Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 63289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Ethan grinned. “I actually kissed her, so I am the one to blame for the odd behavior.”
Claire turned to him. “But, you don’t even know Maya or—”
“We don’t have time to explain.” I grabbed Ethan’s hand and guided him away. “We can all meet up at the bar in a few minutes. Right now, Ethan and I need to talk.”
Horace bobbed his head. “Yes. Yes. Have a good conversation. I’ll be at the bar—”
“What do you mean you both need to talk?” Claire called back. “Maya, we need to talk too—”
“Later.” I waved her away.
Ethan took control and rushed us toward the manor. “I have a plan.”
I blinked. “O-kay.”
Now that the kiss had ended, I had time to dissect this new reality.
Somehow Ethan landed in the time loop with me!
Before, I’d felt all alone. I was a soul lost in emptiness, wandering through confused thoughts and mounting fears.
I was helpless.
Despair had almost drowned me.
Granted, I had been able to talk to him in each repeated moment. That helped, but I also knew he wouldn’t remember our exchanges in the next repeats.
And now. . .he is with me.
“So. . .” I glanced at him. “You remember the moment when we were both shot?”
“I remember everything.” Ethan shook his head in disbelief. “And now my night has repeated. In one instance, I was shot and dying next to you. Next, I opened my eyes and I was standing in the kitchen doing a last check of the hors d’oeuvres with the chef.”
“Oh my God.”
“If not for your telling me about this earlier, I might have gone crazy in front of my chef.”
“I’m still shocked you’re calm.”
“I’m steady on the outside. On the inside, I am rattled and losing my mind.” He rubbed the side of my hand with his thumb. “But. . .you, Maya. Your being here. Your presence. . .it is anchoring me.”
“So. . .what did you do?”
“I remembered what happened. I knew that when I was in the kitchen, minutes later, Jackson would come and tell me that your limo had arrived and I would rush away from the chef, hoping to greet you.”
We made it to his manor and walked through.
Right when I thought he was going to take me to the ballroom or hallway, he led us to the right.
A set of stairs greeted me.
Approaching those steps, I looked at him. “Where are we going?”
He tightened his grip on my hand. “We need to figure out who killed us last time.”
“True.” I began to climb up the long set of wooden stairs with him. “What do you suggest?”
“I have cameras everywhere.” The wood creaked under our weight. “I’m thinking we should go into my security room and see who enters the costume storage area.”
“Yes. Perfect.”
“Just like you said, it was either one of my waiters or someone dressed as them.”
“I think the person works for you?”
“Okay.” A worried expression covered his face. “Why?”
“This killer knows about getting costumes from the storage area. I think that was planned.”
“Go ahead.”
“Next, they seemed to know a good bit about the maze.”
“Interesting. However, anyone who has been to my party before, may already have known about my costume space and the maze.”
“Correct, but what about your secret passageway to your office?”
He frowned. “That does point to an employee—a very close one.”
We made it to the steps.
My heart hammered in my chest.
He led us down the hallway. “Not many know about the secret tunnel to my office.”
“Where does it begin?”
“There are three ways to get into the tunnel.”
“Okay.”
“One is a door inside of the back of my closet. Sometimes, I use it when I’m being lazy in the morning and want to get quick hours in.”
“What about the second?”
“It is at the end of the maze and involves one going into an underground tunnel, but that entrance is sealed right now due to construction happening near the maze.”
“And the third?”
“The third is inside of the library which long ago had been used as Aria’s lab.”
“Wait.” I stopped us and turned to him. “The secret passageways were around when the witch lived here?”
“Yes. The tunnel is another remnant from her time. I imagine this secret access served a different purpose for Aria.”
“Do you have any idea why she used it?”
“None, besides the fact that one of the pathways led to her lab—”
“And another to the maze.” I began walking.
He moved at my pace. “I’m still. . .”
“What?” I eyed him.
The muscles in his face twitched. “I’m still trying to comprehend that. . .this is really happening.”
“Oh yes.” I gave him a sad smile. “This being trapped in time is new for you.”
A dark chuckle left him. “I would say so.”
“How do you think this happened? What triggered you to now be in this loop with me?” I ran through the moments in my mind. “The office? The clock? Or. . .was it just me?”