Page 73 of Minding the Minotaur

“What about all the medications, the vaccinations at the clinic? The humans must have left something to treat this?”

She shakes her head. “They have antidotes up there, but not here. We monsters don’t have a problem with fresh air… as you found out.”

I can’t even speak as I try to take it all in.

“There’s only one choice. We have to get her back to Sparkle for treatment,” Peg says.

“I agree with Peg,” Otis seconds.

“What about Tippy?” I say hoarsely.

“Tippy?” Otis stares at me like I’ve gone mad.

“She’s got witch ancestry. Surely she has a spell book somewhere that…”

Otis’s face twists with something like pity. “Don’t whistle at the wind, mate.” He takes a big breath, looks over at Peg. “I’ll call Jax, shall I?”

She nods.

“That prick. What for?” I bellow angrily.

“Because—” Otis says gently, almost like he’s talking to a youngling. “He brought her in here, he can get her out.”

“No. No fucking way. Over my dead body.”

He pauses. “It may be Samantha’s dead body, if we don’t get her out of here soon.”

That shuts me down. I paw at the ground with an angry hoof, my jaw working. Then I glance at Peg. “It’s the only option, Arlo,” she agrees.

I gulp, bow my head, and clasp my horns in my fists.

If I were human, there’d be tears streaming down my cheeks by now.

Instead, there’s is a lump the size of the whole fucking Labyrinth blocking my throat.

Otis leaves the room, and I hear him talking on the phone.

An interminable time passes. I hear the old clock ticking, and remember the sound from my visits here as a youngling. Otis brings me a hot toddy of grappa and honey, but I don’t touch it. Peg puts a cushion under Sammy’s head. Her golden hair splays out like a halo around her. She looks like an angel, perfect, serene, but I know she’s so very sick. Dying, maybe. And it’s all my fault. Why did I take her up there? Why didn’t I realize it could harm her? The question keeps running around inside my skull like a rat on a wheel.

I wish I knew what to do.

I wish I could save her.

But there is nothing and no-one here in the Labyrinth who can.

And then the door opens and in saunters Jax, like he’s got all the time in the world.

I glower at him as he strolls over.

“Blondie’s in a bit of strife, is she?” he says, so matter-of-factly that once again, I lose it, jump up and grab him by the collar.

“I wouldn’t do that,” he warns, his green eyes meeting mine, unblinking. “I’m her only chance.”

Knowing the truth of this, I growl but let go of him and he walks over to Sammy, lays his fucking scruffy head on her left breast, and listens to her heart. I fist my hands, wanting to shout at him not to go near her, not to touch her.

I wonder whether he’s touched her before. I wonder if…this is not the time, you fucking oaf.

“Yep. Earth sickness,” he says as he straightens up. “Her heart is very slow.”