Page 54 of The Labyrinth

He shrugged. “I don’t think they care. And I’m fairly certain there are some people inside Solaris who support the Ravens’ claim. They think I’m too lax, that I’ve let the city slide since I’ve been in power.”

I looked around at the lush grass lining the streets, and the rich vines that draped every building. I thought about the food Ten fed me, and the bath I would likely take when I got home. It didn’t feel like the city was suffering in the slightest. In fact, it felt like they had more than enough to share with the villages on the outside of the wall, the villages like Ironforge who were truly suffering. “I don’t think you’re doing too badly for yourself in here.”

“No. We aren’t. But some of the older generation still remembers a different time, when we were feared by name alone, and we ruled with an iron fist. I’ve tried to teach many of them we can be powerful through other methods.” He squeezed my hand, and raised a brow. “Not that an iron fist isn’t fun every now and again.”

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. “I’m just not sure the people in here know what it’s really like to suffer. They might have a different viewpoint on everything you’ve done for them if they experienced true hunger. Real fear.”

Ten nodded. “I agree, completely. But how do you teach that to someone who has always had everything? The citizens inside Panshaw don’t have all the luxuries we have inside Solaris, but they’re still comfortable. But the people of Solaris have never known anything but what it feels like to have it all. So when I took over for my father, and decided we were going to be more sensible about things, some people didn’t take it too well.”

“Like your father’s council.” We were walking into the market now, similar to the market back in Ironforge, just bigger. And nicer. And cleaner. The stalls were well-made, selling fresh fruit and meat, unlike the raggedy stalls back at home that had thin rabbits hanging from the rafters. For a moment, I was angry. Livid even. How dare they think their society was slipping, when people outside the walls were literally starving? My own sister, so smart and beautiful, was living off porridge for days on end. They had an abundance here, and probably wasted so much. But instead of giving it to the people outside the walls of their rule, they let it rot, just like they had left us to do. Ten squeezed my hand again.

“Exactly. When the Ravens are offering to put our kind back on top, to make them all important once more, some people see that as a benefit. They aren’t seeing all the trouble that comes with it. The Ravens in power wouldn’t be good for anyone.”

He pulled me up to a stall filled with fresh vegetables, most of which I had no idea the names of. I ran my hungry eyes over the bright colors, my stomach growling once more, despite having fed it minutes ago. Something about seeing all this food at my fingertips made me constantly hungry. It also made me miss Ettie. How she would love to see this, all the new things for her to experience. She could learn so much more here than she ever could outside of the wall. Ten’s library alone would be filled with knowledge for her. I looked up at the stall keeper, a smaller, red monster with tentacles dangling from the side of their face. I smiled, but they wouldn’t meet my gaze. Sadness was beginning to take root inside my heart once more, quickly spreading inside the holes that still lingered there. If I wasn’t careful, it would swallow me whole without too much effort.

Thankfully, Ten noticed, and growled quietly. “Rissa has earned her place inside the Labyrinth, which is more than I can say for some. You will treat her with the respect she deserves.”

The monster immediately met my gaze, looking at me with curiosity. “I apologize. I’ve never actually interacted with a human before.” Their voice was soft and feminine.

I reached my hand out. “Well, then. I’m Rissa. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Glinda. A pleasure.” Their hand was larger than mine by half, and covered in tiny suckers that clung to my hand even after I let go. “Now, what can I help you with?”

I knew everyone wouldn’t be as easily won over as Glinda. Some were bound to judge me without speaking to me, despite Ten’s reassurances. I just needed to remember the only person’s judgment that mattered was Ten’s, and he felt like I belonged here. I knew I belonged at Ten’s side, and eventually, hopefully, I’d feel like I belonged inside the Labyrinth, too. My eyes drifted to the other stalls. The one next to us was covered in baked goods, and I had my eye on something round and covered in sugar. After Ten got his vegetables, I’d make him take me there. I looked around at the other stalls, taking in the quiet happenings of the market. Then I froze.

Across the grassy street from us was a man I only recognized as if from a dream. A nightmare, really. He was the other man who had carried me out of Ten’s house, the one who brought me to the Cage. His body was completely gray, rough in texture. His face was more human than most inside the Labyrinth, which was why he was so easy to spot. Anxiety tightened my chest, lacing through my lungs. A pit grew in the bottom of my stomach.

“Ten,” I whispered, tugging at his arm. I didn’t want the man to realize I spotted him. “Ten, look.” I gestured over my shoulder, and Ten followed my gaze.

“Doyle. That fucking asshole. Who does he fucking think he is, showing his face out here again after what he did?” Ten turned back, nodding to Glinda. “I’ll be back. Thank you for your time.” He looked down at me. “Stay here with Glinda. Don’t move.” Then he took off down the street, sneaking the best he could.

Like fuck I was going to stay there, though. I followed Ten through the throng of people, dodging anyone who came too close. Luckily, no one gave me a second look. Including Ten, who didn’t realize I had followed him. His face was absolute thunder as he cornered the man I now knew as Doyle next to a stall. They stood half in the alley, as Ten loomed over him. I tried to listen best I could. “...dare you show your fucking face again?”

The man didn’t seem bothered. He noticed me before Ten did. He nodded his head toward me. “Your little pet doesn’t listen well, does she?”

Ten reached out his hand, slamming it into the man’s throat, and holding him up against the brick wall behind him. He turned around to look at me, exasperation clear in his gaze. “Rissa, you don’t need to see this. You should’ve stayed with Glinda.”

I tipped my chin up, meeting his gaze. “I wasn’t going to let you do this on your own.”

Doyle laughed, a choked sound from around Ten’s hand. Ten rolled his eyes, turned back Doyle, and dropped his hand. “Speak.”

“Oh, I expected you to just kill me where I stood, like you did with my comrade. Nasty business, that. The whole cutting his fingers off and all.” My face must have showed my surprise, because Doyle grinned, a nasty smile I wanted to wipe off his mouth. “He didn’t tell you about that, did he? Yes, your boyfriend here cut off the fingers of one of his elders, and made him eat them. The coroners nearly lost their lunch when they realized.”

I closed my mouth, trying to pretend I wasn’t shocked. Ten didn’t look back at me when he addressed me. “He touched you, deliciae, and I told them they would pay for touching you. I could’ve done a lot worse.” His voice dropped an octave. “A lot fucking worse.”

“Ten,” I whispered. “You did that for me?”

“I told you, I would do whatever it took to keep you safe,” he muttered. “Including dealing with my father’s lowlife council who still seems to think they have importance in my life.”

“We have more control than you think,” Doyle chirped, grinning at Ten. “You’re wrong to underestimate us.”

Ten’s hand snatched out again, but this time he was dragging Doyle into the alley, pulling him down the darkened corridor away from the noise. I followed, unable to look away from this scene playing out in front of me. A man who would kill for me didn’t seem like the kind of thing I should want in my life, but there was something kind of sweet about it.

No one else followed us into the alley, too caught up in their own business, so it was just me, Ten, and Doyle, who stared at us with wide eyes. “I told you all, you would regret laying a hand on her.” Ten’s voice was low and serious. “And I always keep my promises.”

“What’s your plan? To just take us all out one by one, all the people who worked so hard to build this city you want to seemingly destroy?” Doyle spat at my feet. “Your father deserved better than you. This city deserves better than you.”

“Rissa, I’m giving you one last chance to leave. You don’t need to see what comes next,” Ten gritted out.

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