Page 58 of Quarter Labyrinth

Further and further we inched. I still couldn’t see the end of the parapet, but it continued east, so at least I knew we moved in the right direction. If we survived this, we’d be much closer to the end.

I’d need to decide whether to continue, or backtrack to find Clark.

I pushed that problem aside. Survive this first.

Another step.

“Why do you want to win the labyrinth?” Leif asked.

“We should focus.” I took another step. I ventured a touch too far, and the next row of arrows passed mere inches from my face. I corrected course with my next steps.

“Talking helps me focus. Do you see yourself as the next captain of the Silver Wings?”

I didn’t care for his mocking tone.

“Yes, as a matter of fact. I do.”

He chuckled as we took our next steps. “Not a chance. No Seaweed knows what it means to lead a business on such a grand scale. You’ll be overwhelmed in a week, your second hand will have to take over, and the crew will mutiny within a month. You’ll be tossed onto whatever island is nearest—if they don’t throw you in the sea first—and be no better off than you were when you entered this forsaken maze.”

Leif got one thing right—I had no clue how to manage a trade empire. I’d always imagined my father would be there to guide me for many long years until he grew too old to manage anymore, and he’d pass the rights into my capable hands. That was how this was meant to happen. Smoothly. Together.

But Leif didn’t know that I’d fight harder than anyone else in this labyrinth to lead those ships well. I’d do whatever it took. And I cared about the Silver Wings more than anyone else could.

I’d fight till my last breath for that empire.

I frowned as we took our next step. “What do you need it for? Your dad is handing you his trade empire.”

“My dad is handing me nothing. If I don’t prove myself by winning this labyrinth, he’s threatened to pass his empire to someone else.”

We stepped again. “You’re his only remaining son. He doesn’t mean it.”

His back stiffened, and I regretted bringing up the ‘remaining’ part. We stepped again before Leif replied, “Youdon’t know my father. I can’t go home empty handed. It’d be better not to go home at all.”

I couldn’t summon pity for him. I hardly had a home at all. The Silver Wings were meant to be my home, complete with my family.

Leif could build his own trade empire. He wouldn’t be stealing my father’s.

Another grating sound came like rocks being struck together. Leif put up a hand, twisting until he faced the south where the sound came from, waiting for what would come next. The arrows faltered in their pattern before picking up again, but something wasn’t right. It’d changed somehow.

“It’s faster,” we spoke at the same time.

His dark eyes landed on mine. Gears were turning in his mind, sorting through the new pattern. His chin jutted down with each time the arrows came by. We braced there for a minute until familiarizing ourselves with the new beat.

Leif turned back around. “Ready?” he asked over his shoulder.

“And…go.”

We stepped. One and a half beats. Another step. One and a half. Again.

Leif kept count aloud as I matched his pace. The chain slid along the parapet with us.

I hardly breathed until the arrows stopped.

“Is that all?” I looked around. The parapet stretched much further still, too far to see the end of, but a small sense of security came with knowing we were through the thick of it.

Until the ground shook.

When it stopped, half the parapet had fallen away, leaving behind stepping stones in the sky.

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