I spun and ran. I ran as fast as I could, ran faster than I had ever run. My shins shrieked in pain at the sudden exertion. But I didn’t dare turn around. The beast crashed into the stone wall and barreled down after me. I reached for my dagger and pulled it out. If I could just lose him somehow. This was a maze, after all. I needed to hide. I would never outrun him.
I turned another corner and found a long hall with a dead end, three openings on the right side. I cursed and ran past the first, past the second, and turned into the third.
A mistake. Another dead end.
My heart seized in my chest. I slunk myself against the stone wall, clutching the dagger to my heart. Constricting the snake handle in a death grip.
The beast slowed as it rounded the corner. He stopped, probably noticing the dead end.
He paused for only a moment and then large, slow steps started down the hall.
Please turn into the first or second. Please. PLEASE.
His breaths became louder, his nails scratching the stone floor as he lumbered on. He was close, closer.
This was it. I had to kill this beast or die trying. I wondered if Leo would ever find my body. Would he think I had left him on purpose? I wondered if Alder was watching, if he could sense my fear, if he would save me.
No. I could save myself. Confidence bore through me, a strange feeling boiling up inside. I knew what to do.
I can do this.
I crouched low, my dagger held at an angle, ready to thrust up when he showed his monstrous face.
The beast rounded the corner and I jabbed up with my dagger as hard as I could. It found purchase straight into its belly. My grip tightened on the dagger as I pulled it out, right as the beast swung at me with his large clawed hand. It hit me hard, knocking me down on my side, throwing the dagger out of my hand.
He roared again. The vibrations echoed through my body.
Dazed, I turned over and scrambled for the dagger, reaching for it just in time as the beast came down on all fours. His grizzly mouth opened, his green eyes piercing into me, his teeth sharp and jagged. There were only milliseconds before he would bite down on my shoulder.
I wriggled to the right, and with one heavy stroke, drove the dagger through his right eye.
He stopped, his mouth agape. Green goo leaked from around my blade as I dug it deeper into his eye socket.
He slunk down, his large furry body landing on top of mine, knocking the wind out of me. I pushed, barely moving his body. I kept pushing, moving inch by inch, until I could slip out.
I tried to catch my breath as I pulled the dagger out of his eye, wiping the goo off on his slick fur. I put it back in my sheath and slunk against the wall, my chest heaving with deep breaths.
A sense of pride welled in me as I stared at the massive beast. I had fought him and won.
I let my head fall back against the stone. A smile came to my face as I sucked in the night air. I relished in my victory.
Chapter 13: Leo
I kept my eyes closed as I listened to Valeria pacing the courtyard. She was anxious, had been all day. She had kept to herself, not acknowledging the rejection of my kiss.
She had always kept me at arm’s length, afraid to give in to her emotions towards me. But today, after those creatures with wings attacked us, she had revealed a part of herself I had never known.
All those years living side by side, and yet there was still so much to learn. I had been too busy keeping my secrets from her. I hadn’t even considered she was doing the same.
How had she learned to throw her dagger like that? When did she have time to practice? Maybe I had underestimated her, and if I had, then that meant the mission had become…. increasingly more difficult.
If she fought back, fought me, it could get messy.
Sadness and shame washed over me. If only I could have convinced her to stay, to never enter this Labyrinth. The Brotherhood was fine leaving things the way they were if she had chosen to stay. Our council already held all the true power in Villam. Staying was the best option for everyone, the safest option.
But the Brotherhood told me it would be this way, that once she felt the pull nothing would stop her, despite the lengths I went through to try. And now they wanted me to follow through with the mission, to complete everything they had been planning for decades. But it wasn’t that easy.
She had not yet realized the truth of herself, of her potential. She had no clue what awaited her in that tower, the power she would unleash upon the world. Goosebumps formed on my skin as I thought of it, thought of our future.
I heard her walk off down an opening. As long as it kept her busy, I needed her as distracted as possible. The closer we got to the center, the harder it would be to keep her from noticing her powers. I needed to keep her thoughts focused on me, focused on her emotions, and not on what was growing inside of her. The powers that had been hidden for so long, kept undiscovered by her constant exhaustion as she tried to just keep herself alive.
But now that we were here, inside this Labyrinth, it would be only a matter of time. I had to get her to the center first. Once she found the center, I could chain her with the iron ring I kept in my pocket. Once chained, her powers would belong to me, to the Brotherhood. And we would use her, use that power inside her, to finish our plans.
But she had to put on the ring willingly.
The first time I saw Valeria, we were eight. She was curled under a table in the marketplace, shivering. I bent down to her, and she looked up at me with those big green eyes. Her hair was a mess and her clothes were tattered from living in the orphanage. I didn’t know what to say to her, but the moment our eyes connected, I knew I would do anything for her. I would always do anything for her.
I brought her home, sneaking her into my house while dad was away. I gave her some of the clothes I had outgrown. Gave her soap and a bedroll. I was nervous, terrified that dad wouldn’t let her stay. When he got home, I tried to reason with him. I begged him. But he didn’t care. He never cared about anything except making enough money to keep drinking.
I took her to the alley behind my house, the way it curved behind hid it from the street. She would be safe there, just until I could convince my dad. I knew he would give in, eventually. He couldn’t be that heartless.
But he was. Heartless and cruel. I spent all those years wishing I could do more for her. Then the Brotherhood came to me when I was fifteen. Told me they had been watching the girl since she had been dropped off at the orphanage, keeping an eye on her all this time. My father had known, he had always known.
I started attending their meetings, forced by my father at first but then realizing the truth of the Brotherhood. The truth of the Labyrinth. The truth of my position with her, the cursebreaker.
I truly thought I could convince her to stay. I tried as hard as I could to get her to love me, tried to get her to admit it to herself. But now here we were, in this Labyrinth.
I kept my eyes closed as I thought of the many ways I had failed her already. That future I wanted so desperately with her had disappeared the second she met him. The very second she had told me, I felt it all vanish, felt it float away in the wind. It had all been a pipe dream. Nothing but the mission remained.
She would be back soon from her water quest. I couldn’t risk her wandering off for long. The second those powers surfaced, the Labyrinth King would take her.
She may think she was strong, but she didn’t know what she was up against, didn’t know the cruelty that awaited her. He would take her power for himself and destroy her. I was the only person who could stop him, and I would.
I heard her come back into the courtyard. I kept still, emitting a soft snore to sell that I was asleep. She paced some more before her steps disappeared again.
I considered if I should follow her. If she had been keeping her dagger skills from me all these years, what else could she be hiding?
She returned a few moments later. Her steps were louder now, perhaps in fru
stration. I opened my eyes ever so slightly, watching her. She was turned away from me, choosing another path. She picked one and walked straight into it, not once looking back.
I stood up silently. Jinx picked up her head and looked at me.
“Stay.” I commanded, grabbing my bag and the bow. She laid her head back down. I hoped this would be a good chance to lose the dog for good. She was a waste of water and a liability, regardless of healing powers.
I walked to the path Val had disappeared down. I started walking, listening for her footsteps a few yards ahead. I stayed silent, slinking behind a turn at a time. She never looked back. Suddenly, her pace picked up.
Did she sense something following her? If she did, she didn’t let on. She kept her head straight as she took turn after turn. Finally, she disappeared into a large opening.
I walked slowly to it and gazed around the edge. It was a large garden with a river in the middle.
Val sat on the river’s edge, lapping up water pooled in her hands. I searched the garden for threats and saw nothing. Then she spoke.
I froze. Had she heard me? I couldn’t make out the words.
I watched, but she didn’t turn around. I watched as a man appeared next to her.
Not just any man, that monster. I couldn’t wait to kill him. But I needed him still, needed him to get her to the center. Then I could use her to destroy him.
I watched as he leaned closer to her, towering over her. They were too close. I gritted my teeth, trying to stay calm. If she fell for him, this could all end horribly. I couldn’t let that happen. She needed to pick me. If she didn’t, I would have no choice but to force her hand.
She pulled something out of her bag, a scroll. I watched as they discussed whatever was on it. I wondered what it was and why she had hid it from me?
I felt heat and jealousy surface in me. She had been hiding more. Hiding these meetings. Hiding this paper, whatever it was. Did she sense our plan? I had to find out.
Her body position changed, like she was angry with him. She whipped around. I quickly leaned back to hide. Her steps came closer. I turned and slipped myself into the shadows.
She exited the garden in a hurry. Whatever had transpired between them had left her clearly upset. Good.
I waited a moment to see if he would follow her, but he did not.
I took off after her. It was dark now. I had to stay close or risk getting lost.
But I had waited too long. I couldn’t hear her, couldn’t tell which way she went.
I cursed under my breath and kept searching.
After hours of scouring, I still had not reached her. And then I heard what sounded like a roar. It was close, maybe only a few yards away, but the Labyrinth was so convoluted I couldn’t tell which turns to take to get closer.
I heard rumbling as if something large was charging through the maze. It was very close. I stopped. Trying to gauge the direction.
The rumbling stopped. I turned and went down the path to my left, praying it would take me to her. I had to save her. If she died, this would have been all for naught.
A few seconds later, the roar came again. I was getting closer. I kept going, so close to it.
Then came a shrieking moan. Something terrible had happened to whatever made that sound.
I propelled myself forward, fear and anxiety fueling me. I would save her. And then I would make her forget about him. This was my last chance.
Chapter 14
“Val? Val, are you here?” I heard a voice say as loud footsteps came towards me.
“I’m here!” I said, standing to dust myself off. Leo came around the corner, then stopped, taking in the massive beast dead on the ground. Blood was still seeping from him and pooling on the ground.
“Where did you go? I’ve been searching for hours!” He rushed over to me and pulled me into a hug. His hand went to the nape of my neck, his warm fingers sending a shiver through me.
“I just went to find water, then I couldn’t find my way back. And well, then I killed this thing,” I said, pride still coating my voice. The thrill of the kill had given me a high.
“I heard a roar and came running. I probably would have never found you if it hadn’t attacked you. You were so lucky,” he said, taking my face in both of his hands. He looked down at me, searching my eyes.
You were so lucky.
How could he say that? Did he really believe it was luck? After what I had showed him he still underestimated me. Anger bubbled up inside of me, and this time I couldn’t push it down.
“Are you fucking kidding me? You think this was fucking luck? You think it was luck that made me hit that flower this morning? You think it’s luck that has kept me alive all these years?” My hands clenched into fists at my sides.
“No, I just meant-”
“Oh, I know what you meant, Leo, you meant what you said.” My eyes narrowed as his face dropped.
“I was not lucky. I killed that monster because I could, because I knew how, because I’ve trained. I’ve spent thirteen years living on the streets and yet you see me as a housewife. I am more than capable of things you haven’t even dreamed of,” I spat, blood rushing up my neck and cheeks.
I was tired, so tired, of being underestimated. Tired that they thought I was someone who needed rescuing. Last time I checked, Leo sat in his warm house while I worked my ass off to stay alive. And Alder, I’d known him for three fucking days. Three days. Compared to twenty-one years of providing for myself.
Fuck these men and their hero complexes.
Leo took a breath and looked down at the ground. He stepped closer and then lifted his eyes to mine. The anger was still tight in my throat.
“You’re right, I’m sorry. I just, I didn’t realize… I should have been paying more attention.”
I swallowed, the anger easing. Of course he didn’t realize. I was guilty of hiding myself as much as he was guilty for idolizing me as something I wasn’t. Something I could never be.
Leo’s eyes shone with sadness in the violet moonlight. My heart twisted inside. I shouldn’t be cruel to him. He had only ever been there for me. My mixed feelings and secrets didn’t make him a bad person.
I looked away, ashamed at my outburst.
I felt the mix of emotions wrestling inside of me, the pride of my kill mixing with my anger and shame. I needed a release, needed a distraction.
As if he sensed what I was thinking, he stepped closer to me and placed a hand on my waist. Our eyes met. The sadness between us was deep enough to fill an ocean. I couldn’t stand it, I wished he would kiss me, anything to distract us from our discourse.
He rushed forward, pulling me to him and kissing me in one swift motion.
I leaned into the kiss, into him. I placed my hand on his arm, another on the back of his neck. My hands searched his body. His kiss deepened and he tightened his grip on my hips.
He pushed us back, pressing me against the cold stone wall of the Labyrinth. His hands became rough, heavy with need. His hand reached lower to my outer thigh, grabbing it and wrapping it up around his hip. His other hand reached to my shirt, pulling it up and slipping his hands under it greedily.
I broke free of his kiss and he began kissing my neck, his hand slowly going up to reach my breast.
As he continued, my thoughts went to Alder. Was I doing this just because I was mad at him? Was I doing this because I so desperately wanted to patch up things with Leo? Or was it really just a distraction?
It was simple being with him, easy. An easy choice. He was familiar. I had known him my entire life. There was no one I trusted more than him.
But still I longed for Alder. A complete stranger that my heart was telling me to trust, that my body was telling me to want.
Leo kissed his way back to my mouth. I hesitated just briefly. He paused for a second, then began trailing his hand lower…
A deep urge inside of me took over. A need for his worship. A need for his body against mine. It shot through me, a mix of
pleasure and power. Whatever it was, all other thoughts disappeared.
Only the need to devour him remained.
Chapter 15
I was standing on the top of the center tower, looking down at the Labyrinth as it stretched on for miles and miles. I was so far up. Fear coursed through my veins as I leaned over and looked down. The Labyrinth seemed so small from here, as if it was made for insects. The walls were so short, the passageways so thin. There was no rail, nothing but an open ledge. I stood at the very edge as the wind ripped around me, blowing my hair and my clothes. The sun was low in the sky, a crimson red.
“Take my hand. I can save you,” Leo said, standing to my right. His hand outstretched to me, his face full of concern.
“She doesn’t need saving,” Alder replied, standing on my left. “Jump, Valeria, jump and see that you can fly.” His face glowed golden with pride, his arms stayed at his sides.
“Don’t listen to him. If you jump, you will die. Please. Take my hand,” Leo pleaded, tears welling up in his eyes. His hand was so close, it was right there, I need only place my hand in his.
I looked back to Alder. He simply nodded, his eyes telling me all I needed to know.
I didn’t hesitate. I jumped.
I awoke with a start, clutching my heart, sucking in shallow breaths. I sat up, trying to take in my surroundings, trying to calm myself down.
Leo’s hands were on my shoulders, rubbing them, calming me with sweet small strokes. It only made me feel worse.
I put my head in my hands, trying to forget the dream. I tried to slow my breaths, slow my racing heart.
“It was only a dream,” Leo whispered in my ear, his shirtless chest pressing against me as he spoke.
Except it wasn’t, not really.
I took in another breath and looked at him. His hair was tousled by our night, by my fingers weaving through them. His eyes appeared more blue than grey in here, as if he was absorbing the vibrant colors of the Labyrinth. He looked so handsome, completely perfect. I could do this with him forever if I wanted.
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