Page 35 of Of Monsters and Mazes

Hearing her in person was nothing like she had sounded through the projection, and the natural frequency of her vocal chords built a warmth in my chest. I wanted her to keep talking. What would my name sound like through those lips?

Stop thinking about that.

“Yes, because it’s your anger I’m worried about.” Theron brought me back to reality with his annoyingly deep and playful tone. I latched onto it to keep focus.

“I just watched you melt the skin off a giant monster with a hundred hands simply by touching it. What do you ever have to be worried about?” Damn it. Hearing her talk about melting skin was like a siren song. Her words fluttered and constricted around my heart with beautiful temptation.

Again, that was undoubtedly the blood talking.

Theron clipped his laugh, like he was trying not to be openly amused, but they still sounded so friendly and casual. Her growing fondness for him was translating through my blood link, and I didn’t appreciate the way it was hitting me. But worse was the way he encouraged such ease and comfort. Was that part of an act? I’d never known the Dream Weaver to be a good liar.

“You know what they say: Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. The longer I’m stuck with you, the more I believe it.” He dismissed her obvious and unearned compliment with another obvious compliment. I couldn’t say if hers was earned or not, but that soothing sound of her laughter made me think it might be.

Again I shook off that notion, and again, I hoped my fluids passed quickly through her system. Whatever the case, this conversation was inappropriately pleasant when he was supposed to be demoralizing the tribute.

The two of them weren’t far from me now, and yet I wished I could keep listening in. I felt like I needed to understand this odd relationship better before I made a move. Their conversation was nothing like anything I had with Master.

Though if I didn’t act soon, the king would likely punish me, and that wasn’t any more helpful.

On soundless steps, I backed away and slipped behind a wall of the Labyrinth that would lead them in entirely the wrong direction, figuring that would buy myself a bit more time to observe. Maybe this was a test, really. If Theron was doing his job, he should lead her this way. If he wasn’t, my hiding spot would be adequate.

They walked by, perfectly en route to the Green Sector. Theron didn’t even bat an eye at going the wrong way.

That’s what I thought.

I slipped out of my cover and stood behind them as they walked down the corridor. I’d ordinarily expect the Dream Weaver to sense my presence, but he was quite obviously distracted.

I lifted my chin and drew a slow, deep breath into my lungs through my nostrils. Then I charged forward with everything I had.

Chapter 17

I yanked my hand from Butterfly’s, and shoved her into the ice wall with a hard thud. She gasped as the wind was knocked from her lungs, but I didn’t have time to worry about her mild discomfort. In one swift motion, I narrowly ducked Rai’s charge, swung for his horns, then got a hold of the Minotaur and slammed him into the cold, frozen ground. I pinned him with a knee on his back, and a tight grip on the nape of his neck.

Rai didn’t stall for a single moment. He shoved off the ground with a burst of power, likely aided by the magic of his living maze, and he threw me into the wall beside Butterfly. I didn’t have time to react before he shoved his horns right through my stomach, so hard and forceful the points penetrated the cold stone surface behind me.

He secured his position in my gut, then slowly dragged my body up the wall, carving grooves into the rock surface, and leaving a red trail in my wake. The pain was enough to make me wretch, and I struggled to keep the contents of my stomach from filling my throat. I fisted his dark hair in an effort to prevent being thrown again, only to be slammed back into the ground with a hard crack.

Rai tore his horns from my flesh, spattering my blood on all three of us. I covered the gaping holes with my palms, front and back, to slow the blood loss. Channeling my natural heat, I seared the holes shut, and I held still for several seconds as I waited for my organs to patch themselves inside my gut. He’d managed to puncture my liver, my pancreas, and my stomach in one violent, sweeping thrust, and immortal or not, that was an excruciating hit to take. I drew a slow breath through my nose, held it until I was mostly healed, then I released the air in my lungs as I stood up straight. I narrowed my gaze at Jericho’s perfect little pet.

“You’re going the wrong way.” The Minotaur spoke in an accusing tone as he stared me down with fiery red eyes. They glowed like fresh lava cutting through blackened rock, nearly hidden by the thick ebony hair that draped around his face.

My blood dripped down his drenched horns, pooling in his dark strands, and sliding down until it trickled onto his bare shoulders. The wet, scarlet streaks followed the tattoos that painted his triceps in a slow dribble.

While the pain was still subsiding, I found myself thinking how grateful I was that it was my life force painting his horns instead of Butterfly’s.

Ridiculous.

With one more calming breath, I addressed Jericho’s toy.

“No, I’m quite certain the Green Sector is this way.” I cracked my neck then cracked my knuckles, before I tipped my head towards the corridor behind us. “I would think you would know your way through the Labyrinth by now, Rai.” It was a bit early for Jericho to be unleashing his dog. That couldn’t be a good thing.

“And I thought you would know how to follow orders by now.” He practically hissed. His frustration was adorable. “Your job is to delay her until she runs out the Twilight Clock. Not get her swiftly and safely to the castle.”

Butterfly stared at me with her lips agape, and that burned a sense of dread through my whole damn soul.

“Wait, is that true?” She looked between us, much too focused on baseless accusations than the fact that we were facing down Jericho’s number one bitch. Butterfly looked up at the clock that was now at the fifty-five hour mark, then back at me. “Have you been…”

“I think Jericho’s boots are getting dry. Don’t you need to get back to licking them?” I intentionally interrupted her train of thought, while refusing to answer any questions in front of the dog. I didn’t need Rai telling her anything else she didn’t need to know.