Page 77 of Mostly Shattered

Costin doesn’t answer. His expression is unreadable.

My stomach drops, and for a moment, all I can do is stand there, my mind racing. Yes, I wanted him to come to me in moments of weakness, but the troll’s instructions were clear. He was supposed to stay out.

“How long have you been following me?” I demand.

Costin steps closer, his face calm, but there’s a tension in his eyes. “Long enough.”

What kind of answer is that?

“Long enough for what?” My mind spins, trying to understand why he’s here, why he didn’t say anything before now, why he’s been watching from the shadows.

“Hey, maybe we can have this lovers’ spat later,” Anthony tries to reason. “I don’t know about you two, but I do not want to be trapped in here for an eternity.”

“You can’t be here, Costin,” I insist.

My brother threads his arm through mine. I let Anthony lead me down the tunnel. I can’t help but feel safer now that I’m not alone. But I’m notsupposed to feel safe. I’m supposed to be tested to prove myself so the troll will fix the amulet and stop the great evil from rising.

“No, I just…” I stop to face Costin, who is walking behind us. “You’re not supposed to be here. I’m no expert, but I’m pretty sure the test of courage doesn’t come with babysitters. This is all wrong.”

“I told you to wait for me. I couldn’t let you walk into this place alone.” Costin says, his voice steady, but there’s an edge to it. “The labyrinth is dangerous. You don’t know what it’s capable of. You’re not trained to be here. You’re?—”

“I didn’t have a choice but to come in here,” I defend. “Make up your mind. Am I the one chosen by fate, or do I need saving?”

“Hey, buddy, you going to drink that?” Anthony asks.

I frown at the interruption but realize Costin is holding a water bottle. He hands it to me.

“The troll was clear. He said that this is my test. My trials.” I gesture around in frustration. “You’ve ruined everything. Now, I’ve gone through all of this for nothing. I killed…”

I can’t say Conrad’s name.

“No, Tamara, Conrad died in the fire. What happened in that trial is not your fault. Like you said, this place likes to play tricks,” Anthony interjects, trying to sound reasonable and calm. “If he isreally a ghost, one of us would have seen him by now.”

I look guiltily away.

“She has seen him,” Costin answers, his eyes steadily on mine like the challenge. “Haven’t you, Tamara?”

“You know?” I ask in shock. “But you didn’t say anything.”

“Neither did you,” Costin counters.

I’m not supposed to tell anyone about Conrad because he threatened to hurt Paul and Diana if I did. I suppose it doesn’t matter now if Conrad has been taken by the labyrinth. But nothing here is what it seems, and how can I know for sure that it’s safe to talk about it?

“Tamara?” my brother insists when I don’t answer.

I flinch, the word hitting harder than it should.

I can’t make myself say the words. How do I explain everything that happened before? How do I tell Anthony that our brother is a lying murderer? Why not let him at least have a decent memory of what Conrad was?

“I wasn’t going to let you face this alone.” Costin’s eyes burn with intensity. “I didn’t trust it. I’m protecting you.”

Anthony gives a little cough. “Tam-tam, are you going to drink that?”

I hand him the water bottle.

My brain focuses on that one word. Trust.

Costin reaches out like he wants to touch me. I take a step back. My thoughts are spiraling. He doesn’t trust the labyrinth? No one should trust the labyrinth. But I read something deeper in his meaning, something he’s trying not to say. It’s not the labyrinth he doesn’t trust. It’s me.

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