Page 40 of To Dwell in Shadows (Shadows of Aurelia #2)

S am hadn’t appreciated the surprise element of the previous trials, so overhearing a rumor about the next one was an unexpected relief.

A day after his conversation with Vanthee, he was leaving the Sanctum when he saw a cluster of imps hovering behind a nearby column.

Their hushed voices caught his attention.

“Sire says maze must be cleared,” a gray-warted imp croaked.

“Too much green,” another said.

“Must destroy green,” a third imp replied. “Cut.”

“No, pull.”

“No! Hack.”

Sam listened closely as the imps argued about how to destroy the “green.” His parents rarely asked the imps to work together on a task, so he was certain their assignment had something to do with the next trial.

With this new information, Sam asked Vanthee to meet him in the library that evening to strategize. She was sitting on the steps outside when he and Selene approached. Vanthee looked surprised to see Selene was accompanying him and cautiously peered behind her .

“What are you doing here?” Vanthee asked Selene. “Is Zetta with you?”

“No, I left her in the kennels,” Selene replied. When Vanthee continued to eye her warily, she added, “I’m not here to interfere with your planning. Sam just asked me to help with some research.”

“Oh.” Vanthee’s expression was unreadable. She began twisting her fingers together as though nervous. “Well, since you’re here… I-I wanted to say thank you. For the nice things you said about me to Prince Samael.”

Selene’s evident surprise made her pause then say, “You’re welcome.”

“Also… ” Vanthee paused to swallow. “I didn’t get a chance to say thank you that day in Spirit Veil Valley. For helping Ruth cross over.”

“Of course. I’m glad we succeeded.”

Sam placed a hand at the nape of Selene’s neck, pride warming his chest. “My mate has many skills, too.”

Selene beamed up at him then pulled open the library doors. “Shall we go inside?”

Sam had been in a rush when Selene first showed him The Sovereign’s Reckoning, but now he had time to appreciate the work she had done on the library’s restoration.

The floor had been swept clean, revealing intricate sigils carved into the black marble below their feet.

Though some tables were still buried under books and several pendant lights remained broken, much of the shelving was now neat and orderly.

It wasn’t finished, but it was easy to imagine how beautiful the space would be at its best. The thought of leaving for Aurelia before Selene completed the project made Sam a little sad, but he was certain his parents would be impressed by her efforts.

Selene pulled out two chairs and dusted them off. “Have a seat. I’ll find a cloth to wipe down this table.”

Sam sat across from Vanthee. Without preamble, he said, “I have a suspicion that the next trial has something to do with a maze. Do you know of any structure like that in this realm? ”

“A maze?” Vanthee drummed her fingers on the table thoughtfully. “Only one comes to mind—the Maze of Endless Paths. But no one has been in it for centuries.”

“Maybe they’re reviving it. What is it?”

“Long ago they didn’t have Guides to sort souls as they arrived. They used to send them through a maze to determine where they would end up.”

Sam considered this. There was so much of the Underworld’s history that remained unknown to him. “Was the path difficult?”

“I’m not sure.”

“How large is the maze?”

“Huge, I’d assume, since hundreds of thousands of people die every day.” Vanthee turned her head and called, “Hey human—er, Selene. Have you found any books on the Maze of Endless Paths?”

Selene approached with a dust cloth in her hand. “That doesn’t sound familiar. Would it be something that’s fairly new or very old?”

“Ancient,” Vanthee said.

“All the really old and delicate stuff I’ve found is over there.” Selene pointed to a table stacked with the books she’d used while searching for clues on the Dark Sovereign. “Hang on—I think I might have seen a book of maps somewhere.”

Selene began sorting through the pile as Sam and Vanthee continued to talk.

“They will probably send us into the maze one at a time,” Vanthee said. “Perhaps if we run into each other we can work through it together.”

“Aha!” Selene cried, holding up an old atlas. She brought it over, and the three of them leaned in.

She carefully turned each page until Vanthee stopped her, recognizing the castle grounds.

Though the map was centuries old, the River of Hatred and the cliffs leading to Spirit Veil Valley were still clearly marked.

In the corner of the map, was a mess of geometric lines and jagged angles, creating a web of interconnected pathways.

Only a portion of the drawing was visible, hinting that the rest extended beyond the page.

“This looks like a maze, right?” Selene said.

“Yes. What’s on the next pages?” Sam asked.

Selene flipped through the rest of the book, but it only contained interior diagrams of the palace. She returned to the map and Sam peered closer. “There’s something written here.”

Although it was barely visible, scrawled in looping calligraphic script were the words:

To navigate the Endless Path, heed the trail of the ever-turning sun.

“The sun? I’ve never seen it, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t turn.” Vanthee scoffed.

“It must be a riddle.” Sam frowned, rolling the words over in his mind. “I hate riddles.”

“No, wait—I think I know what it means,” Selene said suddenly, excitement lighting her face. “I remember this from science class. The sun does turn. Counterclockwise.” She lifted her hands, shaping them into a sphere and rotating them in a slow, deliberate motion.

“Really?” Vanthee asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes. It rotates just like the planets,” Selene said. “I wonder if this means… Have you ever heard of the right-hand rule for solving a maze? My siblings and I used it when we went through corn mazes at Halloween.”

Vanthee smirked. “Do humans only eat corn with their right hand or something?”

Selene gave her an exasperated look. “No, it’s a strategy. When you enter a maze, you place your right hand on the wall and never lift it. As long as you keep following that rule—always choosing the path that keeps your hand on the wall—you’ll eventually find the way out.”

She tapped the inscription again. “But this,” she murmured, a thoughtful look crossing her face, “this is telling us to follow the path of the sun. And if the sun turns counterclockwise, that means?— ”

“To the left,” Sam finished, realization dawning.

Selene nodded. “Exactly.”

“It can’t be that easy,” Vanthee said. “Solve a maze just by keeping to the left?”

“I don’t think it will be easy, but at least it’s a starting point,” Selene replied.

“True.” Vanthee turned to Sam. “So, how are we going to help each other?”

Sam shrugged. “I’ll be sure to lose. They usually announce each winner, so I’ll stay inside the maze until I hear that you’re through.”

“But what if another demon comes out before me?” Vanthee asked, then paled. “What if Drath makes it out first?”

Sam stroked his chin thoughtfully. “It won’t matter at that point. The king’s champion is to be selected from among the trial winners. Just focus on making sure you are one of them, and I’ll handle the rest.”

“Are you sure?” Vanthee asked.

“What my parents fear most is that the realm will be without a ruler,” Sam said. “I’ll simply convince them that you are the best choice—and the solution to their problem. They know I don’t want the role, and my recommendation carries weight.”

Vanthee nodded and bent her head to study the map more closely. Above her, Selene met his eyes with a knowing look. They both understood that even if Sam couldn’t convince his parents with words, The Sovereign’s Reckoning would serve as undeniable proof of Vanthee’s destiny.