Page 14 of Quarter Labyrinth

The King of the Labyrinth,once a young boy who went by the name Dimitri, was anything but kingly in his youth. But as fate would have it, he fell into two things.

One, in love, with a maiden by the name Alicent. She had silky pale hair like threads of gold and bronze skin like the hide of a lion.She moved like sunlight through the leaves, and Dimitri adored her from the shadows.But she was a princess, high and untouchable, and he, no more than a keeper of roses and thorns.

Two, he fell into a bit of magic.

It sat in the hedges of the garden, ancient and waiting for someone to find it. When Dimitri discovered the power, he thought to make something of himself.

Thus, he bled himself into the magic, and the labyrinth was born.

He set up a game for the islands to play at, offering a wish for whoever reached the center first. The game impressed the king, and caught the eye of the king’s daughter. Never before had such power been witnessed. But that is what happens when one bleeds into magic. It bleeds into you.

The man who reached the center first was a knight by the name of Dawson.

Dawson earned his wish. With it, he asked one thing.

Bind Dimitri to his labyrinth so he may never leave.

And what princess wants a man who is trapped in a labyrinth? Alicent did not, and Dawson went on to wed her. Dimitri sank into the darkness of his labyrinth, closing the doors to all others.For ages, he wandered it alone,until the magic sat idle for too long. It longed to be used again. Ripe for the taking, a second person bled themselves onto the walls of the maze—the descendant of Dawson and Alicent. Thus, they were able to control the labyrinth once every four years, and used it to hose the competition once more. Their line has always been able to host these games, no matter how unwilling Dimitri was.And Dimitri allowed it, if only for his chance to get revenge on the decedents of Dawson and Alicent…now the descendants of Callahan.

This year, for the first time in a long while, a descendant will enter.

EIGHT

Thin fog tumbled against the sharp edges of the island. Cliffs rose as far as we could see to each side, only relenting to fall into a fjord. The message was clear. If we entered, it would be through this point.

We drifted closer to the fjord, the sea pulling us in like puppets on a string. Clark dropped the oars. He sent me a skirting, withered look. I swallowed hard and fixed my eyes ahead.

Beyond the fjord and a strip of forest, the shape of the labyrinth came into view. Suddenly, all my worries subsided like an anchor sinking fast, replaced withnothing but wonder.

It was one thing to hear about the Quarter Labyrinth. But toseeit was to realize why so many risked everything to chase after it.

Towering pine trees, laden with emerald needles. Hedges as tall as ships. Thick, black mist rumbling like rolls of thunder within. The ruins of castles stood sentential in various locations, black stone against a sea of green. Ropes strung from branches. And a few narrow stone walkways spread along points in the labyrinth. A shortcut, for those willing to risk death.

Unease coiled within me. Would I be willing to risk it? How badly did I want the ships I’d grown up believing were mine?

I could sail away now and forget about it all.

But as the skill pulled closer, anticipation lit like a match beneath my skin. I would risk it, I knew. I’d risk it all.

The labyrinth spanned miles in each direction, overtaking the island. All we could see besides it was the small stretch of forest between the sea and the maze, where smoke rose from hundreds of small fires. Competitors who hadn’t gotten in yet.

Seaweeds, like me, who couldn’t pay for a key.

Tension clouded the air as we neared. Every person here wanted the same thing—and only one of us could get it. The sole thing keeping peace was the Lord of the Isle’s officers dressed in brown and gold, pacing back and forth with hands upon their cutlasses and narrowed eyes as if just begging one of us to give them a reason to draw their blades.

As we drew close, a few approached to guide us in.

“Remember, not a word about who I am,” I whispered.

Clark was gathering our remaining papayas. Everyone else surely came with several weapons and more substantial food, and we hadpapayas. “It might give you an edge if they know you have a powerful father.”

“The only edge it’d give me is the one attached to a blade. If the competitors know the Shallows were once my birthright, they’ll slit my throat while I sleep.”

I hauled our rope in hand, and tossed it to the guards. They caught it. Strong arms pulled us in the rest of the distance until our hull scraped against the rocky shore.

One of the officers took in our skiff. “That’s all you brought?”

“We plan to win quickly.” I flashed him a grin, and his face reddened. I threw my legs over the side of the skiff and let my feet land in the cool water. This was it. We’d made it. From the splash, Clark followed, giving thanks to the officers as he did.

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