Chapter Thirty
Marius
The labyrinth looms before us, a sprawling maze of danger and potential death. My eyes scan over the other contestants, lingering on Brigid. Her face is an emotionless blank slate, but I see the fear. A slight tremble in her hands gives away the anxiety simmering below the surface.
Fuck. This is going to be a challenge. Anyone who thought day one was the worst it would get is in for a big surprise today. This is where things really get dangerous.
I need to focus on surviving this nightmare test, but I have a bigger job to do, and that ’ s making sure Brigid gets through it in one piece.
“ Welcome to the second trial,” a disembodied voice echoes. “ Your magic won ’ t save you here. Only your wits will see you through.”
Brigid hesitates at the entrance, her shoulders tense. She takes a deep breath, squaring her shoulders, and steps forward.
That ’ s my girl.
I watch as she steps into the shadows and follow closely behind.
The labyrinth swallows us whole, its twisting paths a maze of riddles and deathtraps. Every step could be our last.
I need to stay alert, to push thoughts of Brigid from my mind. But as I navigate the tunnels, I can ’ t concentrate properly. All I can think about is her. All I can feel is that damn mate bond. It ’ s fucking annoying.
This was never part of the plan.
But as I round another corner, narrowly avoiding a spike trap because I ’ m thinking about her fucking lips and the taste of her mouth, I realize it ’ s too late. I ’ m already in too deep. This is more than it should be. We ’ re connected, but there ’ s something else happening. And if the wrong people found out, they ’ d end me in a heartbeat. They ’ d end her.
I shake off the thoughts and pay attention to where I am. The labyrinth ’ s oppressive gloom moves in, broken only by sickly green flames flickering in sconces at intervals. The air reeks of decomposition and rot.
Ahead, I spot Brigid. She ’ s studying a section of wall covered in symbols. Her fingers trace the patterns, brow furrowed in concentration.
“ Fuck,” she mutters, slamming her palm against the stone.
Even her frustration makes me hard for her.
A scream echoes from somewhere deep in the maze, and Brigid ’ s head snaps up, eyes wide. She hesitates, only for a fraction of a moment, then keeps moving.
I follow, staying in the shadows.
Navigating further into the labyrinth, there are a series of escalating challenges that test intellect and resolve. The first challenge presents itself as a twisted tunnel lined with shifting mirrors reflecting distorted images. With each step, the reflections morph.
I watch Brigid pause, her eyes narrowing as she studies the warped reflections. She reaches out, her fingers brushing against one of the mirrors. The surface ripples like water.
She takes a deep breath and steps forward, her hand still on the mirror. As she moves, the reflections shift, creating the illusion of multiple paths. She takes a hesitant step forward, and the reflections twist violently. A hundred Brigids stare back at her, each pointing down a different path. One reflection catches my eye—it shows Brigid walking confidently down a brightly lit corridor. It looks too easy, too inviting. A trap, for sure.
Brigid ’ s eyes dart between the mirror paths. I can practically see the gears turning in her mind as she analyzes the situation. She takes a tentative step forward, then freezes as the floor beneath her foot gives a subtle click.
Fuck. That ’ s not good.
Brigid jerks her foot back just as a panel slides open, revealing a pit of razor-sharp spikes below.
She exhales slowly, her eyes scanning the mirrors again. This time, I notice a pattern in her gaze—she ’ s not looking at the reflections themselves, but at the spaces between them.
“ It ’ s not about what I see,” she murmurs. “ It ’ s about what I don ’ t see.”
Brigid reaches out, her fingers tracing the air between two mirrors. As her hand passes through the space, it disappears for a split second. A grin spreads across her face. “ Gotcha,” she whispers.
Smart girl.
It ’ s my turn. The mirrors try to disorient me.
I step up to them, my reflection fracturing into a thousand shards. Each one shows a different path, a different version of me. Some lead to treasure, others to certain death.
This is going to be a bitch.
I close my eyes, trying to concentrate. When I open them, the mirrors have changed again. Now they show scenes from my past—things I ’ d rather forget. I see myself as a child, alone and scared. Then, as a teenager, my father piercing my skin with a shadow sharp as a needle, as he adds another tattoo to my arm. The images flicker faster, a rapid-fire assault of memories.
“ Nice try,” I mutter, gritting my teeth.
I force myself to look beyond the images, searching for the pattern Brigid found. The spaces between the mirrors seem to vibrate, barely noticeable unless you ’ re looking for it. I reach out, my fingers brushing the air between two panes.
Nothing happens.
“ Shit,” I pull my hand back.
The mirrors shift again, this time showing possible futures. I see myself with Brigid, smiling and naked underneath me, as I fuck her, my skin against hers, her eyes never leaving mine.
Then I see her broken body, lifeless eyes staring up.
Bile rising in my throat and I feel that fucking pull inside that seems to come straight from my guts.
No. That won ’ t happen. I won ’ t let it.
Focus, asshole. This is just another mind game.
I study the spaces between the mirrors again, ignoring the nightmarish visions. There ’ s a tiny gap where two mirrors don ’ t quite meet. It ’ s barely visible, but it ’ s there, and a slight shimmer.
The world twists, and suddenly I ’ m through.
“ Fucking hell.” Whoever designed this trial is a sadistic genius.
The mirrors vanish behind me, replaced by a long, dark tunnel. Ahead, I catch a glimpse of Brigid disappearing around a corner.
I pick up my pace to keep up with her, still staying a distance behind so she doesn ’ t become aware that I ’ m there.
The tunnel empties into a chamber. It ’ s a cavernous space, the darkness thick and suffocating. My eyes strain to adjust, picking out vague shapes in the gloom. Eventually, I start to see that scattered throughout the space are luminescent fungi, their pale blue light barely piercing the darkness. They cluster in patches, forming weird constellations on the walls and floor.
I take a cautious step forward and immediately regret it. The floor beneath my foot is gone and there ’ s an endless black hole below it. The ground is unstable, covered with hidden traps. I look up quickly to see where Brigid is, but movement catches my eye.
Laria. The vampire bitch is trailing Brigid, a vulturous gleam in her eyes.
Brigid ’ s on the other side of the chamber, and she ’ s facing two exits. To the left, an archway that looks like it leads to another tunnel. To the right, a corridor lined with razor-sharp pendulums.
She chooses right.
Brigid takes a deep breath and darts forward. The pendulums swing with a deadly rhythm. She weaves through them with surprising grace, narrowly avoiding having body parts sliced off with each step.
I watch, holding my breath, as Brigid emerges on the other side, panting but alive.
I glance over at Laria, who ’ s eyeing the pendulums with disdain. She crouches, muscles tensing, then leaps. Her vampiric speed carries her through the gauntlet in a blur. She lands gracefully on the other side, a smug smile curving her lips as she stalks after Brigid.
Fuck.
I set my jaw and face the pendulums. No time for finesse. I summon the shadows, wrapping them around me like armor. The blades slice through the darkness, but I push forward, ignoring the sting as they nick my skin. I emerge on the other side, my shadows dissipating.
Laria lurks against the walls, watching Brigid with less than good intent. I tense, ready to intervene in case Laria decides to do something stupid. Which is likely, given what I ’ ve seen of the bloodsucker.
Brigid pauses at yet another sadistic puzzle, courtesy of the perverse minds that came up with this challenge.
A flicker of movement catches my eye. Laria slinks closer, gaze fixed on Brigid. The vampire ’ s lips curl into an evil smile as she reaches for a lever half-hidden in an alcove.
Fuck.
I react without thinking, melting into the shadows and materializing behind Laria. My hand clamps over her mouth as I drag her back into the darkness.
“ Not today, bitch,” I growl in her ear. “ Brigid ’ s off-limits.”
She thrashes in my grip, fangs bared. Laria laughs, a harsh sound. “ Says who? You? Please. She ’ s nothing but prey.”
“ Listen carefully,” I hiss. “ If I see you near Brigid again, I ’ ll make sure you don ’ t leave alive. Understand?”
Laria growls, then she nods. I release her and she stumbles away.
Brigid solves the new puzzle before Laria can change her mind. A hidden door grinds open, revealing a narrow passage. Brigid slips through, and I follow, leaving Laria snarling.
The passage twists and turns, leading to a room. At its center sits a ghostly figure, a wraith-like form shrouded in black cloth, with glowing eyes and skeletal fingers. Brigid approaches it cautiously.
“ Speak the name of your greatest fear,” it intones.
Brigid hesitates, her mask slipping for a moment. I see vulnerability in her eyes, and it makes my chest ache with an unfamiliar feeling. The people who raised me taught me that vulnerability was the worst kind of weakness. They taught me to despise it, and to hate it in others, to use it to my advantage. Seeing Brigid like that does something different to me. It ’ s disturbing.
“ Myself,” she whispers, in answer to the wraith.
Her answer hits me harder than I expected. I know that fear. I live it every day.
The wraith ’ s eyes flare brighter at Brigid ’ s answer. The hair on my arms stands on end.
“ Interesting,” it hisses. “ Most lie. Or speak of death, pain, loss. But you, you fear what lies within.”
Brigid stands rigid. That pull inside me makes me want to reach out, but I can ’ t. This is her trial to face.
The wraith ’ s form starts to shift, its edges becoming misty and ephemeral, then coming together again, but more solid. My breath catches as I realize what ’ s happening. It ’ s taking Brigid ’ s form.
The doppelg?nger stands before her, an exact mirror image, but wrong. Its eyes are dark with malevolent power, shadows curling around its feet.
“ Is this what you ’ re afraid of?” it asks in Brigid ’ s voice, but colder, harder. “ The darkness inside you? The power you could wield if you only embraced it?”
Brigid takes a step back, her face pale. “ No,” she whispers. “ That ’ s not me.”
The doppelg?nger laughs, a cruel sound that echoes off the stone walls. “ But it could be. All that power, just waiting to be unleashed.” It raises a hand, shadows coiling around its fingers. “ Think of what you could do. No one would ever hurt you again.”
Brigid ’ s eyes widen, a flicker of longing crossing her face before she shakes her head. “ No. I won ’ t become that.”
“ You already are,” the doppelg?nger hisses. “ I ’ m the part of you that you try to hide, to deny. But I ’ m always there, just beneath the surface.”
I watch, every muscle tense, as Brigid faces her darkest self.
The doppelg?nger lunges forward, shadows trailing in its wake. Brigid stumbles back, her hands coming up in a defensive gesture. Darkness swirls around them both, and for a moment, I lose sight of them.
When the shadows clear, Brigid stands alone, panting. The doppelg?nger is gone, the wraith is back.
The wraith nods slowly, its glowing eyes fixed on her. “ You may pass,” it rasps.
The spectral figure fades away, revealing a door behind it. Brigid takes a breath, straightens her shoulders, and steps through.
I move to follow once she ’ s gone, but the wraith reappears, blocking my path.
“ Speak the name of your greatest fear,” it demands again.
I clench my jaw, glaring at the creature. “ Losing control.”
The wraith ’ s eyes narrow. “ Half-truth,” it hisses. “ Speak fully, or be trapped here forever.”
Anger flares in my chest. I want to tear this thing apart with my shadows. But I can ’ t. I need to get through it.
“ Fine,” I spit. “ My greatest fear is caring too much. Getting attached. Putting someone else before the mission.”
The admission burns in my throat. The wraith studies me for a too long.
“ Interesting,” it finally rasps. “ You fear attachment as much as you crave it.”
Before I can respond, the wraith ’ s form begins to shift. My stomach drops as I realize what ’ s coming.
The mist takes a familiar shape - Brigid. But not the Brigid I know. This version of her is broken and bloodied, like from the mirror chamber.
“ Is this what you ’ re afraid of?” the doppelg?nger asks in Brigid ’ s voice, but hollow and cold. “ Failing to protect her? Or is it what comes after?”
The scene shifts. Now Brigid stands before me, whole and beautiful, but her eyes are hard. Cold. Terrifying.
Then a third Brigid. This time she looks at me with disgust.
“ Or is this what truly terrifies you?” the doppelg?nger continues. “ That she ’ ll know the truth and turn away in loathing?”
I clench my fists, fighting the urge to lash out. “ Fuck you,” I snarl.
The doppelg?nger laughs. “ Such anger. Such fear. You claim to want to protect her, but deep down, you know the truth. You ’ re the real threat.”
I grit my teeth, shadows coiling around my fists. “ You don ’ t know me.”
The doppelg?nger ’ s lips curve into a mocking smile. “ Would you use her, just like everyone else in your life has used you?”
The doppelg?nger ’ s form shifts again, becoming me. But this version of me is different - eyes black as pitch, shadows writhing around my body like living things. Black wings extend like shadows behind me.
“ Is this is what you really are? A monster wearing human skin.” It ’ s not a question.
I force myself to look, to really look at this dark reflection. It ’ s everything I fear becoming, yet everything I ’ ve been groomed to be, for years.
“ You ’ re right,” I say quietly. “ This is part of me. But it ’ s not all of me.”
When the shadows clear, the doppelg?nger is gone. The wraith stands before me again, its glowing eyes unreadable.
“ You may pass,” it rasps, fading away.
I step through the exit, into too-bright daylight. It takes a minute to realize I ’ m out of the labyrinth and standing at in the middle of the academy training field.
As the sun beats down on the training field, more contestants stumble out of the labyrinth. Their faces are etched with exhaustion and relief. Some collapse to their knees, while others scan the crowd frantically, searching for familiar faces.
I watch Brigid disappear into the throng with Eira, fighting the urge to follow. My skin still crawls from the wraith ’ s challenge, and I need a moment to collect myself.
A flash of pale skin catches my eye. Laria emerges from the labyrinth. Her eyes are sharp as she surveys the field. When they land on me, her lips curl into a sneer.
Laria stalks towards me. As she approaches, I can see the barely contained fury in her eyes.
“ So now you ’ re playing bodyguard for the shadow bitch?”
I step towards her.
“ Listen carefully, because I ’ m only going to say this once. If you so much as look at Brigid wrong, I ’ ll peel the skin from your bones. Slowly. I ’ ll carve my name into your flesh with a rusty blade and leave you for the sun.”
Laria ’ s alabaster skin somehow manages to blanch further, her eyes widening slightly. I press on, stepping closer until we ’ re almost touching.
I smile, and it ’ s not a nice expression.
“ And if you think your vampire healing will save you, think again. I ’ ll keep you alive, in agony, for days. Weeks. However long it takes for you to truly understand the depth of your mistake.”
“ The Council— “
“ The Council can go fuck themselves,” I snarl.
“ You psycho,” she hisses. “ You ’ re both fucking freaks who deserve each other.”
“ First thing you ’ ve gotten right,” I say. Then I walk off the field, following Brigid ’ s path.