I couldn’t outrun Leif. Certainly not now, when he’d been eating just fine and I scavenged for food. He was faster, stronger, and moved as if Dimitri held a fire behind him.
But I could try.
My breath came in sharp gasps as I darted between the towering pine trees, my heart pounding louder than the crunch of needles beneath my feet. Hot sunlight sliced through the air, casting long, jagged shadows across the forest floor, searing against my skin when it touched me. Cursethis heat. Curse this labyrinth. It seemed to curse me back, whipping branches against my arms, scratching and stinging them. Reaching for blood.
Lady Luck wouldn’t help me. The Silver Queen wouldn’t help me. They would be cheering for Leif. And Dimitri would soon know what Leif had uncovered, which would set his sights against me as well.
I willed my body to move faster.
Behind me, Leif was relentless. His heavy footfalls and ragged breathing echoed through the stillness, growing louder as he closed the distance between us. The silence of his pursuit terrified me more than any threat he might yell.
I risked a glance over my shoulder, my dark hair whipping into my eyes. Leif was there, a dark figure moving with unnatural determination, his face obscured by shadow. Panic seized my chest. I didn’t know how far the forest stretched or if I’d ever find my way out, but I couldn’t let him catch me.
The cold air burned my lungs, but I kept running, zigzagging to confuse him, hoping the dense underbrush would slow him down. The scent of pine sap and damp earth filled my nostrils, grounding me in this surreal nightmare. I forced my aching legs to keep moving, my muscles screaming in protest.
But the forest wasn’t done with me yet. A root snaked across my path, hidden in the gloom, and I stumbled, crashing to the ground. Pain shot through my ankle as I scrambled to my feet, but it was too late. Leif’s shadow loomed above me, his breathing heavy and uneven.
My back pressed against the rough bark of a pine tree, and I glared up at him.
“You’re her daughter, aren’t you?” Leif asked.
“Yes.”
Then I released what I’d been hiding in my hands. The small puff of potion I’d bought at the market, a shimmering yellow mist, wafted forward to latch onto Leif.
It turned him to stone as he was lifting his sword.
I sank to my knees to catch my breath. My head spun. My body ached. But I lived.
When I collected myself, I rose to face Leif.
His eyes, even as stone, were lit with anger. His body caught on the threshold of striking. His lips parted and muscles flexed. Veins carved crooked paths down his arms, diving under his unruly shirt. Even his weapons were stone.
I’d noticed his beauty first, as the rain had been pouring over his skin that night by the manor, watching him get revenge for his brother. Curiosity came next. Now? I pitied him. He was heartbreak and desire and all the dark parts of a fairytale, a boy haunted by the ghost of his brother and laid low by the disdain of his father.
I traced a hand down the length of his jaw, hoping he could feel how taunting it was. Hoping he hated how close I could get now, while he couldn’t do a thing. Meanwhile, I enjoyed being close to him more than I ought to. It felt like getting close to a fire when I craved the warmth. Intoxicating, even if I got burned.
This time, he didn’t burn me.
“I bet you thought I’d be easy to kill.” I let the victory of the moment overtake me. His skin was rough beneath my fingertips. “That I’d break in the labyrinth.”
I was the descendant of Dawson and Alicent.
Granddaughter to Lord of the Isles.
Daughter of Allison and Gerald Montclair.
My blood would not be so easily spilled.
“My name is Ren by the way,” I whispered to Leif, my mouth close to his ear. “And the Silver Wings are my birthright, given to me by my father. Not you, nor my grandfather, nor anyone else in this accursed labyrinth is going to take it from me.”
Then I stepped back. “Don’t worry, the stone spell won’t last long. You’ll be back to your usual brooding self soon. But in the meantime, I’ll be too far away to catch.” With a grin, I backed up. “Thanks for the dagger. I’ll keep it as a reminder of you.”
I swore the stone eyes flashed red.
But it was probably just the light. I didn’t stick around to find out. I ran far, far away from him.
THIRTY-ONE