There were all different kinds of human and demon bones while others could only be the smaller, delicate bones of animals. Despite the death piled before us, it didn’t reek of rot as there was no flesh left on the bones. They’d been picked cleaner than my father picked a chicken wing at the annual Volunteer Day picnic.
The minotaur didn’t swallow its victim. No, it skinned them, feasted on their organs, and picked their bones clean before tossing them into this horrible graveyard.
At the very top of the pile, a single skull faced us, and I couldn’t help thinking it was watching us and reporting our location to the minotaur.
* * *
Hawk
The fire licking at my heels caused sweat to roll down my back. The heat of the flames and the thick smoke made moving difficult. Some of the humans were starting to lag, and the pile of remains hadn’t boosted their energy.
Aisling turned a corner around the pile and briefly vanished when a billowing cloud of smoke rolled between us. I ran to catch up and nearly collided with her as she stopped on the other side of the bones. The hedge ahead of us was free of fire, and the air through here remained cleaner, but that wouldn’t last.
When Aisling took my hand, hers trembled slightly before she steadied it. “There are more bushes up ahead!” she shouted over the crackling fire.
From behind us, someone let out a startled cry, and a woman collapsed. She kept her head bowed before stretching her hand out to the demons in front of her. For a second, they didn’t react; then one of them turned back and lifted her off the ground.
The demon hefted her over his shoulder and started after the others as we followed Aisling back into the maze. She burned her way through another section of bushes and kept going until we were almost directly beneath the strange light illuminating the labyrinth.
Then, Aisling broke free of the hedges and stumbled back as her hand flew to her mouth and she gazed at the ceiling.
* * *
Bale
Claws raked across my back and bit into my flesh as the minotaur lifted me off the ground. I almost lost my sword, but my fingers clamped around the handle as the beast plucked me off the ground. When it swung its horn at me, I deflected it with my blade and threw myself forward.
I couldn’t withhold a scream as its claws shredded my flesh, and hot blood spilled down my back as I tore free of it. The minotaur tried to catch me before I hit the ground, but I twisted to the side as I fell. When I hit the ground, air burst out of my lungs and stars popped before my eyes. Unable to see, I rolled toward the heat licking at my back.
The flames enveloping me burnt away the blood on my back as my skin stretched to cover my gashes. I came to a halt within the fire and lay with my arms spread out beside me while I stared into the inferno and took strength from the fire.
I would have liked more time to recuperate, but the vibrations against my back told me I had to go. Rolling over, I pushed myself to my feet and sprinted through the flames. I had no idea where the minotaur was, but I had to return to the others.
Bursting out of the flames, I gasped in the fresh air enveloping me as I ran down an open corridor. To my left, the minotaur trampled bushes as it ran in a row parallel to mine.
Ahead of me, a wall of fire consumed the hedges, and I charged back into the flames. The earth shook so forcefully I knew the minotaur was close, but I had no idea where it was anymore.
Faster!
I pushed my body to the brink of endurance as I sprinted into another fire-free corridor. Smoke clogged the air while I ran heedlessly forward and into another wall of fire. This one must have been set more recently as some of the hedges remained standing. I threw out my hands and shoved aside the branches slapping at me.
To my left, I spotted more bushes crumbling beneath the weight of the minotaur; we were on a collision course with each other, but it didn’t know that. As the distance between us narrowed, I reduced my speed, so I didn’t come out ahead of it.
When it barreled past me, I jumped out of the hedges and swung my sword down. The blade sliced across the back of its knee; the creature howled as its leg gave out. My blood dripped from its claws when it swung a hand at me. The wind whistled past my ear as one of its talons sliced it off. It took a few seconds for my body to register the missing part and then a searing pain lanced through my head.
Tit for tat.I smiled grimly, over taking a piece of its ear and losing all of mine to it, but if I made it out of this, my ear would regenerate.
Blood spilled down the side of my face as I darted back into the flaming hedges. A blast of air followed me, and when I looked back, I saw the minotaur’s gigantic hand crushing what remained of the bushes I’d run into.
Turning to my right, I stayed parallel with the beast as it rose and started shoving bushes out of its way again. When it traveled another twenty feet, I dashed out of the flames and brought my sword down across the back of its other leg and ran for the fire.
I was almost in the fire when its hand connected with the side of my head and sent me reeling into the flames. Scrambling to my feet, I pushed myself off the ground as my head spun and stars danced before my eyes. I only made it thirty feet before I fell to my knees and bent my head against the dizziness assailing my body.
I had to get up, but I was pretty sure the minotaur had rattled my brain. Inhaling deep breaths, I lifted my head to stare into the inferno while the fire renewed my strength. Feeling like I could stand without falling over, I planted the tip of my sword in the ground and pushed myself to my feet. I steadied myself before running to catch up with the minotaur.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Aisling
