The maze was silent.
I entered, following the path I’d memorized: a right at the first T intersection, then a left, another right at the Y split, looping back, and finally, a left that led to a dead end.
I stopped.
A figure sat on a stone bench at the far end of the pathway, their silhouette barely visible in the shadows. I approached until I stood before them.
“Hello, Reina,” I said.
“Jiro,” she replied. “Thank you for meeting me at this hour. It’s safer for both of us.” She patted the bench beside her. “Sit.”
Reina kept her gaze ahead, her chin level, her back perfectly straight. She rarely looked at me when she spoke, but I didn’t mind.
“She trusts me,” I said, sitting beside her. “We’re further along than I expected. I believe she’ll do whatever I ask of her.”
Reina’s lips curved into a cold smile. “How can you be so sure?”
“I know her. I see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice. She’s agreed to my plan to team up with Kenji. We’ll approach him tomorrow morning during breakfast. I suspect he’ll say no.”
“And if he doesn’t?” Reina asked. “What if he surprises you and thinks it’s a wonderful idea?”
“Then I’ll deal with him,” I said. “Either way, he won’t make it past the next challenge. I’ll make sure of it.”
“You’d better,” Reina said, her voice hardening. “You’ve had ample time to prepare for this.”
“I have,” I said. “Thanks to you. And don’t worry. Akiko will make it to the final challenge.”
“Good,” Reina said, her tone laced with venom. “Because that bitch deserves everything that’s coming to her.”
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
AKIKO
I woke up having to pee badly. The short walk to the bathroom building, though only next door, left me exposed during a time when I had to watch my back. I tried my best to resist, to will the urge to go away. But tonight, the pain in my abdomen was too much. If I’d had an empty bottle, I might have used it. But I didn’t.
Grumbling under my breath, I changed into my uniform and slipped outside the dorms. The night air was cold, and the compound was eerily silent as I hurried to the bathroom. The lights inside were always on, which I appreciated.
I darted into the last stall, relieved myself, and was standing at the sink when the door opened.
Kenji walked in.
I froze, my mind racing through possible escape routes.
Run back into the stall.
Pretend I didn’t see him.
Wave and walk past him like nothing was wrong.
He spotted me immediately, and his gaze locked onto mine.
“Don’t worry, Akiko,” he said, his voice low and tired. “I’m not here to hurt you or anything like that. Just need to take a whiz.”
He scratched the back of his head as he yawned and walked past me to the urinals. For a moment, he seemed…normal.
“It’s a pain in the ass, coming all the way over here to use the bathroom,” he mumbled.
“What?” I asked, still on edge.
