Page 70 of The Amber Sunburst

“Fine.”

“Great. Alexander, starting again with you. Left, three. Right, two…”

They get into the groove again and two rounds of the alphabet go by without issues other than Kleitos tripping over several rocks.

Then Lazarus begins a new strategy. “Alexander, you and Kleitos are about to bump into each other. I want you to turn right and Kleitos, you turn left, but don’t walk forward. Stand back to back. From now on, all instructions for Alexander apply to Kleitos too.” Lazarus hesitates, then says, “Kleitos, hold Alexander’s hand.”

The response is instant. “Are you kidding me?”

“Aww,” Alexander coos, “are you too nervous to hold my hand?”

“Do it, Kleitos,” Lazarus says, exasperated and angry at the same time.

“Forms, fine,” Kleitos yells.

Zeno hears a frustrated sigh before Alexander says, laughing, “You know, Kleitos, I really am flattered. I had no idea you felt this way for me.”

“Screw you,” Kleitos barks back.

“I mean, the clamminess of your hands is just so attractive. If my wrists weren’t tied up I’d ravish you this very moment.”

Zeno laughs along with everyone else while Kleitos rambles incoherent insults and curses. Only Alexander could make them all smile on the most stressful day of their lives.

Then a voice comes over the comms and sets everything back into high gear.

“Auxiliaries, you have fifteen minutes left.”

Oh, Forms.

“No one panic,” Lazarus’ panicked voice announces. “Most of you are very close to an exit.”

As more and more people find pairs or leave the cave, it becomes clear that ‘most of you’ is not ‘all of you’, and Zeno is starting to think that he is the exception.

The minutes pass quickly.

“Congratulations, fifteen members of your team have successfully exited the cave. They are welcome to re-enter to help others if they so choose.”

Lazarus says, “Eudoxos and company, just walk straight until you feel a handle. That’s the exit.”

“I feel it,” Eudoxia responds apprehensively. “I’m going to open it.”

“Congratulations, eighteen members of your team have successfully exited the cave. They are welcome to re-enter to help others if they so choose.”

“Eighteen?” Zeno says without thinking. “So I’m the only one left?”

His frantic voice can’t be helping Lazarus’ nerves, but everyone else is gone and he hasn’t been paired with someone and there’s not a lot of time left on the clock! What if Lazarus thinks he wants to be the Educator and has guided him in circles to keep him from leaving?

Zeno should have told him—all he wants is to be like his dad. He doesn’t need to be the Educator, he just wants to be on the Council. Maybe if Lazarus knew that⁠—

Lazarus’ voice breaks through. “Don’t worry, Zeno. You have time and you don’t have far to go.”

Zeno’s fear subsides at the honesty in Lazarus’ voice. Of course Lazarus isn’t setting him up to fail. He might be scarily motivated to succeed in the Trials, but he’s too honorable to be underhanded.

“Just walk forward and I’m going to guide you in real time.”

“Okay.”

“Left, now,” Lazarus says as Zeno fast-walks through the caves. “Right. Sharp left. And, stop.”