Page 46 of Hallowed Games

I glanced back at the hourglass piece. As I pushed it into place again and held it there, the door groaned open once more, revealing a set of stony stairs leading up, washed in twilight hues of violet and peach. Oak leaves littered the stairs. The labyrinth had no oaks…

Freedom lay out there.

I breathed out slowly. There it was—the world outside the labyrinth.

But as I held the key in place, another sort of trap was triggered. While I kept my finger pressed down on the key, water bubbled up from cracks in the floor beneath me. The cracks grew wider, the water rushing fast through the stones. But it didn’t seem immediately threatening because it streamed out the open door onto the forest’s floor.

My heart fluttered like a hummingbird’s wings. “Percival!” My voice echoed off the stone walls. “Tell everyone to come down here. We found the way out.”

With my weight on my good leg, I kept my finger depressed on the key, shoving it into place. A cool breeze rushed into the dungeon through the door.

Hope burned in my thoughts even as freezing water poured into the dungeon. Up above, Sazia was sliding down the vine. When she got to the bottom of the rope, she jumped, splashing in the water that welled up around me.

She turned to look at me for just a moment, joy lighting in her eyes. “Is this really it?” Her delighted laughter echoed off the walls. “We made it, Elowen.”

“Go!” I shouted.

She crossed outside, and I heard her shout, “We’re alive!”

After her, Hugo shuffled down the vine, landing with a splash in the rising water. “Brilliantly done, Elowen.”

He looked up, clasping his hands together as he waited for Godric.

Once the two of them were standing in the rising water, they gripped each other’s hands. They rushed outside, and I caught a glimpse of them ascending the stairs.

In the back of my mind, a dark thought sang like a dirge. Of course, someone would have to stay behind to keep the door open…

And I wasn’t about to ask anyone else to sacrifice their life. What kind of person would I be if I did that?

Percival hurried down fast, a grin lighting up his face. Above, the sound of wolves keened through the darkening night air. As the water rose past my hips, a shiver ran over me. Percival dropped down into the water, and he turned to me. He held out his hand. “Let’s go.”

I swallowed hard. “You first. I’m right behind you.”

He frowned. “Why aren’t you moving? Do you want me to carry you?”

“I need to keep my finger on this piece, or the door just closes again.”

“Elowen, I’m not leaving you here.”

“Then get up the stairs and try to find a big rock or something to keep the door wedged open. It’ll give me enough time to crawl over. Can you try it?”

He scrubbed a hand over his jaw, then nodded. He crossed to the stairs, and the frigid water bubbled up around my hips. My throat burned, and I wanted to lean down and drink from it. But Father always said the wrong waters could carry the plague. He said that was how my mother died.

My teeth chattered, and a cool breeze rushed into the dungeon from the stairwell. Maybe that tattooed arsehole had done us a favor by kicking me in here.

It was another minute before Percival returned, grimacing and carrying a broken log. It was the circumference of a large pumpkin. With a loud exhalation, he dropped it between the door and the frame, wedging the door open. For a moment, I wondered if it could be used to press the puzzle piece in place, but it didn’t look tall enough.

“There were no big rocks,” he said. “But this should work.”

I let out a long, slow breath, and I took my finger off the key piece. The moment I did, a banging noise filled the dungeon. The wheel on the door shuddered as heavy oak tried to close itself against the log.

With the wood blocking the water’s path, the dungeon was starting to fill quickly. I forced myself onto my knees, and the water rose around my ribs.

Percival peered through the door. “Elowen, let me help.” He started to reach inside, offering his hand. But as he did, a great crunch rang out. The door splintered the log into tiny pieces. Percival groaned, trying to force the door to stay open with his arm, but the mechanism of the door was far too strong. He grunted my name, and the door slammed shut with a loud bang, locking him out.

The moment the door clicked shut, it was as though a river burst from the dungeon floor. From the other side, I heard Percival banging and shouting my name, but the icy water rushed in around me, muffling the sound. Panic spun through my mind as I realized I was now trapped in here and unable to fight the rising tide. The cold water lifted me off the floor.

I paddled my arms, trying to keep myself afloat, trying to kick my good leg to stay above the surface. I could hardly swim to begin with, and the weight of the heavy wool cloak was weighing me down. I lowered one arm at a time, letting the thing fall off my shoulders. It drifted to the bottom of the dungeon. I looked up, hoping to see the opening appearing before me, but the water had carried me into a corner. The force of the water slammed me into the ceiling and rushed over me. Frantic now, I kicked my legs, ignoring the surge of pain. At last, my hands brushed against the vine that dangled into the opening to the labyrinth.

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