Labyrinth Wall (9780991531219) (18 page)

“What are those?” Soll inquires.

“I’m not really sure what’s in them, but it’s the liquid the Creators gave you, Korun, so they can’t be good. Rase will know what these are, and I’m pretty certain she would rather help us get through that wall than have to chug whatever is in these.” Carefully, I insert the bottles back into my bag.

“Clever girl,” Korun admits.

“All right, that’s it,” Soll announces. “Let’s get moving.”

As we pull the rope working our way back down the tunnel toward the main room, I run through a checklist in my mind. All the food that can be carried, two big full canisters of water plus my own smaller one, and, of course, fresh clothing on and in my bag is enough to meet my needs for a while. The same old dagger is still in my hair, but I also have a crossbow on my back. A single shield was so nice that it made a home in one of my totes for now, since it’s small and compact.

I’ve never felt so prepared and yet so scared. There was a time when my existence was predictable. When turning the labyrinth corners, I knew what to expect, but now it’s anyone’s guess what Simul might have waiting for us. Any horror the mind can conjure could step into my path. Despite my high hopes, there’s no guarantee what we might find on the other side of that wall either. Dread sinks down my throat into my core as we near the main room. It’s about time to lead the group toward the wall.

Soll circles the large cave, calling a meeting around the fire feature. “By now, everyone should be sufficiently rested. I know most of you have collected all the supplies you plan to take, but check it all over one more time. Take another short nap if you need to, because we’re leaving the den for good at dawn.”

Seated near Korun and me, Laon picks at the wooden bench beneath him. Saige has an arm around Keelie and an expression that’s difficult to read. She clicks her fingernails together. Maybe she wants to abandon the group, but surely her relationships with Soll and Keelie are too important to her. My shoulders shrug away her nervous behavior. We all have our reservations and fears. Her way of showing that is just particularly odd.

“What’s the plan anyway?” Rifan inquires. He stands a few feet away from the group and his chiseled face wears disappointment. “What chance does our small group stand against the Creators?”

Soll pauses as a look of frustration crosses his pale face. “If we work together and stick to the plan, we’ll be fine. Hopefully we won’t even run into many Creators.”

“Right, where are we going from here?” Keelie asks innocently.

Soll smiles at her. “We’re starting over. Korun and Araina are going to get us to the wall, and Rase is going to get us to the other side. Korun is going to show us where he came from.”

As he finishes his words, a look of guilt flashes on Korun’s face, like he might confess his lack of knowledge concerning the other side of the wall. Giving Korun an opportunity to rethink our little fib isn’t an option, so I move the discussion along. “Everything is going to be better there,” I reinforce.

“So we’re going to act like there never was a colony?” Rifan huffs.

“It’s not like we have much of a choice,” Saige interrupts. “We’re never going to be free here. I don’t know what happened to the colony, but we can’t afford to waste time trying to figure it out. In my experience, the Creators get what they want. If they want us dead, then our chance of survival is comparable to that of a rat in a snake pit. What would you have us do?” Her icy blue eyes are set sternly on Rifan.

“I don’t know.” The color of his cheeks grows red. “But I don’t understand why we’re putting so much faith in people we don’t know and abandoning the colony. They could be in need of our help.”

Keelie shakes her head before letting it drop into her hands.

Soll pats her on the back. “Rifan, you don’t have to come with us. We aren’t going to force you. There just doesn’t seem to be a better option. Until we have another lead on the colony, we need to try and get out of here. Simul could have a million other death traps waiting for us, and if we survive that, eventually his guards will kill us. We can’t sit here.”

Rifan tightens his fists then marches off to the weapons room.

“All right,” Soll yells after him. “Everyone joining us needs to be ready at dawn.”

Soll turns, walks away from the fire, and climbs a ladder to a bed shelf.

Everyone else besides Korun and me disperses from the meeting. We sit awkwardly a couple minutes in silence. Conflict is burning in his eyes. He stands up to walk toward the entrance of the cave then enters the small tunnel.

I’m fast on my feet to follow him, unsure if he’s fed up with all of us and leaving. Reaching the entrance, I wiggle part way through it to find him perching near its rim. He sits quietly, staring out at the smoky atmosphere.

“I thought you were leaving us,” I finally admit to him.

“Us? Do you actually admit to being associated with a group of people?”

I shake my head. “I might not be completely incapable of social interaction after all. But don’t get used to it.”

“Humph,” he grunts. “I guess you’re right. You’re extremely capable of interaction.” He looks at me. “And manipulation.”

“It’s for the best,” I defend myself. “If they stay here, they’re certainly going to die. I may not know for sure where you came from, but I feel positive it has to be better than this place.”

“I guess. I’m sorry. Sometimes you’re hard to follow. It’s difficult to pretend I know things I don’t. At the same time, there’s nothing I’m completely sure I do know. I don’t want to let them all down.”

That kind of thinking makes us so different from one another. He thinks first of what’s best for the group, and I think first of what I want.

“Sometimes, I really wish you and Darith had gotten me out of that prison a few minutes sooner, before they had time to mess with my mind.”

Observing my hands in my lap, I’m unsure what to say next.

Out of nowhere, his stomach growls like it did when he healed Rase’s arm.

A giggle bubbles from me as if in conversation with his stomach gurgle. After all we have been through, I choose not to fight the sliver of lightness in the air.

“You still hungry? I thought you ate already?” I smile at him.

“Nope.” He laughs. “Not even a little. I think that’s a nervous reaction I have.”

“Nervous?” I purse my lips anxiously.

Sweat begins to collect on my palms as we sit quietly a few seconds.

“Do you remember anything from before we found you?” I ask. “Anything coming back to you?”

“Still nothing.” His seated position is odd, and his shoulders tense up.

“I’m sorry for what they did to you.”

“I wish I knew why. I wish I remembered more than the past couple days.” His mouth forms a grin as he chuckles almost inaudibly. “Knowing you makes whatever I lost seem less important though.”

My mind starts racing. Are there feelings between us? But a few days ago, aside from Blue, everyone and everything in this world was a threat. I don’t know anything about him. He doesn’t even know what kind of a person he actually is.

Panic overcomes me as he stares hopefully into my eyes. A million thoughts and questions run through my brain. I want to throw caution to the wind and seek comfort in his attention. What would it be like to be held? To be cared for?

As I fight through the haze of thoughts clouding my judgment, it becomes impossible to ignore the irony. Clearly he thinks I’m manipulative, yet he’s acting like he cares about me. And the man doesn’t even remember who he is. At any moment, his memories could all come flooding back and who knows what doors might open.

“I’ve got some business with Rase. Then I might try to get in another nap.” My words cut between us as I break away from his gaze. I turn to make my way back inside.

“I’ll let everyone know when the sun starts to rise,” he calls after me.

Making my way to the back of the cave, I could hit myself. My heart’s winning the inner battle as my brain cowers. Wiping the tears from Keelie’s face reminded me how unreliable people are, yet emotions keep getting the best of me
—
emotions that shouldn’t exist in the first place. Survival was doable without any of these people for two years. My head stayed on straight navigating life on my own. These developing dependencies are going to end the minute I get through that wall.

The cave darkens farther back. There’s Rase, tied to the wall. Her aggravated stare is so normal to me that I’m not even fazed.

“This is how it’s going to be.” I toss a pair of Mahk clothes snagged from the weapons room at her. “You’re going to wear this, and you’re going to do everything I tell you.”

She begins to roll her eyes, per usual.

“If you don’t,” I continue, “then I’m going to give you a healthy dose of these.” I hold up the bottles in front of her.

She tries to hide her concern, but a slight wince crosses her face.

“That’s what I thought,” I finish with a confident grin.

“Don’t look so proud. What happens when I get you through that wall?” she whines.

“You can do what you want when we get to other side.”

“Do what I want?” she mimics annoyingly, like I’ve mimicked her before.

“I need you to get us to the other side of the wall. After that, we’re bolting and you’re free.”

“We’re as in Korun?” she guesses.

“That’s not your concern,” I answer.

She shakes her head. “I thought so.”

“I thought so,” I echo. “What does that mean?”

“Nothing,” she scoffs.

Attempting to pry further explanation yields no results. She isn’t worth the effort. It’s best to walk away. Between leading a group to Blue and anticipation of the other side of the wall, whiny Rase is the least of my concerns.
 

Chapter 19
Walking on Lava

We emerge from the den a few minutes after dawn. Instantly, I miss the cool fresh air in the cave as the smoke welcomes me back. Everyone is loaded with supplies. Surprisingly, it appears that Rifan has decided to join us.

The entire group is refreshed, dressed in clean baggy green pants, patterned sashes around our waists, form-fitted shirts, and sleeveless orange shrugs. The nice knee-high black Creator boots gives my Mahk garb some variation. The others are dressed almost identical except Keelie. Keelie’s pants have somehow been adjusted to fit tighter to her legs. She’s managed to turn her pale orange shrug into a short bra top. It’s layered over flowing material I would venture to guess she swiped from a spare pair of pants. The green portion of the shirt flows loosely. Her white shirt, like the ones the rest of us wear, has been cut down the middle to be worn as a shrug and has some decorative pattern designed into it.

Catching my observations of her detailed clothing, Keelie comments “I find the creativity therapeutic, you know?”

“You’re really good at it.” I can’t even figure how she did most of the designs, but her statement is familiar to me. My rock drawings aren’t so different.

Rifan stands tall, with his sword in the holder at his side. His axe is likely still tucked into the tote on his back. Saige carries a spiked mace and two long spears on her back. A heavy club hangs at Laon’s side, and two daggers are tucked in his belt.

Keelie has strapped a small bow to her back, but I don’t know how practiced she is with it. She still has the same whip attached to her sash that she was already carrying. She was sporting a knife before, but it must be tucked out of view now.

Soll appears to have grabbed an additional sword in the weapon room. He now has one strapped to each hip. I’ve never seen someone fight with two swords, so one is likely for back up. A lasso rope is also coiled on his back.

Korun carries his same axe but also strapped a crossbow to his back. I’ve still got my dagger and now the crossbow on my back as well.

Lined up on the mountain slope outside the den, we survey the altered scenery. The lava never started up again and has cooled, leaving a textural coal surface.

“That’s safe to walk on?” Keelie questions.

“The usual lava trickles that Sikla puts out cool pretty quickly, and this lava should be the same, so I’m sure it’s fine,” I console her.

For added measure, Soll helps me dislodge and chuck a large rock, which lands with a crunch on the cracked coal surface.

“Okay,” I signal for the group to follow, “we’re going this way.” Finally my curiosity concerning every detail of the labyrinth is paying off. The place looks so different though. The layout of the pathways has remained unchanged, but the dark swirled pattern coating the labyrinth floor now covers most of the tall boulders. My mind experiences some disorientation now that I’m walking at least ten feet higher within the walls. My theory about using the boulders to dodge anymore lava is disproven, but thankfully it seems like the lava might be done. Nonetheless, this is the smartest route.

To have people following me creates a strange feeling. Typically, if someone is tracing my footsteps, my response is to elude them. Guiding a collection of people isn’t a natural task for me. At times, my old habits resurface, and for a moment, I have an urge to run off. Then my brain processes that they aren’t a threat.