Page 40 of The Labyrinth

Marion stood on thesecond balcony once again, staring down into Deacon’s labyrinth.Before the crowd showed up, she had watched as he changed the layout.She’d seen it down on a small scale, but watching the entire maze change blew her mind.

The crowd was just as loud as last time, with everyone placing bets on the fighters named on the leaderboard.Then Deacon appeared and everyone cheered.He jumped up on the edge of the labyrinth and smiled as he met her gaze.Then he raised his hands and everyone quieted.

“This is a special evening,” he said, his voice booming through the quiet.“I have a very important guest here with me tonight.Now, we haven’t known each other long, and despite that she’s human, she’s powerful.Strong.Devoted to life and friends.”

A murmur swept through the crowd, and a few looked her way.

“As you all know, the labyrinth protects itself, so you would think a human would never be able to find this arena.But it allowed her inside.It knew before I did that she was destined to be my one and only.”

Marion’s eyes widened and her heart pounded in her chest.She could hardly believe what she was hearing.

“Minotaurs don’t have mates, not like many other shifters have through scent matches and blessings by the High Luna.Instead, I have my labyrinth.”He smiled at her.“And it seems my labyrinth likes her, too.I want to give her the world, if she’ll stay with me.”

It seemed like everyone waited with baited breath.Marion only had eyes for her minotaur.Nodding, she turned to leave the balcony, and the crowd parted for her.At the bottom of the stairs were two men wearing all black, and a sense of déjà vu came over her.Like before, they escorted her and when she reached the walls of the labyrinth, Deacon dropped down, directly in front of her.

“I know you don’t know what to do with your life, but I’m hoping you’ll stay and maybe we can figure it out together.”

“I’d like that very much,” she beamed, and searched his face.“Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been surer of anything,” he said.

Then he cupped her face and kissed her as the crowd cheered.

The End

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