5. Chapter 5

five

T horne

The chair beneath me groaned as I shifted, the jagged metal biting into my back, but I welcomed the discomfort; it kept my mind sharp. I let my fingers drum lazily on the armrest, eyes scanning the scrolls scattered before me on my desk in the throne room.. Petty intrigues, betrayal, whispers of rebellion. Always the same. The Maze was a kingdom of manipulation, and everyone played their part.

The fools that attempted to navigate its corridors. When will they learn, these pawns? They always become another failure. Their bones would make a fine addition to the ever-growing collection scattered throughout. But even the failures served a purpose. They were reminders, warnings to the next brave, or stupid, soul who thought they could challenge me.

As King of the Maze, I held dominion over this twisted realm. Each quadrant of the Maze was ruled by a lord of my choosing, each with its own unique domain and creatures, yet they all answered to me. I leaned over the vast map laid out before me, the lines crisscrossing like a spider's web. It was a cruel mockery of safety, each section more perilous than the last.

To the North lay the Shadows Quadrant, presided over by the enigmatic Lady Nyria. This territory was a realm of darkness, where shadows moved like living things, and traps lay hidden within the gloom. It was said that those who entered her quadrant seldom returned, their screams swallowed by the oppressive darkness.

During our recent council meeting, Nyria's voice sliced through the air like a dagger. “You cannot be serious, Thorne! Allowing a mortal to traverse the Maze? If word gets out, it will diminish the fear that keeps our enemies at bay. This is a sign of weakness!”

I met her gaze, unyielding, my fingers tightening around the armrest. “Do not concern yourself with Brielle. She is not your enemy. Should she wander into your quadrant, you will ensure no harm comes to her.”

Nyria scoffed, her arms crossing defiantly. “The Shade Hounds don’t discriminate against mortals or monsters. They will tear her apart just as easily. You think your obsession with this weak little mortal makes a difference to them?”

My patience frayed at her words. “If you can't control your dogs, then I must have underestimated your knowledge of running a quadrant. I may have to start considering a replacement for you.”

Her eyes blazed with indignation. “You would dare—”

“Do not test me, Nyria!” I snapped, my voice rising. Leaning closer, I let the weight of my glare settle on her. “This isn’t some trivial game you can dismiss. You will respect Brielle; mark my words. One day, she will be your queen! So get used to the idea of bending a knee to her! You’ll find it’s less painful than the alternative.”

The finality of my words hung in the air, leaving no room for argument. Nyria’s expression morphed from anger to shock, and I could see the realization wash over her; my devotion to Brielle was a fire that would not be extinguished. Anyone who dared challenge it would find themselves consumed by the flames.

I leaned back, the tension of my encounter with Nyria still simmering in my veins. The lords needed to understand that Brielle was not a weakness; she was a future; a future I would protect at all costs.

To the East lay the Abyssal Quadrant, ruled by the morose Lord Varak. His domain was a nightmarish landscape filled with the bones of the fallen, where the air thickened with the scent of decay. Here, the Bone Golems roamed freely, animated by the remnants of past challengers. Lord Varak was an ally, but I never fully trusted him; his loyalty ebbed and flowed like the tides, and he would not hesitate to betray me if it served his purposes. Yet, in the end, he knew that defiance would only lead to his undoing. His place in the Maze depended on my rule, and I made it a point to remind him of that whenever we met.

To the South was the Heart of the Maze, my realm. This was where the Maze thrived, a living entity responding to my commands. The stone walls pulsed with dark energy, entwined with sinister vines that whispered secrets only I could hear. I manipulated the challenges faced by intruders, crafting their fates to ensure they understood the true nature of the Maze. It was here that I reigned supreme, maintaining the delicate balance of fear and respect that kept my enemies at bay. The lords understood that their power was granted by my will alone. Every heartbeat of the Maze was tied to my own.

Finally, to the West lay the Twilight Quadrant, overseen by the unpredictable Lord Thacket. His territory was filled with ancient trees whose gnarled roots seemed to have minds of their own. Lord Thacket was a creature of chaos, unpredictable yet cunning. He was a master of illusions and deception, the very embodiment of mischief. In his quadrant, the Whispering Wraiths roamed—specters that could either aid or hinder those who wandered too close. Thacket delighted in the chaos of his realm, and while I appreciated his unpredictability, I knew better than to trust him completely.

Brielle will traverse only my quadrant, where she will be tested, but not in the brutal ways others have endured. The intent is not to bring her harm but to guide her through challenges that will unveil her strength, illuminating the truth that she can—and will—survive. She has never needed to depend on Henry; the trials she has faced in the past were burdens she was never meant to shoulder. I will not coddle her; the path ahead will demand her courage and resilience, but I refuse to let her perish. My heart, entwined with her fate, will ensure she emerges not only unscathed but transformed. My she wolf, my queen.

A warden entered, head bowed, his boots scraping against the stone as he knelt. "My King," he said, voice trembling with the kind of fear I enjoyed, "another two have failed. Their bones now litter the eastern quadrant but they moved through the North quickly. It appears defenses were lacking."

I barely acknowledged him, my fingers still tapping in a rhythmic beat. "Inform Nyria of her failure and tell her to Increase the difficulty in her quadrant," I ordered, my voice steady but laced with the sharp edge of command. " Tell her to make sure her beasts are hungry. It appears she is distracted. Remind her of her place."

The warden left, obedient as always. I sighed, leaning back in the chair.. The Maze was always hosting some form of chaos, challenging and deadly like the game I designed it to be. But at times, it felt as though I was playing against myself, waiting for someone worthy enough to step into the ring. The Kings that lay beyond the borders of the maze all seek to make it through, sending their greatest warriors. The maze was a conquest to them, the magic it held was something they wished to control. Pitiful fools wouldn’t know what to do with it.

Henry’s incessant whining broke through the silence, grating against my nerves. From his cage, he looked more like a broken animal than the proud, pompous fool he had been when we’d first brought him here. His face was pale, streaked with dirt, and his voice had grown hoarse from hours of shouting at me.

“They’ll come for me,” he rasped, clinging to the bars as if that would somehow grant him power. “You’ve started a war, you—”

“Shut up,” I interrupted coldly, not even bothering to look at him. “You’re not worth a war, Henry. You’re barely worth the space your pathetic cage takes up.”

He gripped the bars harder, “You don’t understand! My king—"

“Your king?” I finally looked at him, a slow smile creeping onto my face. “The same king who hasn’t sent anyone for you? The same king who probably considers you more of a liability than an asset at this point?” I rose from my throne, striding toward his cage with slow, deliberate steps. “I took you, Henry, because you were in the way. Not because you're special.”

“You don’t know what you’ve done,” he spat, trembling. “They’ll come for me. They have to.”

I almost rolled my eyes so hard it hurt, “You really are so repetitive, honestly Henry, you’re insufferable.” I tilted my head, inspecting him as if he were some curious little insect. “You were nothing in your town but a bully, a man who used his power to control and manipulate those under him. No one admired you, no one cared about you or your flashy armor. You were nothing there and you’re nothing here. Just a pain in the ass.”

Suddenly, Grom stepped into the room, his gnarled figure barely squeezing through the door. His face was a patchwork of scars, leathery skin, and lumpy bone, with one large bulbous nose that jutted out from his wrinkled face like a crooked rock formation. His ears, misshapen and drooping, twitched nervously as his yellowed eyes shifted, darting around the room as though he expected an ambush. His armor, if you could call it that, was little more than patchwork leather, stained with the dirt of centuries, and strapped haphazardly across his hunched body. His thick fingers, knobby and coarse, clutched his cap like a lifeline.

“Your Majesty,” he rasped, voice rough and uncertain. His massive hands fidgeted nervously as he approached, the ground creaking under his weight.

I strolled over to my chair, back to business. Leaning back I watch him with mild amusement. Grom wasn’t an enemy, but he had never been comfortable around me. Despite his brute strength and the fact that he could snap a man in two, he feared me more than he feared the Maze’s treacherous paths. That always amused me.

“You’re worried,” I said.

Grom gulped, his thick throat bobbing visibly. “The Maze, something is changing, the borders Your Majesty, I—I’ve done my best to keep it—”

I waved him off before he could ramble further. “Brielle is coming. Soon.”

His eyes widened, the thought clearly unnerving him. “B-Brielle, the woman you mentioned?”

“Yes, the one I mentioned.” I kept my tone even, though I could see the fear flickering behind his gaze. “She will need someone to guide her. Keep her safe, make sure the Maze doesn’t tear her apart. Unlike the others, her path will be... less difficult.”

“Y-Your Majesty, what if she refuses?” Grom stammered, gripping his cap tighter.

“She won’t refuse,” I said simply. “Befriend her. She will be frightened, but I expect you to make sure she reaches here. If anything happens to her...” I let the words hang, allowing his imagination to do the rest.

Grom shuddered, lowering his head. “Of course, Your Majesty. I will make sure.”

“Oh, and Grom,” I added with a dark smile, “if she asks you about the intruders, tell her nothing of the traps or the bodies they’ve left behind. She doesn’t need to know how... messy this can get yet.”

Grom nodded quickly, his nervousness palpable. “I—I’ll do it. I won’t fail you.”

“You better not.” I say, my gaze steady as Grom trembled. “I am counting on you.”

He nodded and scurried off, leaving me with the faint sound of Henry’s whining echoing from the cage behind me. I turned my attention back to the map, imagining the look on Brielle’s face as she made her way through the Maze, unaware of what truly lay ahead.

Henry’s voice rang out, hoarse and raw. How I wish I could kill him now.

“You really think she’ll come?” he spat, his voice a mix of disbelief and bitter anger. “She can barely leave the house without fear. You can’t make her come.”

I didn’t bother turning around. Instead, a slow, dark smile crept across my lips as I studied the maze’s intricate design, each twist and turn carved into the map like veins of a living creature. I could already feel Brielle’s footsteps on those paths, hear her breath quicken as she faced her first real test of strength.

“She’ll come,” I said softly, my voice dripping with certainty, every syllable a promise. I let the silence stretch out, savoring the weight of what was to follow.

I finally turned toward him, my gaze locking with his. The amusement was gone, replaced by something darker, more primal. “She’ll come through my maze, Henry,” I continued, my voice low and vicious. “She’ll come on my fingers, my tongue.. and on my cock. And you’ll get to watch every. Single. Moment.”

The color drained from Henry’s face, his eyes widening in disgust and helpless rage. His hands clenched the bars tighter, as if willing himself to break free, to strike me down. But he wouldn’t. He couldn’t. The shackles of his own weakness bound him tighter than any cage I could have constructed.

“Brielle doesn’t belong to you,” I added, my tone sharpening. “Not anymore. The Maze will show her who she really is, and when she’s finished, she won’t be the timid little thing you remember. She’ll be mine.”

Henry’s fury twisted into desperation. “You can’t! She won’t fall for your lies, your manipulation.”

I chuckled darkly, “You’ve never understood her, have you? You’ve kept her locked in that shell of fear, pretending it was for her own good. But she’s more than that, far more. And I’m going to be the one to unleash it.”

Henry’s breath hitched, his face filled with a look of impotent rage. But there was nothing he could do. Not now. Not ever.

And when Brielle finally came to me, he’d see just how wrong he was.

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