CHAPTER TWENTY #2
As I drank from my pouch, I caught sight of some people staring at the bite mark on my neck—including Ajax and Keyes.
It would probably be gone in a matter of hours, since it wasn’t a deep wound, but there would be no hiding its existence from anyone.
News of it would circulate throughout the garrison in no time at all.
Talon didn’t fail to notice the stares, but nor did he appear to care. And when Ajax and Keyes sent curious looks his way, he only met their gazes steadily. As if conveying that he didn’t need to explain his actions to them or anyone else.
Soon, we were on the move again. After crossing the length of the pastureland, we walked into the forest of scraggly trees beyond it. Trees with leaves that were a stunning violet shade.
Talon stuck to a narrow path as he guided Xanthos through the maze of tall cedars, eventually leading us out of the forest. From there, I had a better view of the Sovereigns’ magnificent fortress. I also saw flashes of their private garden, but I didn’t notice any apple trees.
As Talon led us toward the steep mountains at the far right corner of the city, I nibbled on my lower lip.
I hoped we wouldn’t be expected to climb them.
That would probably be the case, though.
I supposed it was one heck of a trail to walk, considering the officiates were all on horseback, the cheaters.
My brows met as we approached the opening of what appeared to be a grotto. There, the officiates dismounted the Arions. Talon motioned for all candidates to gather round. We quickly did so, forming a cluster in front of the officiates. I found myself stood between Lear and Bevan.
“Welcome to what has been branded Nightmare Caverns,” intoned Keyes, setting his hands on his hips. “The Sovereigns often send here those who have displeased them.” He paused. “Sometimes those people come back. Sometimes they don’t.”
What an uplifting introduction.
“It is a series of interlinked caves that form a labyrinth,” Ajax elaborated. “You will have heard of a half-bull-half-man creature that roams a massive labyrinth. It is not a story meant to merely scare humans. The minotaur exists.”
Oh, gods, please tell me you’re not sending us in there. Please, please, please—
Wait, the labyrinth was all caverns? That made me recall the ‘nightmare’ I just might have shared with Talon. I looked his way. His expression was blank, but his jaw was hard.
Lear flicked a look at the cave opening. “And we have to go in there?”
My stomach dropped and rolled as Talon nodded.
“Not as a unit,” Keyes clarified. “Each of you will go in separately with fifteen minutes in between. And hopefully come out alive.”
“The minotaur was once a man,” Ajax added. “Minos cursed him. And now he is a half-beast creature trapped inside these caverns that he can never leave.”
Finian cleared his throat with a deliberate cough. “Who was he before he became the minotaur?”
“No one you will have heard of,” Ajax airily replied.
“Why was he cursed?” asked Seneca.
“You’d have to ask Minos.” Ajax swept his gaze over the entire group of candidates as he added, “What you need to understand is that the minotaur may have the body of a man and only the head of a bull, but he thinks like an animal. Acts like an animal. Hunts and eats like one. He will attack and kill anybody in his territory—no exceptions.”
Well, shit.
Talon unrolled a piece of parchment and held it against the rock wall. On it was a drawing of what I presumed was the labyrinth.
“There is a single circuitous pathway from the entrance to the heart of the labyrinth, wherein lies the exit,” said Ajax as Talon traced it with his fingertip. “It will mean traversing through seven circuits, each of which has its own dangers and obstacles.”
Talon once more rolled up the parchment and arched an Any questions? brow.
Reeve rubbed at his nape. “In terms of dangers and obstacles, what are those exactly?”
Talon pursed his lips and slightly angled his head, his expression saying, You’ll have to see for yourself.
Atticus folded his arms. “And we’re supposed to kill the minotaur?”
The Cardinal stared at him like he’d asked the most ridiculous question in the history of ever.
“You couldn’t even if you tried,” Keyes told Atticus. “Your aim is to avoid him completely while navigating and escaping the labyrinth.”
That made me frown. “But … if there’s only one pathway, how can we avoid him?”
Keyes’ gaze landed on me. “The minotaur is able to cross from circuit to circuit—walls will open for him like doors. Providing he’s in a different circuit to you at all times, you should manage to not come across him.”
Oh. Well, then.
“What’s our chance of success?” asked Reeve.
Talon tipped his hand from side to side, his lips once more pursed.
My stomach dipped. Fifty-fifty wasn’t great odds.
“Your only chance is if you manage to walk about undetected,” Keyes explained. “Do nothing to call attention to your presence here. If he senses he has company, he will hunt you down.”
His expression severe, Talon tapped both sides of his head and then thrust his hands forward in a Keep your head straight gesture.
“You give in to panic, you’ll lessen your chance of getting through this alive,” said Keyes.
Seneca bit her lip. “Does he remember once being a man?”
Talon shook his head.
“He has no memories of that time,” Ajax explained. “Think of it as a past life. This is his existence now. He knows only animal instincts.”
“If we do come across the minotaur,” began Bevan, scratching his neck, “what do we do?”
Ajax gave him a sober look. “You die. No one who encounters him ever lives to tell the tale.”
“How long will it take us to reach the heart of the labyrinth?” asked Sable.
Talon held up two fingers, frowned, and then added a third.
Two to three hours? I silently groaned.
“Once you finish this, you finish Xalbia,” said Ajax. “Let that be your motivation to keep going when things get tough. And they will get tough.”
Talon pointed at Bevan and then jabbed his thumb toward the cave.
“Good luck,” Seneca told him, her brow creased with worry.
Bevan straightened his shoulders and took slow, hesitant steps toward the cave. Ducking his head, he then walked inside.
I inhaled deeply and rubbed my palms along my sides. I felt no shame in admitting that I was dreading the moment when my turn arrived. However, standing around waiting wouldn’t be much better. I’d only become more and more tense as time went on.
None of the candidates looked confident. Some were rigid, some fidgeted, some rocked back and forth on their heels.
Even as I made a concerted effort to stay calm and steady, I found myself nibbling on the inside of my cheek, unable to wrestle back the sense of dread winding its way through me.
Once fifteen minutes had passed, Sable was sent in. Lear went inside soon after. Then Finian. Reeve. Seneca—
“Anara, you’re up next,” Ajax told me.
My throat felt tight all of a sudden. Clearing it with a quick cough, I made my way toward the cave opening. Talon gave me a You can do this look.
I hoped he was right.