Chapter 9 #3
Before I could respond, the ground trembled again. The maze reconfigured itself, separating us from Rook and Milo. Zane and I found ourselves on a new path that spiraled inward.
"I think we're getting close to the center," Zane pointed ahead where the hedges seemed to thin.
We hurried forward, only to be stopped by a sudden tremor that split the ground between us. I stumbled, my bad knee giving way, and fell hard on the gravel path.
"Winter!" Zane shouted as the gap widened.
I tried to stand, but pain shot through my knee. "I'm okay," I called, though I clearly wasn't. "Just my knee."
The ground continued to shake, and I watched in horror as the path behind Zane collapsed, cutting off our retreat. At the same time, the hedge beside me began to transform, its branches twisting into the shape of Wadsworth.
"Time is running out, Chalice-Bearer," the goose-shaped hedge intoned. "The sun is setting."
I looked up to see the sky indeed darkening. We were going to fail this stupid trial because of a petty cosmic goose and my bad knee.
Zane assessed the widening gap between us, his face set with determination. He backed up a few steps, then took a running leap across the chasm. He landed on my side with athletic grace, immediately kneeling beside me.
"Can you walk?" His voice was tight with concern as his hands gently examined my knee.
"I think so," I winced as he helped me stand. "Just give me a second."
His arm slipped around my waist, supporting my weight. "Lean on me."
I did, acutely aware of how close he was, how his mismatched eyes scanned my face with an intensity that had nothing to do with the maze challenge. His hand at my waist was warm, steady, and I found myself leaning into him more than my injury strictly required.
"Thanks," I found myself suddenly breathless for reasons unrelated to our running.
"Don't mention it, Shortstack," his voice had dropped to a lower register that sent a flutter through my stomach.
For a moment, we just stood there, the chaos of the maze fading into the background. Then Wadsworth's voice broke the spell.
"Touching," the hedge-goose mocked. "But time waits for no one, not even star-crossed protectors and their prophesied charges."
The ground rumbled again, and new hedges sprouted around us, forming a circular chamber. In the center stood the real Wadsworth, preening his feathers on a marble pedestal.
"Ah, you've found me," the goose observed. "But not the center of the maze. Not quite."
"We've been running through your stupid maze for hours," I glared at him, still leaning on Zane. "What more do you want?"
"As I said," Wadsworth fixed those cosmic eyes on me, "something new. Something I haven't seen in my long, long existence."
"Like what?" I demanded, frustration boiling over. "A song and dance routine? A magic trick? What could be new to someone who's seen everything?"
"That's precisely the question, isn't it?" Wadsworth's voice took on a contemplative tone. "In all my eons, I've witnessed countless heroes on countless quests. They all want something from me. Power, knowledge, artifacts. And they all try the same approaches. Flattery. Bargaining. Threats."
He hopped down from his pedestal and waddled toward us. "But you're different, Winter. You don't pretend to be on some noble quest. You're annoyed, frustrated, and utterly transparent about it."
"Because this is ridiculous!" I exclaimed. "I didn't ask to be part of some prophecy. I didn't ask to chase a cosmic goose through a magical hedge maze. I was perfectly happy cataloging books and eating saltine crackers in my apartment!"
To my surprise, Wadsworth threw back his head and laughed, a sound like thunder rolling across distant mountains.
"Exactly!" the goose declared. "In all my existence, I've never met a Chosen One who was so thoroughly unimpressed with being chosen!"
The hedges around us suddenly retracted, revealing that we were indeed at the center of the maze. Rook, Milo, and Fenric were already there, looking somewhat worse for wear. Fenric's tweed jacket was torn, Milo was covered in leaves, and Rook had what appeared to be hedge clippings in his hair.
"Congratulations," Wadsworth announced. "You've completed the trial."
"But we didn't reach the center before sunset," I pointed out, gesturing to the now-dark sky.
"The trial wasn't about reaching the center," Wadsworth explained. "It was about revealing your true nature under pressure."
The goose approached me, those cosmic eyes studying me intently. "In a world full of self-important heroes and villains, all convinced of their own grandeur, you remain refreshingly yourself. Cranky, sarcastic, and utterly devoid of pretension."
"Thanks?" I wasn't sure if I'd been complimented or insulted. Probably both.
"I believe you are worthy of carrying the Feather of Eternal Discord," Wadsworth declared. He extended one wing and, with his beak, plucked a single white feather. It glowed with a soft, pulsing light similar to the markings on my arm.
"Take it," the goose offered. "And remember, Chalice-Bearer, that chaos is not inherently evil. It is merely a change. It is unexpected, unplanned, and utterly necessary for the universe to evolve."
I reached out and took the feather. The moment my fingers touched it, warmth spread up my arm, and the blue markings pulsed in response. The feather seemed to dissolve into light, absorbed into my skin, and joining the patterns already there.
"Whoa," I breathed as the sensation settled.
"The first trial is complete," Wadsworth nodded with satisfaction. "And I must say, it's been the most entertaining afternoon I've had in centuries. Your werewolf friend made quite an impression on Gertrude and her coven."
Rook growled softly.
"Now, I suggest you leave before the staff realizes you've been terrorizing their hedge maze," Wadsworth flapped his wings dismissively. "And Winter? Do come visit again when this prophecy business is over. It's so rare to find someone who appreciates the absurdity of existence."
With that, the cosmic goose waddled away, leaving us standing in the ruined remains of what had once been an immaculate hedge maze.
"Well," Zane's arm went around my waist again, "that went better than expected."
"Did it?" I raised an eyebrow. "We got chased by singing hedges and almost fell into an interdimensional pit, all to get a feather from a cosmic entity with a god complex who happens to be a goose."
"But we got the feather," Milo pointed out cheerfully, picking leaves from his fake mustache, which was now hanging at an odd angle.
"Indeed," Fenric was already typing on his tablet. "Trial One: completed. I'll update the prophecy progression matrix immediately."
As we made our way back through the now docile maze, Zane kept his arm around me, supporting my weight. I found myself hyperaware of every point of contact between us, his hand at my waist, my arm across his shoulders, the way his breath occasionally brushed my cheek when he turned to check on me.
"You okay?" he noticed my silence.
"Just processing," I replied. "This whole day has been a little…"
"Completely bonkers?" He gave a smile.
"That works," I laughed.
When we reached the exit, I reluctantly pulled away from Zane's support, testing my knee. It still hurt, but the pain had subsided to a dull ache.
"I can walk now," I told him. "Thanks for the help."
He nodded, but something in his expression made me think he'd been just as aware of our closeness as I had been. For a moment, his eyes lingered on my face, and I felt a strange tension between us, like an unasked question hanging in the air.
Then Fenric called for us to hurry, and the moment passed. As we walked toward the parking lot, I glanced back at Sunset Meadows. In a window of the main building, I caught a glimpse of white feathers and cosmic eyes watching us leave.
I raised my hand in a small wave, and Wadsworth nodded once before disappearing from view.
I guess I could come visit the crazy goose god. He seemed lonely if he was doing this crazy shit.
One trial down, who knew how many more to go. But at least I'd made an immortal chaos goose laugh. As far as prophetic accomplishments went, that had to count for something.