Page 65 of Beneath the Starlight and Storms

That’s it? All I had to do was find my way out of here?

My eyes are drawn to the floor as the smoke slithers along it, and I spot a strange pattern. Tiny green triangles are almost hidden beside some of the corner of mirrors, pointing in a direction my instincts were telling me was the way out. While others had little red circles beside them. I had a feeling those symbols kept you inside the maze.

Stepping further into the mirror hall, we come to a fork in the maze. I immediately spot the little triangle on the one in front of me. Before I get a chance to see if my little theory is correct, Hook turns to me with a challenging gleam in his eyes.

“Let’s see who can escape the maze first. If I win, you’ll owe me something. A promise.” He raises a brow, a shadow of a smile on his lips.

“And if I win?” I ask, fully aware that I was going to win this little game easily.

That shadow of a smile grows into something wicked. “Then I’ll owe you a promise.”

“Fine, but you’re not allowed to use any abilities.” My keen observation skills didn’t fit under that list, so really, I wouldn’t be breaking any rules.

“Deal,” he says.

We shake on it before I stuff my toy dog’s foot into the top of my trousers. Hook watches me with an amused smile before he backs up and walks towards the opposite hall. With a challenging glint in his eyes, he turns and disappears into the smoke and mirrors.

With my dog now secure, I move quickly through the maze of mirrors, ignoring anything but the floor and those tiny green triangles. It takes me a couple of minutes with the maze being deceivingly vast, but I continue to follow each one until I come out to the back of the tent where the exit lays.

Smiling to myself, I turn and head back inside. Even though I’ve already won this little game, I still wanted to play a little more and maybe even turn the tables on Hook and his deal. It was about time hebecame the hunted.

Following the red circles, I find they lead you to little spots in the maze that try to trap you in a loop or bring you to a dead end. But there are green triangles nearby, quickly leading you out of it.

All too soon, I find Hook. His back is to me, but he catches my reflection in one of the mirrors. His eyes light up as he whips around. But I’m already gone, coming around the back of the mirrors on the opposite side of him.

“Wrong way,” I laugh before disappearing just as he turns around in my direction.

“Tink…” he warns but there’s a gleam of excitement in his eyes as he follows me. Or what he thinks is me. But it’s only one of my many reflections. Another one has him twist around into a mirror thinking he caught me as I smile back at him.

Laughing again, I wave a goodbye from my spot as he turns but I’ve already disappeared once again.

Using my little trick, I play a game of cat and mouse with him. Drawing him into one of the mirror traps or dead ends before appearing behind him and disappearing with the dark smoke.

It isn’t long before I spot the spark of irritation in his eyes as I evade him once more. I lead him into one of the mirror traps again loving the look of growing frustration in his eyes. He whips around once more but before I get the chance to disappear, he appears before me, walking me back into the mirror wall behind me.

“You cheated! You used that speed ability,” I accuse with a glare.

“I cheated?” He asks with a growing smirk as he looks down at me. “What about you?”

I raise my chin. “How did I cheat?”

“You figured it out somehow.” He studied my face with a questioning gleam in his eyes.

I shrug. “Maybe. But that’s not cheating.”

“I should’ve known better,” he mumbles to himself before shaking his head as a small smile twists his lips. “Go on, then. Tell me what it is you want?”

I hum to myself, pretending to think on it but I can’t think past the heat of his body as he leans closer into me.

“I think I’ll hold on to it for now,” I tell him.

As if just realizing our position, I watch his eyes grow heated as he stares right at me.

“Holding your cards close to your chest,” he murmurs. “I approve.” He gives me one last heated stare before moving back, finally giving me room to think.

“Just let me know what you decide.”

I nod a reply as I use the green triangles to lead us out of the maze of mirrors. It reminds me of his own little trick.

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