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Tears glisten in her eyes as she looks imploringly at me and maybe it should move me, but it fucking doesn’t. I’ve chosen, and this bitch isn’t it. Even though we share blood, I want nothing to do with her. All she represents is my mom’s lies and manipulations.

“Did you know?” I coldly ask. I didn’t mean to ask, and I’m not even sure the answer matters.

“Not at first,” she admits, clearly not needing any clarification on what I’m asking about. Elena removes her mask and takes a step closer. I counter by taking one away from her since we don’t need to be close for me to hear her. “Gus, please. I only found out the night you went to Acacia’s while I was out with your mom. That’s when she told me, and I… I couldn’t believe it.”

I bark out a laugh and lift one eyebrow as I stare her down. “Really? Because I had no trouble believing it.”

She shakes her head and looks behind me, but there’s nothing to see when I turn my head. My hand is still on the knife, and I’m not letting go until I know for certain I don’t have a reason to wield it.

“Why are you here, Elena?” I growl, out of patience. I can’t hear Cia anymore and with Elena showing up, I have no idea what the fuck is going on. “Spit it out already.”

Elena breathes raggedly, tears falling from her eyes. “I’m here to beg you to come back. Your mom… it’s all… it’s a mess without you. She wants you back, and if you don’t return to her, either me or Cia is going to pay with our life.”

“Is that all?” I ask, not feeling any remorse whatsoever for not caring about Elena’s life. “That’s a shitty deal for you, it looks like my mom’s given you the death sentence.” My tone is dispassionate, and Elena visibly flinches at my lack of care.

I watch, mildly amused, as she opens and closes her mouth, no words coming out.

Behind me there’s some rustling, and this time there are people there when I turn around. To my relief, Cia and Liam are heading towards us.

“The only thing I can offer you is, if you run now, you’ll live to see another day. But if you stay, Cia is going to kill you, and I’m sure as fuck not going to stop her.” As soon as I say the words, I regret them. I shouldn’t fucking give Elena an out. I should force her to stay and take her punishment.

If I let Cia outright kill her, it might force my mom into doing something more desperate than sending Elena here, and that’s the only reason I’m willing to let her go. Better the evil you know…

Elena shakes her head and looks sadly at me. Then she pulls something from her dress, and I don’t spot what it is in time. Lightning quick, she clicks the lighter, creating a flame.

“No,” I shout, feeling panic rising when she tosses it over my shoulder, and I can only watch as it lands between me and Cia.

The dry hay is an easy accelerant, and in no time the maze is ablaze.

I barely register Elena saying, “You chose wrong, Gus,” as I watch my cousin through fearful eyes. Her expression is one of horror, such a stark contrast to Liam’s. He looks at me with a grim finality, nodding slightly before he forcefully pushes Cia through the small gap in the flames that lap at her dress and hair before closing behind her.

Rushing forward I catch Cia as she stumbles, her scream so loud I can’t hear anything else. “Liam! Liam how fucking dare you—” her screams of terror cut off, replaced with wails while she staggers and gets to her feet. “We have to get to him, it’s a dead end.” Fear is palpable in her voice and I want to assure her that her consort will be okay, but how can I?

I take Cia’s hand and drag her with me, ignoring her screams and protests. Liam will have my head if I allow her to put herself in danger for him. Besides, I owe it to him to get her to safety, her life is the only thing that matters and we all know it.

“Let me go, Gus!” Digging her nails into the flesh of my hand while hitting my back with her fist, she tries to get free. When I try to reason with her while pulling her along, she snarls, “I don’t fucking care. My life is worth nothing if Liam doesn’t make it.” Picking up the pace I ignore her as I pull us in the direction I think is right.

The fire has spread and I can hear the telltale signs of the dry hay burning behind us, and all my thoughts are on keeping us ahead of it. When my phone keeps vibrating, I finally answer.

“Is Acacia with you?” Kai’s curt tone is filled with worry, and I can hear the whoosh of air as he takes a relieved breath after I confirm she’s fine. “The fire has spread almost as wide as the maze. Do you know where you are?”

“Let me go, Gus! If you don’t let go of my hand you’re going to regret it.” I do my best to ignore Cia as she alternates between threatening me and pleading for us to go back for Liam.

Her sobs and screams are beyond heartbreaking but I can’t let her turn back.

“Where are you?” Kai’s booming voice allows me to refocus, and I tighten my grip on Cia’s wrist.

The cries of people outside the maze are becoming clearer, so I say, “I think we’re close.” We turn another corner, and run straight into the Ruler.

“Liam!” Cia screams, still struggling against me. “We have to go back for him, please.”

Kai rips her away from me, lifting her and running her towards the exit while carrying her in a firefighter hold. I run next to him, keeping my eyes peeled on the fire that’s roaring around us. While I was pulling us to safety, I did my best to ignore the flames, but now that she’s in her husband’s arms I look around, shocked to see it licking the hay in front of us.

“I’ll never forgive you for this.” Cia’s voice has lost its menace with all the screaming she’s done, and by now it’s nothing more than husky rasps.

“Okay,thankyou.”Ihang up after receiving the confirmation that the fire is completely under control, and that there were no fatalities.

Apart from my wife, her cousin, and her consort, no one else was in the maze. That’s all the proof I need to know Elena and Marian are working with someone on the inside. All night long, the three attractions have been filled with people. According to the security tapes, the maze had at least a dozen visitors at any time until half an hour before Nereid went there.

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