If it hadn’t been for the last forty days, I wasn’t sure I would have continued onward; wasn’t sure I would have trusted that I had it in me to get out of this labyrinth alive. But Xalbia had shown me what I was capable of. I’d powered through soul-draining ordeals before all while dealing with a haunting thirst and desperate need for rest. I could do it now.
So even though my ankles and feet were swelling, I forged on. Even though my vision was a little blurry and I was feeling dizzy, I kept going. Even though my headache was getting worse and my muscles were beginning to cramp, I didn’t stop. Even though the cavern seemed to go on and on and on with no end in sight, I kept moving.
I rubbed the heel of my hand against my aching temple, smearing the trickles of sweat that tickled my face. Honestly, I was surprised there was any fluid left in my body to sweat.
Something small scurried across the width of the passage. A mouse, maybe? I was so tired I didn’t flinch at the sudden movement. Hell, my heartrate didn’t even go up. I was going to sleepso hardwhen I got back to the tack room.
A light breeze floated through the passage. Closing my eyes, I lifted my face to the breeze even though it wasn’t cool. I’d take whatever I could get.
Again it blew over me, rattling a dry brush to my left. I glanced that way … and stumbled to a halt, my insides seizing. Someone was sprawled on their front on the ground, unmoving. A woman. And though I could only see her profile, I knew instantly that it was Seneca.
Had she fainted? Possibly. I felt on the verge of fainting myself.
I staggered toward her and crouched at her side. I gently shook her shoulder. Nothing. Unease clawing at my chest, I felt her pulse.
There was no beat.
Snatching my hand back with a gasp, I almost toppled backwards. Ah, gods. I couldn’t claim to feel any grief—I’d never liked her. But I found no pleasure at all in seeing her dead.
Feeling my breathing speed up, I made an effort to calm it as I briefly looked her over. She had numerous injuries, but none appeared to be fatal. I suspected maybe her body—too weak, wounded, and fatigued—had simply and sadly hit its limit and hadn’t been able to go on.
I swallowed hard. It occurred to me that Atticus would surely stumble upon her if he got this far through the labyrinth. Despite everything, a part of me actually pitied him for that.
I gave her upper arm a little squeeze and then pushed myself upright. It didn’t feel right to leave her here, but I could barely support my own weight. There was no way I could carry her as well.
Staring down at what had become of her, I felt self-doubt begin to creep in. I’d experienced many emotions throughout these caverns—anger, fear, dread, panic, annoyance, the list went on. But until now, I hadn’t at any moment truly doubted that I would make it through the labyrinth alive—providing, of course, I didn’t come into contact with the beast that roamed here. If there even was one.
The edges of my willpower fraying, I scrubbed a hand down my face. Honestly, I wasn’t sure that I could keep going much longer. I didn’t know if this circuit was truly lengthier than the others or if it simply felt that way because of how little energy I had left, but I felt like I’d fall apart any second.
You’ve gotten this far. It would be stupid to stop now.
I exhaled a shaky breath as I pulled myself together. Maybe I wouldn’t last. Maybe my body would fail me as Seneca’s had failed hers. But I wasn’t going to stand here and wait for it to happen. That wasn’t me.
With one last look at her, I shuffled onward, my pace sluggish, my stride short. I encountered one problem after another—a swarm of wasps, a too-bold tarantula, a small and shallow dry trench, and even more mini dust devils. I ignored the wasp sting, kicked away the spider, managed to leap over the trench—fuck, that had hurt—and neatly avoided the dust devils.
Finally, I reached a crevice that was very alike those that I’d seen in other circuits. It was always the final challenge. Like the others, it was too wide to jump.
Creeping toward the edge, I looked down. The ditch was deep. Dark. Very dark, in fact. And the floor appeared to be moving. No, rippling.
Squinting, I leaned over a little further … and realization hit me. My stomach bottomed out as my heart weakly stuttered. The floor itself wasn’t moving. No, it was filled with writhing creatures.
It was a pit of snakes.
No. Fucking. Way.
My breathing went to shit fast. I shook my head hard, my knees locking. There was a way to cross the crevice, of course. Stepping stones. I’d have to use a set of floating stepping stones.
My stomach sank. I’d used such things before, granted. And I’d done well. I hadn’t fallen. But I also hadn’t been close to passing out back then.
Right now, I was running on empty. More, my feet werebeyondbusted. They were blistered, swollen, injured, and not whatsoever steady. I also had zero faith in my balance—
Boots thudding along the ground.
I stilled at the sounds coming from somewhere far behind me. Someone was running like their life depended on it.
There was a snarl. A panicked cry. More running. A loud roar.
Then a male scream of terror filled the air.
