I walked to the east side of the town, to the farm I had been helping the past few weeks. Another long day of picking the harvest to prepare for the upcoming tax. I spent 8 hours working, leaning over and picking the beans and tomatoes from the stalks. When the work was finished, the farmer handed me one tomato and a few coins. I thought of how much less work I had done last night for much more. I grimaced but thanked him and achingly walked back home.
As I walked through the bustling town square, I saw a brief shift of black from the corner of my eye. There, at the end of the street, stood Alder. Our eyes met, and he smirked at me before slinking behind the corner. My heart skipped a beat, and I started after him.
I rounded the corner and there he was, standing in the shadow of the wall, leaning against it as if he had all the answers in the world. His brown hair rustled in the wind and his green eyes met mine.
He gave me a devilish grin that made my knees weak.
“Have a long day, Val?” His eyes roamed over me as he spoke.
I imagined what he saw when he looked at me, covered in dirt and sweaty from a long day in the field. I felt my confidence drop, wishing I hadn’t followed him. I only wanted him to see me as a temptress, not as this dirty peasant.
“Don’t call me that, only my friends call me Val,” I said piercingly, straightening my dusty tunic. My face looked down at the ground, hoping I didn’t look too disgusting.
“I didn’t know you had friends? Well, except for that lost puppy looking boy, he does seem to drool for you…” he teased. Anxiety washed over me. How did he know about Leo? A need to protect him rose up. I narrowed my eyes at him, summoning all of my courage.
“Spare me this mysterious stalker bullshit. Tell me how you know me. How long have you been following me?” My eyes blazed with irritation.
He noticed the clear shift in my demeanor and drew closer, towering over me. I looked up and locked his gaze, not letting him intimidate me. Well, at least externally.
Keep control, Val.
“I already told you Val, perhaps you are forgetting because of that back-breaking work you did all day. Tell me, are you tired yet of working for tomatoes and pennies?”
I hesitated. He must have been watching me the entire day. “What do I have to gain by entering the Labyrinth? I may be poor, but at least I am safe.” The words rang hollow as I spoke, no conviction behind them. I had already made my decision, of course, but I didn’t want him to know that yet.
“Is that what you want to be? What you desire to be? Safe?” he mused with a smile. His gaze was soft as he looked at me, no hint of revulsion in his eyes. My pulse slowed and my core throbbed.
No. I want more, so much more.
I swallowed. He lowered his head closer to mine, his body centimeters from me. His lips even with my eyes, the tension between us palpable. My fingers fidgeted with the seam of my shirt to channel the energy away from me.
“Meet me by the river again tonight, just after the sun sets, and I will tell you what you desire to know,” he whispered, his eyes flashing with anticipation as he watched me bite my lip. Then he stepped away and rounded the corner. By the time I whipped around to follow him, he was gone again. The sudden loss of tension in the air hit my chest like bricks. I gasped.
My cheeks flushed, and I cursed myself for not demanding more information then and there. I was too distracted, again. I had to learn to control myself, to control those desires.
A sensation like hot breath tickled my neck. But, I did not turn around. I walked back into the square and home. Forcing myself away from him and his pull with every step.
Leo was not done with work yet, so I changed out of my dirty clothes and sat against my alley wall. My tired eyes drooped. How many more days of heavy labor could I take? Of course there was always…. other work… but the thought of being used like that day after day, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. To accept that future.
I heard a rustle and opened my eyes in time to see Leo stagger out from his house. He was dripping in sweat. Another long day for him as well. He wiped his forehead on his shirt. I noticed his impeccable chest and torso glistening from the heat inside his house. I stifled a gulp, and he collapsed next to me on the ground.
“I can’t stand another day working in there, with him, day after day stuck in that hot workroom while he sits there criticizing my every move and filling his stomach with whiskey. You sit here every night and starve, sleeping on the cold floor while he drinks away our money,” he ranted. He tucked his head into his hands in frustration.
“He won’t be around forever,” I said, placing my hand on his back and rubbing it softly, trying to comfort him. He kept his head down as he took in deep breaths. I wished he would feel better, wished him comfort, as my hand traced circles on his back.
He finally sat up, all the anger in him dissipated. I gave him a soft smile.
It would be a good time to bring up my plans. But I bit my lip and debated how to start this conversation. Maybe I should wait, but he needed to know. Needed to prepare. I took in a deep breath.
“Leo, someone approached me last night at the river. It sounds crazy, but he seemed to know my life, he even knew about you. He said I had a destiny to enter the Labyrinth and make it to the center. That only I could do it,” I blurted out.
I instantly felt better until I saw Leo’s face. He seemed to become pale for a brief second, but then he looked at me with worried eyes.
“Sounds like a crazy person, Val. I wouldn’t pay much attention to it.”
Disappointment filled me, though I don’t know what I was expecting. With that response, I decided to not tell him about how Alder vanished into thin air twice, about the strange feeling coming from Labyrinth, or about meeting him later tonight. And especially not that I already knew I was going to say yes, that I would do anything to get away from the life. No matter how insane it was.
“You’re probably right,” I said, leaning back against the wall. It did sound crazy when I said it out loud. Could I blame him?
He pulled a coin out of his pocket and smiled at me.
“Let’s go share a fish, my treat.”
My stomach lurched at the thought of actual food. I grinned back at him as he stood up. He reached a hand out and I grabbed it as he helped me up. I checked for my dagger, still secure on my thigh, as we strolled out to the street. He kept my hand in his and at first, I felt I should pull away. But if I was going to actually enter the Labyrinth tomorrow, then I could at least hold his hand this one last time.
So we walked, hand in hand, through the square. He bought us a freshly baked fish, its skin burnt from the fire and still steaming. It was delicious. I hadn’t had a fish in months. It was too expensive to be anything but an occasional treat. While we ate, Leo joked with me about various things.
“I heard in Mare there are fish all different colors. Yellow and green. Blue and red. Not just brown and grey like we have here,” he said, his eyes lighting up as he spoke.
“Must be the mud in the river, turning them these ugly colors.”
“Isn’t there mud in the ocean?”
“How would I know?”
“Maybe we will see it one day and know for sure.”
“Maybe,” I shrugged, but I doubted it. Unless someone broke the curse, unless I broke the curse.
Neither of us brought up what I had said earlier. I tried to enjoy these moments with him, soaking it up. It could be one of my last memories of him. I wanted to etch every detail into my mind. The ways his grey eyes widened with each bite of the fish. The way a dimple appeared in his cheek as he laughed and told me dirty jokes. The way his lips parted slightly as he looked at me, the desire behind those dark ocean eyes. I would love him forever, but it was a sad truth, because it was not enough to stay.
He walked us home and pulled me in for a kiss when we reached his door. I kissed him back, but as I did, I couldn’t help but think of Alder’s full lips and green eyes. It was almost time to meet him. T
hese last few hours with Leo were almost over, and I would have to say goodbye soon. A wave of sadness came over me as our lips moved against each other. His hands gripped my waist as he pulled me into his chest. I wish I could somehow take him in, make him a part of me, so I would never have to say goodbye.
“My dad won’t be home till much later tonight. He went to a meeting…. do you want to, come in?” he asked me after he pulled away from the kiss. My heart ached, the moment over too soon.
I glanced down the alley towards the sun, which was just now setting. It would be so easy to say yes, to stay and forget about Alder and the Labyrinth all together. But I couldn’t. I had to go to him.
“I can’t, I’m sorry. I am exhausted from today.” I hoped my voice was convincing. His face dropped. He nodded slowly and gave me a sad smile.
“I could make you happy, if you would just let me.” Leo said, still holding me in his arms. I looked into his eyes and guilt crept over me. It wasn’t him, it was just this place. He didn’t understand.
“I know, I’ll think about it,” I said, giving him a smile. He brushed a piece of my hair back and kissed my forehead. He stepped away and into his doorframe. He looked back at me just briefly, a hint of hope on his face, and disappeared inside.
What am I doing? I could have a life here with Leo. We could marry and live here in this house, safe. The setting sun cast a warm glow down the alley and I knew then in my heart, Alder was right. I didn’t want safe.
I walked out of the alley and down the street. As I passed the taverns, I felt a resolve to never go back in them again. I continued with purpose down to the river, to the same spot we had met the night before. The irresistible draw of adventure and his touch pulling me there with each step.
A breeze blew my hair back as I looked across to the Labyrinth. With the breeze came the tingle, the tug on my heart, the calling. Stronger tonight than before, as if its power was growing.
I took in a deep breath. I couldn’t explain this feeling, whatever was inside of me. I have lived here my entire life and never felt this way about the Labyrinth before. What changed? I had turned twenty-one, the “official” age of adulthood, as some referred to it. Was that it?
“Yes,” a voice said. I turned and found Alder standing next to me, somehow just appearing. He looked breathtaking. His shirt opened in a V to show a tanned chest and a hint of a tattoo on his left pec, over his heart. I fought back the flush creeping up my neck.
“Oh, so you can read minds now?” I asked, turning myself towards him. I needed to control myself tonight, to control my emotions and this entire situation.
“No, but with the look on your face, it was pretty obvious,” he smirked. I rolled my eyes and looked back to the Labyrinth. He stepped closer to me, but I kept my gaze outward, wary of the redness blossoming on my chest.
“No one who has ever tried to break the curse has succeeded. No one has ever even come back who entered. What makes you think I should try?”
“Because, those people were not you, Valeria. You can try to deny it if you want, but I know you can feel the pull. When you turned twenty-one the Labyrinth felt you, it felt your presence. And I’m here to convince you to listen to it.”
I shook my head. “This doesn’t make any sense. Why me? Why?”
“Haven’t you always felt like an outcast? Haven’t you always felt without a home? Even now you have an offer for a home, a place to belong, a person to belong to, and yet it still feels wrong. It is because you don’t belong here and you never have. Your destiny and the answers to all your deepest questions rest in there, inside the Labyrinth. In the center, the tower, you will find yourself and much more,” he said, gazing across at the peaked tower.
I followed his gaze and could feel the tingle strengthen. It felt like a rope had been placed around my chest and was physically pulling me towards it. Towards the tower. My knees gave a bit, and I stumbled forward.
“How will I survive? How will I find the center? And what do I care if the curse is broken? It doesn’t affect me,” I stammered. The very real dangers of my choice washing over me, injecting my veins with fear.
“You will find it because it will call to you, as it does now. And you will survive in there exactly how you have survived out here, by fighting for it. And you will care once you see what lies inside.” His hand grazed my outer thigh, where my dagger was sheathed. He gave me a knowing look.
“Will you come with me? Are you from there?” I asked, taking in a breath.
“All in due time, sweet Valeria. But you will see me again in the Labyrinth, that I promise.” He smiled, dragging a finger across my cheek to my chin. He gently lifted my chin up.
This was my chance to take control and I seized it. I grabbed his hand from where it was on my face and at the same time raised my dagger to his throat, so quickly and smoothly that a hint of surprise danced in his eyes.
I held his gaze as I said, “I am not sweet. And do not think you can touch me as you please.” My grip tightened on his hand and my dagger prodded just slightly into his neck, the warning clear. His face, however, turned up into a smile, as if he was proud of my response.
“My deepest apologies, Valeria, I promise I won’t touch you again until you ask.” He grinned playfully, acting the perfect gentleman. I let go of his hand and placed my dagger back in its sheath, maintaining fierce eye contact with him the whole time.
My insides were screaming, begging him to touch me. But I had to maintain control, putting up this barrier would help. Because if he ever kissed me, it would be the end of all self control. I could feel the pull between us, like a tether connecting us. It took my breath away. I couldn’t lose myself in him, not yet.
“I will not ask,” I stated boldly and turned back to the Labyrinth, pushing down my raging heat for him. I knew it was going to be a difficult facade to maintain, especially when he looked at me with those deep emerald eyes.
“We will see about that,” he laughed, his eyes brightening. “One more thing, Valeria, you should go alone,” he said, and I knew who he was referencing.
“Why, would you be jealous if I brought him?” I laughed, my eyebrow raising with the question, a part of me genuinely curious but the larger part of me just enjoyed teasing him.
He just smirked back at me. I wasn’t sure what that smile meant, but before I could prod, he vanished in the blink of an eye.
I huffed aloud and thought I heard a murmur of laughter in the wind. My eyes searched the depths of the Labyrinth again. The thick fog laid lazily over the top as it went on for miles and miles. I could not see any of its ends. I could easily spend the rest of my life lost in there, never to be found again.
I could ignore him, ignore the pull. Ignore the calling I was feeling. Ignore the heat beneath my skin. I could go back to my life, and maybe in ten years I would have enough saved to buy a room somewhere. Maybe. The thought of wasting my life working for pennies made my skin crawl.
I realized then that he was right. The letter was right. I was meant for more. I could not stay here. The perceived safety and comfort were but iron chains around me that would pull me down if I let them. And I would spend the rest of my life wondering, what if? I had no other choice.
I could go into the Labyrinth and probably die. Or, I could stay here and I would also die, but with the heaviness of regret over me for the rest of my life.
Chapter 5
I walked back to the alley, rethinking Alder’s words. The specifics of what he had said. He claimed he would see me again in the Labyrinth. That must mean he was from it? And if he was from inside the Labyrinth, then there must be a way to survive inside. If so, why had no one ever returned?
Maybe there was a whole other world in there. Maybe they hadn’t returned because they just didn’t want to? Maybe they couldn’t? Maybe the curse prevented them from returning?
Or maybe he was lying to me, tricking me into entering the Labyrinth and dying. But why go through that effort? And how could he have kno
wn about the pull I felt? The power between us, that electric current that flowed so effortlessly, it couldn’t all be a lie. It must pull him as strongly as it pulled me.
I pondered everything as I turned the corner to my alley, my head down, watching my footsteps. I stepped in dark crimson, a deep sticky red. Blood.
I gasped and looked up to find Leo’s father lying in a puddle of blood. Knife wounds slashed his large belly and chest. He gurgled and spat up blood. He was dying.
My first instinct was to whip out my dagger, ready to attack whoever had attacked him. I spun around, searching for the culprit, searching for anyone. No one was there.
I shouted for Leo, but no answer. I kept my dagger in hand as I stepped around his father and paced. Who should I call? Who should I—
Leo stepped around the corner, carrying a stack of animal hides. He looked at me with the dagger in my hand and then to his gutted father on the ground. His face went pale, and he dropped the skins. He knelt down and began pressing on his father’s chest, trying to stop the bleeding.
“VALERIA! What happened?! What happened?! Did you do this?!” he shouted, eyes and hands frantically searching his father for the wounds.
“No, of course not! I just came home, and I found him like this!” I was terrified that I had been found at the scene of a murder, with a knife in hand.
Leo just looked up at me, his eyes glistening with tears. He shook his head as if to say he believed me. Relief washed over me, and I sheathed my dagger.
“Go get the physician, please,” he whispered, clutching his nearly dead father in his arms. Blood covered his cream shirt. I had never seen his face in such pain.
I stepped past him and ran down the corridor to the physician’s house several streets away, adrenaline racing through my veins. I pounded on his door desperately. He opened while buttoning his pants, a well-known lady of the night standing naked behind him.
The Labyrinth King (The Labyrinth Series Book 1) Page 3