Page 40 of Quarter Labyrinth

“I didn’t find food but—” He stepped away from the door, just in time for a teenage boy with a head full of blonde hair and a thin smile to pop out.

Clark shrugged. “I found allies.”

NINETEEN

We made it a few more miles before camping. It was only when the others sat to rest that I was able to pull Clark aside.

“What are you doing?” I hissed.

He held up his hands. “I knew you’d be upset. Listen. They are all Seaweeds like us, and most of them have already lost a companion in the labyrinth. Let’s stick with them for a while, then break off when we get close.”

He said it as if they didn’t all have the same plan. They’d be using us just as much as we used them. Atsome point, everyone would split. Knives would come out. I didn’t want to play pretend at friends when it would only lead to bloodshed.

We couldn’t all win. And as Seaweeds, we didn’t have much to return to. Better to give everything up in the labyrinth and lose your life than go back home.

“One season,” I told him. “We stick through the rest of this nasty spring, and through summer. The first night of autumn, we leave.”

“Fine.”

I looked over his shoulder at the group of them. All thin boned, young, and restless folk. The exact thing you’d expect a Seaweed to be. They varied in age from the girl with straw-like hair who wasn’t yet ten, to the boy with matching hair and thin smile who nearing nineteen. Those were brother and sister, while the rest had been picked up along the way like stray kittens.

“Tell me what you know so far.”

“The oldest is named Harald. He and his sister are indentured servants who work aboard hired ships. Their master told them if they win, he’ll set them free.”

“Let me guess, and he takes the Silver Wings for himself.”

Clark nodded. “But I don’t think Harald will do it. I could be wrong, but I don’t think he plans to win. I think he’s searching for a stone god who can grant him and Tove freedom.”

I examined the brother and sister. Harald had his arm over Tove’s shoulder, while the tiny girl curled into his side to snack on a few berries. She had an iron will to her. Never complained once as we jogged two miles inward. Didn’t complain now when all she got were a few berries to fill her belly.

When her gaze lifted to Harald, it was filled with warmth.

“The other six are harder to read. The only one who likes to do much talking is Gunnar, who found me. He could have killed me, but he didn’t. He brought me to Harald instead, and they offered their allegiance. The bigger the pack we are, the less likely we are to get attacked.”

Gunnar had a point. We were ten strong now, and that would give pause to the strongest of fighters.

Which was good, because we had no chance of moving without the entire labyrinth hearing us at this point.

“Gunnar is native to this island, which is how he got in at all. This is all a game to him. He doesn’t have high hopes of winning.”

I knew which one Gunnar was. Dark skin, bright smile, and the only one in the group who had high spirits. It wasn’t surprising to hear he’d gotten into the labyrinth simply because it landed on his home. He didn’t have the same competitive energy the others ensued.

He’d beensingingearlier.

“Aiden, Barrett, and Charlotte…at least, I think that’s their names. The ones with pale complexions. They came as a group of five. Two are dead. Then there’s Ivar with the black hair. He convinced his little brother to come, and his brother died. I worry about him the most. He’s going to need to win to feel like this was worth it. Last is Astrid with the copper hair. Hers is the opposite story. Her older brother dragged her in with him, promising a grand adventure, but she watched him die instead. She seems rudderless. I’ve no worries about her.”

I did my best to follow, but my eye kept going to the one called Aiden. Something about how he shifted with restless energy made me wary.

“I’ll bet you five coppers that when the peace breaks, Aiden is the one to break it.”

Clark didn’t disagree. “I’ve been watching him too. We’ll keep an eye on them, and perhaps we leave before autumn comes.”

Satisfied with that, I almost moved back to the group before remembering something. “What’s our story?”

Clark’s smile turned sheepish.

My stomach dropped. “You didn’t.”

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