Page 24 of The Infinite Glade
“Would have been a lot better in a Berg,” Dominic chimed in. “A whole lot better.”
“Why are you saying it like that?” Trish walked up. “Like there’s an inside joke or inside secret or something . . .”
“Yeah, what’s your deal with Bergs?” Sadina had joined them on deck.
“Young boys do this, don’t they?” Alexandra flashed her fakest smile yet.
The Orphan almost wanted to laugh. “I’ve taken more lives when I was just aboythan mostmen.” He turned to face Alexandra squarely. “Have you ever killed a man, Goddess?” This got Sadina’s and Trish’s attention. And then Miyoko’s. Soon enough, everyone on theMaze Cutterwaited for Alexandra’s answer. “Out of mercy or out of spite, for any reason?” Minho added.
“Oh.” She feigned surprise for some reason.
Roxy stepped in. “Alright, alright, it’s not a pissing competition.”
The Goddess stood quietly behind Minho, hovering as he moved the controls. Her itchy wool cloak made her presence all the more known. “Can the captain have a little room?” He was used to life in the Remnant Nation, just him at his spot on the wall—alone.
“Actually, maybe I should steer.” She reached for the controls. “You’re favoring the right of the wheel too much, and we’ll?—”
“Don’t.” Minho stopped her hand from touching the wheel and held her wrist in the air.
“Minho!” Trish snapped. “Stop! Don’t hurt her! What’re you doing?”
He could have twisted her weak little limb in a single motion, put her into a headlock position, snapping her neck. He could have broken any one of the fingers on the hand coming toward him as a gentle warning, her wrist would swell up larger than her lies. But instead he just threw her wrist down. His eyes searched for Orange. “I’m favoring the right because theMaze Cutterrudder favors theleft.”
Alexandra straightened out her cloak, but Minho couldn’t leave it at that.
“Are you surprised that even ships have secrets?” He smirked.
“Minho . . .” Trish scolded Minho again. “Don’t be so awkward. We’ve waited all this time to meet the Godhead, and here we are. We’re lucky to?—”
“Okay . . .” Dominic cleared his throat. “Let’s . . . uh . . . give the man some room.”
“Yes . . . here you are.” The Goddess smiled in a way that showed too many teeth, a way Minho imagined the Grief Bearers might smile if they ever did such a thing under their hoods.
“And here wego . . .” Dominic led the group away from the captain’s wheel.
Roxy handed Minho some water but he wasn’t thirsty. “I’m good.” He steered the boat further right than what it needed to compensate for the rudder pull.
Roxy leaned into him. “Are you good? Because that was quite a back and forth you gave Ms. Godhead. If I didn’t know any better I might say you don’t respect women in power, but I know that’s not it.” She shook her head. “Can’t be right. Right?” She gave him a stern look.
“No, that’s not it.” Minho put her fears to rest.That wasn’t it at all.Some of the toughest soldiers Minho had ever known were women—like Orange. He’d trust Orange with his life if it came down to it. “It’s justthatwoman” he said under his breath. “I can’t respecther.”
“This lifetime of training to kill the Godhead . . . is this something I have to worry about?” Roxy let her words hang in the air.
“No,” Minho lied. He’d been bred to kill them. Then he’d wanted to join them, discover them from the inside. Now he was right back where he started. What a journey.
“Good. Because these girls are very fond of her.” Roxy looked back at Sadina, Trish, and Miyoko, gathering around the Godhead like she was some sort of magical magnet for their attention. The City of Gods burned behind them as the sun faded across the water in front. They sailed farther and farther away from the shore of Alaska. It might’ve been beautiful to a regular human being.
But Minho barely saw it. He couldn’t stop thinking about the Great Master’s Orphan wound. The turmeric.
He needed to tell someone, get it off his chest.
Orange.
“Careful of these inlets. . . . This boat isn’t built for such a narrow passage.” Alexandra said as she pointed ahead. As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew what this boat—with the faded lettering on the side that said MAZE CUTTER—was made for. Deep water trials.The maze trials never ended, they only evolved.She ran her fingers along the trim of the ship. She wondered what secrets it held. And what else from history had been hidden from her?
Who else besides Nicholas had been so powerful to orchestrate such plans?
It didn’t matter.She was the one true God now.
