Page 85 of To Dwell in Shadows
They stayed in the bath for several moments, bothpanting hard. When their breathing slowed, Selene leaned over the edge of the tub to peer at the puddles spreading across the wet floor.
“We’ve made a terrible mess,” she said with a chuckle.
“That’s what towels are for,” Sam replied, feeling languid and spent. He brushed away a strand of hair that had escaped Selene’s bun. “Would you like me to install a bathtub like this in our house?”
Selene looked back at him with a wicked smile. “Definitely.”
Chapter 42
Though he knew it was coming, Sam was still startled when a pack of shrieking imps announced the next trial was about to begin just as he stepped out of the Sanctum. He watched them soar through the air for a moment, a wave of resignation washing over him—then reminded himself this trial was merely a means to an end.
He began trudging in the direction where the other demons were headed, past the palace gates. He heard the wordmazein snippets of conversation from those around him, confirming his suspicions about the nature of the trial ahead. Sam scanned the crowds for Selene but didn’t see her.
The groups passed a small stream showing signs of infection from the creeping rot that had begun to affect the lakes of fire. To his left, a voice said, “May fate smile upon you, Prince Samael.” The tone was unnaturally deepened.
He turned to see Vanthee’s red eyes peering out from a helmet. Her horns and hair were hidden beneath the hood of a coat that concealed her figure.
“Same to you, opponent,” he replied, and they quicklyseparated.
As the crowd slowed at the edge of a meadow clearing, Sam threaded his way to the front. He immediately saw his parents, who appeared to hover midair above a dense tangle of vegetation. Then he realized their feet rested on a thick layer of the overgrowth blanketing the top of a stone wall. Behind them, an immense stretch of stonework unfolded, revealing a maze that nature’s grasp had long hidden.
King Asmodeus looked down at Sam and gave him a nod. Sam noticed his father leaning heavily on a cane, though he tried to hide it beneath his cape. Dark circles framed his eyes, and his face held a dull pallor.
There were now only six competitors left, including him, “Nyrah,” and Drath. They had all gathered at the front. Sam was surprised that Chort was not among them—until he spotted him waving from the crowd, clearly having decided this trial was too difficult.
With a quiet step, Ghar emerged from the maze’s entrance between two parallel walls. It had been all but invisible moments before, hidden by a design that tricked the eye.
“Greetings,” the demon said loudly. “We are once again here to see who is most worthy of the king’s special favor. Welcome to the Maze of Endless Paths. Although, as spectators, we cannot all see the horrors that await our competitors within, I assure you, their screams of terror will reverberate throughout the land.”
That elicited cheers and whoops of excitement from the surrounding crowd. Ghar explained that each demon’s time would be measured using a candle notched in fifteen-minute increments. Anyone who did not complete the maze in less than one hour would be disqualified.
Ghar motioned for all the competitors to line up outside the entrance. “This will be a solo challenge that each of you will complete one by one, with your entrances staggered. Do you understand?"
Each of the demons nodded, with varying levels of excitementand trepidation. A well-built demon of Depravity named Bradax was chosen as the first to enter. He charged into the maze like he was entering battle. About fifteen minutes later, Ghar waved through the first victor of the River of Hatred Trial, a demon of Vanity called Pekhos. He burst into the maze with equal gusto—only to catch his foot on a tree root and fall face-first. The crowd roared with laughter.
Drath entered third.
“See you soon,” he rasped confidently, locking eyes with Sam.
But minutes later, a scream echoed from deep within the maze. Not one of terror, but of raw shock, misery, and grief, fused into a single sound. Sam couldn’t tell which demon it belonged to, but the effect was haunting.
Then came another scream—this one definitely Drath’s. It was sharper, more anguished. Something in its pitch, its strange resonance, unnerved Sam more than anything he’d faced in the trials so far. What was waiting for him inside those stone walls?
Eventually, Vanthee was the fourth demon to enter. She deliberately ignored Sam as she passed by, marching through the entrance with her head high and shoulders back. All the other competitors had veered to the right when they entered, but Vanthee made an immediate left turn.
Despite the odor of unwashed bodies and demon sweat, Sam detected Selene’s pomegranate and vanilla scent drifting toward him. He turned and saw her weaving through the crowd so he roughly pushed the demons blocking her way aside.
“Sorry, I’m late,” she said. “I found something in the library and got distracted. Then, when I came out, everyone was gone. An imp told me what was happening. Do you feel ready for this?”
“Ready to be finished,” Sam grumbled.
“Me too. Has anyone weknowcome out yet?”
“No,” Sam said, understanding her unspoken meaning. “The competitor weknowhas just entered. Also, Drath remains inside.”
They stood together, listening for any more sounds coming from the maze and watching the spectators jostle one another.
“What did you find in the library?” Sam asked Selene after a moment.
