"Told you it wouldn't be ordinary," Zane pulled me down a new path. "Wadsworth loves his games."
For the next hour, we navigated the ever-changing labyrinth, facing increasingly bizarre obstacles. One path turned to quicksand beneath our feet. Another released a cloud of butterflies that, upon closer inspection, had tiny human faces expressing profound disappointment. We occasionally heard Milo's excited shouts or Fenric's outraged citations of Bureau regulations from other parts of the maze. (I won't lie, Fenric's yelling made me laugh.)
"This is ridiculous," I panted after we escaped a section where the hedges had grown mouths and started singing opera badly. "We're never going to find the center at this rate."
"Don't give up, Shortstack," Zane squeezed my hand, which I suddenly realized he hadn't let go of since we started running. "I think we're getting closer."
Just then, we heard Rook's unmistakable growl followed by Milo's yelp. We rounded a corner to find them facing what appeared to be three copies of Wadsworth, each goose identical down to the cosmic eyes.
"Which one is real?" Milo was asking, looking between the geese in confusion.
"None of them," Rook snarled, his eyes flashing amber. "It's an illusion."
One of the Wadsworths honked indignantly. "Illusion? I prefer the term 'self-replication through quantum uncertainty.'"
"Whatever it is, we don't have time for this," I stepped forward. "Wadsworth, what do you want from us? Really?"
The three geese regarded me with identical tilts of their heads. Then, in unison, they spoke: "What every immortal being wants. Something new."
Before I could respond, the ground trembled again. The maze reconfigured itself, separating us from Rook and Milo. Zane and I found ourselves on a new path that spiraled inward.
"I think we're getting close to the center," Zane pointed ahead where the hedges seemed to thin.
We hurried forward, only to be stopped by a sudden tremor that split the ground between us. I stumbled, my bad knee giving way, and fell hard on the gravel path.
"Winter!" Zane shouted as the gap widened.
I tried to stand, but pain shot through my knee. "I'm okay," I called, though I clearly wasn't. "Just my knee."
The ground continued to shake, and I watched in horror as the path behind Zane collapsed, cutting off our retreat. At the same time, the hedge beside me began to transform, its branches twisting into the shape of Wadsworth.
"Time is running out, Chalice-Bearer," the goose-shaped hedge intoned. "The sun is setting."
I looked up to see the sky indeed darkening. We were going to fail this stupid trial because of a petty cosmic goose and my bad knee.
Zane assessed the widening gap between us, his face set with determination. He backed up a few steps, then took a running leap across the chasm. He landed on my side with athletic grace, immediately kneeling beside me.
"Can you walk?" His voice was tight with concern as his hands gently examined my knee.
"I think so," I winced as he helped me stand. "Just give me a second."
His arm slipped around my waist, supporting my weight. "Lean on me."
I did, acutely aware of how close he was, how his mismatched eyes scanned my face with an intensity that had nothing to do with the maze challenge. His hand at my waist was warm, steady, and I found myself leaning into him more than my injury strictly required.
"Thanks," I found myself suddenly breathless for reasons unrelated to our running.
"Don't mention it, Shortstack," his voice had dropped to a lower register that sent a flutter through my stomach.
For a moment, we just stood there, the chaos of the maze fading into the background. Then Wadsworth's voice broke the spell.
"Touching," the hedge-goose mocked. "But time waits for no one, not even star-crossed protectors and their prophesied charges."
The ground rumbled again, and new hedges sprouted around us, forming a circular chamber. In the center stood the real Wadsworth, preening his feathers on a marble pedestal.
"Ah, you've found me," the goose observed. "But not the center of the maze. Not quite."
"We've been running through your stupid maze for hours," I glared at him, still leaning on Zane. "What more do you want?"
