My eyes scan the faces of the passengers. There are so many missing from the group.
Gwen drops her head on my shoulder, sobbing, and I stiffen. She wants my comfort, but I no longer know where we stand.
“Pete, we couldn’t save them all. We had to leave them behind,” she says.
As the dead and missing toll rises, my last hope for our world ever having a happy ending diminishes. There is nothing left for us here now, and I have no idea where to take the survivors, much less where they will be safe. Even if we find ourselves another home, how much longer do we really have? Weeks? Days? Without an antidote, it’ll be sooner rather than later. And I still have no idea where Maddox and Alyssa are. I had hoped they were retrieving the apple, but now how will we ever find them?
Pulse sprinting, breaths shallow, I race to the helm, asking Lily to step aside, and turn it hard to the right. The zeppelin lists and heads east.
“Where are we going?” Lily asks.
Staring over the land spread before us, I say:
“Lohr. To stop this battle where it started.”
Hook and I emerge to find ourselves in a virulent garden. Although it’s somewhat overgrown, it thrives in a rainbow of colorful flowers. Within the center stands the tree. It has doubled in size since I was a boy. Chains hang from one of the thicker branches, supporting a metal bench swing. Memories flood back to me, of the days when Hook and I were actually friends rather than foes. Hours of swinging on the bench as high as it would go just to see if we could make it circle over the top of the branch.
However, the bench has been modified. No longer is it a swing, but an enclosed vehicle of some sort. An elaborate panel with dials and levers is attached. A propeller is affixed to the top of the capsule. I can only assume that this is how we escape the Labyrinth.
If we could reach it.
Hook’s dark stare falls on the tree. His expression is pinched and distant, as if he’s reliving the nightmare of his thirteen-year-old self. He picks up a large stone and hurls it at the tree, but it only lands within the ring of briars and brush. Again and again, he launches his assault with an arsenal of rocks—most of which never even come close to hitting the tree. I lean back on the wall and cross my arms, captivated by his tantrum. His last toss makes him lose his balance, and he falls to the ground on his hands and knees, panting.
“Are you done?” I ask.
He glares at me, stands, and brushes the dirt from his black trousers. “If I never see that tree again, it won’t be long enough. Let’s get that apple and get out of here,” he sneers.
I nod to the briar patch before us, its sharp thorns in the midst of the flowers and vines. “Any ideas on how to get through that mess?”
Hook pulls his long sword from the sheath, struts up to the foliage, and slams his weapon down. Sap sprays across his dark coat, sizzling as it corrodes the thick fabric. He howls, drops his sword, and rips his jacket off, throwing it the ground.
“It appears the tree isn’t eager to see you again either.” I laugh, relishing in the situation.
Pressing his lips together, he marches over to me and holds his geared fist up to my eyes. “What exactly do you think is so funny?” he growls.
I resent the threat and push back the fabric of my coat, exposing my weapons belt. With the press of a button, the mini-blowtorch releases from its holster. I pass by Hook and head toward the apple tree. “We’ve come this far, and instead of finding a solution to our prickly and apparently corrosive problem, you’d rather duel to the death?” I take a step back and bow. “By all means, brother, let’s do it!”
Hook grits his teeth as he backs down with some reluctance. “So what do you suggest?”
Pulling my goggles over my eyes, I turn toward the briar patch. I take the handkerchief from the front pocket of my waistcoat and wrap it around my nose and mouth tightly. The lack of air is uncomfortable, but it’s better than breathing in the fumes the plants are sure to give.
“What are you doing?” Hook says, following suit with his own handkerchief.
“Just stay behind me,” I say. Flicking a lever on the mini-blowtorch, the end of the barrel ignites in a burst of fire. Immediately, the plants heat up with a fiery red glow, melting before our eyes. The smoke that rises smells acrid, and I attempt to hold my breath.
I burn my way through the foliage, until we reach the base of the tree. The bright green apples litter the ground. Holstering the mini-blowtorch, I drop my rucksack and kneel, gathering up as many apples as I can. I have no intention of returning to the Labyrinth again. If the Bloodred Queen wants a poison apple, she can get it herself. If I take it west to Alnwick, Doc and the Professor might be able to do something with this apple. It’s the only way I see to get back in their good graces. The Lost Boys were the closest thing to family I’ve ever known. I never should have revealed the Lost City’s location to Hook. I thought I was saving them, but I only made things worse.
Tying off the rucksack, I don’t notice Hook approach me until it’s too late. His thick leather boot kicks me in the jaw, sending me sprawling on my back. Searing pain throbs in my cheekbone. I’m certain it’s broken. Before I regain my senses, Hook is straddling me, his entire weight on my chest, pinning my arms to the grass beneath me, ripping the handkerchief from my face. As I blink back tears, my vision comes into focus, and I feel as if my heart stops beating altogether. His metal fingers puncture an apple. Then he grabs my jaw, forcing it open. Bones crack in my face, and it hurts so much I think I might throw up. I try to press my lips together, but it’s no use. The juice of the apple drips into my mouth as he shoves the fruit in. Holding it in place, I feel like a stuffed pig about to be cooked over a fire. I thrash, trying to break his grip, but his legs lock my body in place and his other hand reaches to pinch my nose tightly. My eyes widen in horror. He’s blocked my airway, and I panic at not being able to breathe. I keep thrashing, but it’s no use.
“Thanks for all of your help, little stepbrother. I probably wouldn’t have made it this far without you. At least you can die knowing you have my gratitude. Our mother … well, my mother will be so proud. She might even weep when she hears how you died, by my hand, with the very fruit that is going to save her life. Well, maybe she won’t weep for you, unless it’s tears of joy. She’ll be so pleased with your death—now you’ll never take the crown,” Hook says.
At first I can feel nothing but the ache in my jaw. As the apple juice slides across my tongue and down the back of my mouth, the muscles in my throat contract. Hook continues to prattle on, boasting about what a great son he is and what a horrible brother I’ve been. Only a few of his words make sense. The rest blur into the ringing in my ears. I helplessly gasp for air, but soon enough I’m overwhelmed with exhaustion and sleep threatens to take over my thoughts. My vision fogs, and I can only make out the fuzzy outline of Hook hovering over me.
“Rest in peace, Jack,” Hook says as the world fades away.
Armed with a brand-new sword finer than the one I lost in the lake in the woods, I swing wide, testing its weight and balance. The armor that Chip has given me is surprisingly lightweight and slips easily over my clothes.
“Are you sure this is strong enough to protect us?” I ask.
“Of course it is!” Chip says. “That’s a vorpal blade. It’s the strongest blade I’ve ever forged.”
“And the armor?” Maddox asks doubtfully as he straps the chest plate to himself.
“Absolutely!” Chirp declares. “If my Chip made it, you can be assured it’s made from quality material.”
Maddox flicks at his flimsy-looking armor and whispers to me, “Do you expect me to believe that this aluminum foil is going to protect us from that hunk of a beast?”
“That there is the strongest and most lightweight material you will find anywhere in this entire structure. Possibly all of the world,” Chip says.
He picks up a sledgehammer and whacks Maddox’s chest armor. Not expecting the blow, Maddox stumbles back. Th
e crack of metal on metal startles me and a flock of birds roosting nearby.
“What was that for?” Maddox snarls.
Chip points to the metal. “See! Didn’t even leave a scratch on ya.”
“Next time give me some warning, will you?” Maddox says, inspecting his armor. “What do you call this stuff?”
“Chirpdanium,” Chirp says proudly. “Chip named it after me.”
Maddox rolls his eyes. “Obviously.”
“It’s an alloy only found here within the Labyrinth. Unlike my sweet Chirp, it is waterproof, rustproof, lightweight, durable, and can withstand heat up to six hundred degrees Celsius, which is what you’re going to need if you plan to take on that dragon.”
“I’ll show you who’s a lightweight,” Chirp says, flicking Chip’s nose.
Chip howls.
“And what about this?” Maddox asks, holding up an elaborate gun.
Chip’s eyes spin wildly as he rubs his nose. “That is my best invention yet! It’s a Chipblaster.”
He takes the gun from Maddox’s hand and aims toward a rocky embankment. With barely a flick of his finger, it discharges. A flash bursts from the barrel and the pile of stones blows up, leaving nothing but a crater and pebbles.
Chirp squeals with delight. “I love it when he does that.”
Wide-eyed, Maddox snatches the gun back and shoves it into the holster at his hip. “This’ll do.”
Once we’re geared up, Chip leads us to a lift.
“All aboard,” he says, guiding us to a wooden platform that sits in front of the prickly hedges. Maddox and I step on the rickety lift. “Hold on to your britches.”
Maddox eyes it warily, and frankly I can’t blame him. The lifts in the Labyrinth haven’t been so kind to us thus far.
Chip feverishly spins the handle of a wheel. The valley of their home comes into view. It is breathtaking, with gurgling springs, patches of forests, and fields of flowers. Their home takes center stage of the colorful work of art. It occurs to me that all the foliage before me was planted and cared for by Maddox’s parents.
“It’s beautiful,” I say, resting my hand on Maddox’s as he grips the railing of the lift.
“It looks a lot like Lohr before the Bloodred Queen’s rule,” Maddox says, his eyes lost on the garden his father toiled over. “That city was nothing but forest until my father cleared and landscaped it as the town grew.”
His adoration for his parents’ work warms me. As ominous as the Labyrinth is, it truly is a masterpiece. If it were not such a deadly prison, this land could very well be paradise.
I feel a nudge and find Maddox grinning at me. Smiling back, I interlace my fingers with his. My breath hitches, and I realize that I don’t want these to be our final minutes together. In fact, we haven’t had nearly enough time together. This boy who I’d dismissed as crazy and uncaring, he’s shown mercy to the sick, and risked his life not only for my people, but for me.
The lift shudders as it comes to a stop. Suddenly, I feel as if I can’t breathe. Maddox squeezes my hand.
“You ready, Your Grace?”
“It’s just Alyssa,” I remind him.
Maddox drops his gaze and smiles shyly. He’s incredibly charming and handsome. I wish I could stay in this moment forever.
“Okay, Just Alyssa.”
Chip flips levers and switches, mumbling to himself down below.
Realizing that this is possibly the last time I’ll ever have a chance to convey my appreciation, my gratitude for all Maddox has done, I squeeze his hand. I’m certain I would never have survived without him. And then what? If I died, so would hundreds, thousands, millions of people, because we all depend on that apple. Maddox isn’t here just for himself, or me; he’s here for all of us. The entire world.
The hinges of the pulleys squeal as I take Maddox’s face into my hands. “Thank you. I am forever indebted to you.”
Maddox nods. “You have changed me, Alyssa.” He removes his hat and bows. “I am forever in your debt.” He places his hat back on his head and brushes a thumb across my cheek.
As the lift comes to a halt, we are met by a ledge. Beyond it is a hole in the wall fitted with a circular opening just barely big enough to sit in. The tube curves down, disappearing into darkness.
Maddox’s hands grip my wrist, his gold eyes fixed on mine. I nearly take off his head with the vorpal blade, a subtle warning to mind his manners, and give him a brazen smile. Ignoring it, he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me closer. As he draws me to him, I drop the sword and crash against his chest. Eagerly, I rush to meet his lips. Locked together, I can’t breathe. His fingers feather through my hair. His mouth presses urgently against mine, and I am lost in his arms, weak beneath his touch. An ache grows in my chest. I kiss him as if tomorrow will never come.
Disappointment swells as Maddox pulls away.
“I believe we have a Jabberwock to slay, Alyssa,” Maddox says, handing me my fire-resistant shield.
I take it from him, ignoring the hornet’s nest of nervousness in my stomach. “Indeed,” I say, and my voice sounds unsure even to me.
“Farewell and good luck,” Chirp shouts, waving. “Your papa would be proud of you.”
A tinge of pink tints his bronze cheeks. Together, Maddox and I step into the tube. He sits behind me, holding my waist before pushing us off from the ledge. We slide, spiraling down the pipe. It is so black I can’t see anything in front of me. Light finally appears in the distance. The tube spits us out and we find ourselves within a fiery cavern, which makes sweat instantly bead on my forehead and back. A black iron spiral staircase splits in two directions, leading down to the ground. The ground is made up of gears of all varieties, shapes, and sizes. They spin, the teeth of each interlinking into the others. Some are as small as tea saucers, while others are bigger than the face of Big Ben. Gaps in the floor expose a pit lined with a pattern of pipes. Gas ignites the rows and rows of flames beneath the mechanical floor. On the far side, the Jabberwock is curled into a ball. Its automated wings twitch, and it stretches out its bladed claws.
A dormouse appears from the hedge, hesitates, and dashes across the spinning floor. Less than a few meters from the edge, the cog drops, plunging into the fiery inferno. The dormouse lets out one squeak before disappearing into the flames.
Maddox sighs. “We should’ve stayed back at the Poison Garden. Tea sounds a lot better than this.”
“We?” I ask.
Maddox gives me a wide-eyed stare. “Um … me … ah … I … I should’ve stayed back in the, back in the garden … unless, well, unless you’d want to join me.”
I smirk. “I can’t say I blame you. Teatime does sound awfully good.”
His head spins toward me. “Stay away from the poppy tea. It’s terrible stuff. Tried it once and found myself swimming naked in the garden fountain. No poppy tea for you, missy,” he says, waving a gloved finger at me.
Shocked by his admission, whichever one that is—the fact he’s only tried it once or that he was skinny-dipping—I gape at him. “I was kidding!”
As if backpedaling, he sucks in his bottom lip. “Um, so was I?”
Before he can say more, the Jabberwock stirs, yawns, and unfurls its dark metal wings and limbs. It sniffs the air as if searching for the scent of intruders in its lair. Its ruby-red eyes fixate on me. My hair blows back as it rears and roars so loudly my ears ring. The smell of sulfur stings my nose. The beast flaps its metal wings, sending gusts of heat our way as it takes flight. The flames in the pit respond in a turbulent dance. Steam rises from the Jabberwock’s nostrils.
“Time to go!” Maddox says, rushing down the stairs toward the spinning gears.
I follow suit, dashing down the opposite staircase, barely dodging a streak of flames spit by the mechanical beast flying above our heads. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, I leap from one moving wheel to the next, nearly losing my balance, but regaining it before toppling into the fire pit. The gear drops beneath my feet as I
hurdle to the next one.
“Just keep moving, Alyssa,” I say, my heart ready to burst from my chest. I duck, holding up my shield as another explosion of flames from the mechanical beast turns the wheel beneath me fiery red.
I am nearly halfway to the other side of the room where the door into the garden stands. I take a step onto a gear that my foot barely fits when it gives and drops beneath me. With my arms waving, I fall forward. My shield plummets into the fiery pit below and my sword skids across the gear ahead of me. I reach out, hoping to catch the edge of the next wheel. My left hand slips through one of the teeth of the cogs, but my right hand finds its mark. I dangle from a single prong of a gear as the wheel turns and the Jabberwock roars from above.
“Maddox!” I scream. The large gear spins slowly, each tick one notch closer to the next wheel. Maddox throws himself across a wide gap, aiming for the gear I hold on to. He doesn’t make it. Instead, he plunges into the blazing pit below, but I reach for him, catching his hand with mine just before he’s incinerated. His top hat tumbles off his head and bursts into flames as it plummets into the inferno.
“Maddox,” I cry in panic.
He glances up at me. “That was my favorite hat.”
My fingers slip slightly, and I tighten my grip on his wrist. His added weight is too much. I can’t hold him—us—much longer. Struggling to hang on to both the gear and Maddox, I growl to muster the strength to hold on.
“You’re too heavy,” I shout. “I can’t pull you up.”
Maddox peers down, taking in the fire and brimstone that burns below. When he looks back at me, flames cast a golden glow on his face. “Let me go, Alyssa.”
“No!” The brutal scream that comes from me echoes throughout the chamber, and I don’t recognize my own voice.
His gold eyes meet mine. “Let me go, Alyssa. It’s my time.”
Pressing my lips together, feeling him slip even more in my hand, I shake my head. “I won’t. I won’t let you go.”
With his gaze fixed on mine, he wriggles his wrist, loosening my grip on him.
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