Page 29 of Labyrinth of Broken Vows
Brielle.
The moment I heard the songs sung in taverns about her beauty, her grace, I knew I had to see her for myself. My crow followed her, watching, waiting. And when I finally saw her, it was as if the world stopped. She was even more magnificent than the tales described. Her every movement, every glance captivated me, took hold of something deep inside me that I didn’t know I was still capable of feeling. The years that followed, my obsession only grew. I longed to meet her, to claim her, to show her a life she could never imagine.
But I was the Maze King—the monster.
The stories they tell in her town are of the Maze King, the creature that rules this labyrinth, a shadowed beast no one dares speak of in anything but hushed tones. To them, I am a figure of fear, something children whisper about when the sun sets. And Brielle... she would have seen me the same way. I knew it, deep down. No matter how much I wanted to meet her, how much I wanted to pull her into my world, she would only ever see me as a monster. The one who lures the lost into the maze, the king of shadows. And so, I watched her from afar, never daring to interfere.
Until Henry came.
That pathetic excuse for a man took her. I watched from the shadows, helpless, as he sunk his claws into her, took what should’ve been mine. I could do nothing but rage within the confines of my maze, knowing she’d never come to me willingly. And for a time, I let him have her, convincing myself that perhaps she could find happiness with someone like him. Someone who wasn’t a monster. Someone normal. A knight in shining armor, just like in the stories she probably believed in.
But the first time he struck her, I felt something in me snap. I could barely contain the fury that surged within me, every instinct screaming to tear him apart, to bring her here, where she belonged. Each time he laid his hand on her, I felt my resolve crumble a little more. She wasn’t happy. She wasn’t safe. She was with a monster—only it wasn’t me. It was him. And the more I saw, the more I realized there was no happy ending for her with him.
That’s when I knew. I couldn’t stand by any longer. If she were to hate me for being the monster they spoke of, then so be it. I would rather her hate me than let her suffer another day beneath his cruelty. I would bring her here, to my maze, where she would be mine. She might despise me, call me the beast she’s always heard of, but at least she would be free from him. And that’s when the plan started to take root. To bring her to my side, no matter what it took.
I turn from the window, my eyes falling on the crystal ball embedded in the top of my staff. It sits there, cloudy and useless, mocking me with its silence. It’s supposed to show me what I seek, to reveal what I cannot see with my own eyes—but it has failed me. Time and time again, the fog within refuses to clear, leaving me blind when I need its guidance most. My hand tightens around the staff in frustration, knuckles white from the effort.
“Where are you, my love?”
thirteen
Brielle
Walking through what I now know is the Abyssal Quadrant feels like I’m trapped in an endless loop. The ground beneath my feet is uneven, littered with stones that threaten to trip me at every turn. I’m disoriented, exhausted, and my stomach growls with a hunger that gnaws at my insides.
Villina remains at my side, her presence both a comfort and a source of anxiety. The first night we set up camp, sleep eluded me as I lay wide awake, hyper-aware of the cool touch of her blade against my neck. That lingering memory still sends a chill through me. As we approach yet another wall, Villina abruptly stops, frustration etched across her face. She tilts her head back, looking up at the sky, as if it holds the answers we desperately seek.
“This is starting to piss me off,” she mutters, her voice low and irritated. With a resigned sigh, she slides down to the ground,her back pressed against the cold stone. I find a place opposite her, mirroring her posture against the wall.
“Well, we could go back and take the other way,” I suggest, trying to keep my voice steady despite the growing dread in my gut.
She shakes her head, a frustrated look in her eyes. “The other way will only lead us in circles. The Maze has definitely changed.”
My heart sinks at her words. “How is that even possible?”
Villina pulls out a flask that looks like it’s crafted from ivory or perhaps bone. She takes a long sip before handing it to me. “Here. You look like you could use it.”
I eye the flask warily. “I think I’ve shown you I wouldn’t take the coward’s way—like poison—to kill you if I wanted you dead. Drink the damn water,” she insists, her tone firm.
Reluctantly, I take the flask from her and bring it to my lips. The water inside is surprisingly cold, refreshing against my parched throat, and I find myself gulping it down eagerly. When I hand it back, the chilling realization of our situation sinks in deeper, tightening around my chest.
“Why me? Why does he hate me so much?” I ask, frustration bubbling over. “It’s his fault I’m in here. He took Henry and then sent his stupid bird to tell me to come fetch him. I don’t understand what I could have done to make him want to harm me so much.” Leaning my head back against the stone wall, I close my eyes, trying to find a semblance of calm.
Villina snickers, her amusement cutting through the silence like a knife. “Odd you should say that,” she replies, taking another sip from her flask.
“What’s so odd about it?” I snap, irritation flaring.
She grins, a sinister curve of her lips “I’ve heard tales; tales of lovesick King Thorne pining over a woman he can never have. Never taking a queen because his heart belongs to another.” Sherolls her eyes, her disdain palpable. “Quite pathetic if you ask me.”
I shake my head, confusion swirling in my mind. “What does that have to do with me? I’m no one.”
Her smile widens, revealing the sharpness of her cunning nature. “You don’t find it odd that he takes your husband—what’s his name? Henry—only to have a self-proclaimed nobody like you come to fetch him? Why else would he want your husband out of the way and you trapped in his maze? Gods, do I really have to spell all that out for you?”
I hesitate, grappling with the implications of her words. “No, that’s not right. He can’t want me. He doesn’t even know me! I’ve never stepped foot in this maze in all my life.”
Villina shrugs, her eyes dancing with mischief. “Maybe that’s the point. You’ve never been here, and yet here you are. Perhaps he sees something in you he wants.”
"No," I muttered, shaking my head in disbelief. "That’s not me. It can’t be."
