Page 22 of A Monarch's Fall

“I’m not giving you any look or suggesting anything,” I told her, my suspicions very much confirmed.

“Yes, you were,” Sasha argued. “It’s not my fault. What fool enters the maze alone?”

“A little flower witch,” Efstratios answered, “Or anyone wanting to find their end.”

Sasha balked.

“The maze has been active. It took me too long to get back to you,” Sasha said, taking hold of my shirt again, “What if she’s dead already, Ada? Selene would never forgive me.”

I pulled her closer, wrapping her in my arms.

“Percy is Selene’s responsibility. The death of her pet would be upon her head. She would not hold such a tragedy against you,” I promised.

I wasn’t sure she wouldn’t burn and salt the earth of half the kingdom in revenge, but I knew that Sasha would not be deemed as a guilty party by our beloved niece.

“Ariadne, please guide young Percy,” Sasha whispered into the crook of my neck.

I breathed her scent in deeply. It was time to reclaim the estate, find my niece and stage a rescue mission into the maze.

“It’s going to be a long night,” I complained as I raised my head from her hair. “Efstratios, our priority is ensuring that Princess Selene is safe and secure,” I stated.

“Of course, Ma’am,” he agreed, “Lady Petra, where did you last encounter Her Royal Highness?” he asked.

Sasha released me from her hold. “She was still on the third floor. Paralysis was already beginning.”

“Who was with her?” he continued.

“Her guard and Rylan,” she answered.

I found it odd that she had referred to Selene’s captain of her Royal Guard by name and mentally noted to question her about when she became first-name friendly with the captain.

“How long ago?”

“About maybe an hour and a half. It was a fight to get here,” she explained.

He nodded.

“They can’t have gotten far, not with Her Royal Highness in such a condition. They will have found a comfortable anddefensible location. Moving a victim of venom poisoning is too risky,” he replied, almost thinking aloud.

“Does she know that Percy is in the maze?” I asked.

“Yes, she was the one who told me,” Sasha said, a tiredness in her voice, dark circles under her eyes. I noticed then that Sasha’s vision would be significantly worse than mine in the current lighting. She must have been exhausted. I wanted nothing more than to find her somewhere to rest, but I doubted there would be any sleep, not for some time.

“Then she could be anywhere. Perhaps even in the maze by now,” I said.

Selene loved Percy; of that, I had no doubt. She was devoted to her witch, smitten, obsessed, and had not a drop of give within her. Selene would not so easily yield to venom poisoning. Not even Hades’ Delight could hold down my niece. Her remarkable survival had already become a legend.

“She has venom poisoning,” Efstratios argued.

“Her love is in the maze, and she has Ardens’ stubbornness,” I countered, “Do you truly believe that my niece would find a bed to lie down in these circumstances?”

“She won’t have a choice. Venom poisoning is not only paralytic; it is excruciatingly painful and delirium-inducing. She will be entirely incapacitated by now. I’m sorry, but I’ve seen dozens of cases of venom poisoning. I believe I am correct. Let's start our search on the second floor. I doubt they got much further before they could go no further.” He turned from me to Sasha, and I felt myself tense at the way I was dismissed. “Where on the third floor did you leave them?” he questioned.

“The east wing, near the offices.”

“Right.” He nodded again, looking around him, thinking. “I don’t anticipate any further waves of combatants, but I do believe there will be many of those fighting in vain, unaware that this battle is lost. I need to find my lieutenants. Kostas’ post is inthe east wing. My radio was destroyed, but he wouldn’t leave his post. Not while there is breath in his body. If we have any luck, his comms are intact.”

He turned to me and bowed his head slightly as if only now remembering himself.