Page 143 of The Stars are Dying

“You wouldn’t get a foot past where you’re supposed to be if that were your intention.”

“Then leave me the fuck alone.”

“Where have you been hiding this feisty nature? I rather enjoy it.”

I ground my teeth. Ignoring him might have a better impact. “He told me not to trust you,” I said, unable to stop the slip of anger. “I never did, but I wanted to believe they were wrong.”

“They?”

Shit.I couldn’t implicate Rose.

With a flush of dread, my palms clammed at the thought of her, unknowing of where she was, which also made my stomach twist. I wondered if Zath was safe too.

“I hope the king kills you for this betrayal,” I sneered as a diversion.

We weaved through the paths that were eerily quiet despite it being daytime. My eyes caught flickers on the roofs, sometimes down alleys—the Golden Guard were tracking us too. All except Rose’s, unless he was exceptionally elusive. I prayed to the damned gods it was because he was still tracking her.

“My father is nothing more than a puppet who can’t see the strings.”

Drystan was the true puppet master.

“What do you want?” I asked.

“Everything, my dear. And you’re going to get it for me.”

It seemed we were both dancing around calling each other out. I didn’t use hisothername. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.

It took coming down to the center of the human city level to stare up at the curved sign:

The Maze of the Mad Serpent.

A shudder ran thought me at the thought of what the name could mean, and even more so for the destination that leddown.Down and down until nothing but darkness engulfed the entrance.

“The trial awaits,” Drystan sang. “I’ll be here to escort you afterward.”

“Charming of you,” I muttered.

Drystan slipped in front of me. I tried to move away, but he gripped the folds of my leathers. My hiss at him was smothered when I beheld what he slipped into my jacket one by one.

Three keys.

“Try not to take too long.”

I met him with incredulous eyes, wondering how he knew I had Arwan’s key and had found it. He must have taken possession of Enver and Draven’s keys too now they were dead.

I decided these weren’t answers that would do me any favors right now.

Every muscle protested my journey down. My throat seized, and swallowing became painful but necessary to combat my dry mouth.

Down and down…

It reminded me of my first time venturing to find Nyte. My chest squeezed as his face appeared at the forefront of my mind when I entered true darkness. But he wasn’t here—not even a hint in my mind. This darkness clawed with despair instead of comfort.

Down and down…

Until there wasn’t another step to take. Ahead my vision was broken by a flicker of amber. Come threat or relief, I had no choice but to head for it. No sound but my boots against stone disturbed the silence, amplifying the thump of my heart.

At the end, the open archway led into a room. Torches lined the windowless stone. A firepit expanded across the far end, where it played host to tall chairs. I thought I was alone in the stillness. Until a musky scent with notes of whiskey filled my nostrils and within me roared an instinct to keep my distance.

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