Page 8 of A Monarch's Fall

“You navigate?” I asked.

“Could have spoken up about that sooner,” Fredrick complained. “I’m starting to wonder if following this crow is the right move, too.”

“It’s our only move,” I answered. “What other option do we have? We can’t climb the walls; we don’t have the equipment, and we’re out of explosives. We all know how fast it recovered. And you told us the story of this maze, Micky, before we left, said it was enchanted to let you out if you made it to the centre,” I countered. I had to rely on Idonea and her crow. “Idonea won’t steer us wrong,” I reassured.

“It’s a bloody story!” Micky yelled. “I’ve never actually heard of anyone escaping this death trap! And just because you’re fucking that freaky witch doesn’t mean she’ll help you now. Never heard of jealousy? What will she think, with that bird of hers circling us, watching you carrying around the girl you barely shut up about? Witches are jealous types. The last guy I knew to cheat on a witch around here mysteriously went bald, couldn’t get his peeper up for over a year, kept losing his keys and anything he set down, lost his job, any time he cooked it started a fire, and it only ended when the witch found someone new. Maybe Idonea’s just playing with you and wants to let the maze torture us as much as possible before it finally crushes the life out of us.”

“His peeper?” Fredrick laughed. I joined him.

“This isn’t funny!” Micky yelled.

“Idonea isn’t like that. And she’s not creepy,” I told him.

Idonea understood the situation. We both had needs. We helped each other out. It wasn’t anything serious. And Percy would understand. She wouldn’t hold it against me. She’d understand how difficult it was waiting for her, watching her with someone else. I needed an escape, a little bit of release.

“How deluded are you?” Micky roared.

I turned sharply towards him, and as I did, I felt Percy stir in my hold, and the smallest of murmurs leave her perfect lips.

I halted.

“Stop!” I commanded, “She’s waking up. Percy, baby, can you hear me?”

Chapter three

The Maze Returns.

Percy Flores

The first thing I was aware of was the pain at the back of my head, which ached with my pulse. Then I became aware of the burning hot sensation that stung my right side and the similar pain in my right shin up to my knee. It was like one side of me had been badly beaten.

“Percy, baby?” I heard Dylan’s voice.

“Dylan?” I asked.

Why was he here? Where was here?

My mind felt groggy, like I had held my breath a bit too long and all that mattered was breathing, breathing through the pain, and the pulsing in my ears.

“Percy!” he said excitedly. Too loudly, and I flinched away from the sound. “You’re awake. You’re okay,” he continued.

“Where are we?” I asked, trying to open my eyes; it stung, and I struggled to keep them open.

It was the dark grey of twilight; the stars twinkled above me, and I realised I was being carried. But not by Selene. Selene’s shoulders weren’t as broad, yet I was more secure when in her grip, safer. I looked around despite the way it made my head pound. Dylan was carrying me. He looked different. His floppy blond hair was cut much shorter, almost like the cuts the boys would get back home in the summer, when it got too hot, and one of the old men would bring out the clippers and all the boys would line up to be sheared like sheep. He also had the shadow of a beard; it made his jaw sharper.

“We’re in the maze of Ardens,” he answered.

The memory of running as fast as I could away from the True North rebels flooded my mind painfully. Forcing me to close my eyes.

“But don’t worry, I’m here, and I’m going to get you out of here and keep you safe,” he promised.

Keep me safe? Get me out? What was he even doing here?

“Once we’re back in Halvorsen, you’ll understand everything,” he continued.

“Halvorsen?” I asked.

What was in Halvorsen? I couldn’t go to Halvorsen; Selene wouldn’t allow it.