laid out on the stone bench. Unafraid. This was my maze. No one could hurt me here.

Despite wanting to leave Village Worth, I found myself already mourning the maze. I wished to bring it with me. Was that a possibility? Probably not. Then again, money wasn’t really an issue for me, so I could probably find someone willing to do it. But where would I move it to?

I snorted softly imagining a maze inside my dorm. How ridiculous was that? Then again, the most ridiculous notions seemed to always be at the forefront of my mind so it was possible that my brain was just built that way. Built to be odd. Built to be different.

Despite school being somewhat of a sanctuary from the intense pressure of my stepmother, it wasn’t all that better in many ways. I mean, I had friends…sort of. Well, I wasn’t positive what you would call them. Most were acquaintances? I wasn’t sure what it was about me, but something kept everyone at a distance.

Throughout my entire life, I’d never had someone that I could truly call a best friend without a doubt. No one that was loyal and declared their friendship openly. Shit, I mean I’d never even had a sleepover as a kid. I’d never hung out with people outside the classroom and if I did talk to anyone outside the academy walls, it was because it was an event I’d been dragged to by Denise.

So yeah, not much better than home. But that was okay because there was a fundamental difference. At school, I could focus and keep busy with what I loved to do. Learning and horseback riding.

Well, that was a bit of an understatement because competitive equestrian was so much more than what that term, horseback riding, implied. It was a true art form and one that I fully intended to pursue once overseas in the international ring. I was already fairly well known across the United States, but I had no intention of staying stateside.

My horse, Price, was a thoroughbred colt that was just reaching two. I’d been with Price since he was first weaned off his mother, and I’d purchased him at a ridiculous cost. Not that my stepmother bat a lash because she considered the skill set something deemed worthy of her attention.

He was a stunning animal that was a pure obsidian color that matched my helmet, riding jacket, and pretty much the rest of my competitive gear. I didn’t compete for pictures on my Instagram, I did it because I loved it, so I kept my shit minimalistic and professional.

A small hoot froze me from my enjoyable thoughts as my eyes trailed to where a cream and white colored owl landed. The damn owl was always here when I was in the rose garden. I put out my hand, and he glided down to land on my arm, my jaw tightening at the slight sting of his claws through my coat. Artemis. He’d been visiting me for years now and I liked to believe that he was somehow attached to this place, to my mother.

Obviously, this was a way to deal with the sudden loss of my