“We don’t,” Katrina interrupted.
“It was inter-coven magic. There are only two covens that could have come together to create such a feat—Petra and Flores,” Sasha continued.
“That might be true, but it will still destroy you,” Katrina interjected again.
“Not if we work together,” Sasha promised. “I wouldn’t suggest it under any other circumstances, but I fear that the maze may be our only sanctuary. I believe the rebels have us surrounded. I had hoped to flee to Petra, but with a target on your back, and Adamantia and Selene currently otherwise occupied, we need somewhere safe. Somewhere others will not attempt to reach us,” Sasha explained.
“Or they’ll rightly assume that you’re dead,” Katrina deadpanned.
“The maze will not harm us,” Sasha responded definitively.
“And what makes you so sure?” Katrina asked.
“We will control it,” Sasha answered.
“Inter-coven magic?” I asked, shocked. The weight of what Sasha was suggesting finally reaching me.
“Yes,” she confirmed.
“That’s a death sentence,” Katrina said.
“And so is being captured by the rebels,” Sasha replied, gritting her teeth. “Do you have a better idea?”
“We make a run for it,” Katrina responded.
“Petra is over fifty miles north of here. Borealis more than six hundred south. How do you expect us to make it to either on foot, without being captured or dying of exposure?” Sasha asked.
“So we hide in a deadly maze that will kill you eventually. Percy is a half-witch. She’ll get tired, her magic will fail or deplete, she might even die trying to keep the maze under control—and then we all die. And say your big plan works, you can control the maze. Then what? We just sit, exposed to the elements and wait for death?” Katrina replied.
“We wait for backup. The rebels cannot hold Ardens estate for long—if they manage to take it in the first place. It’s perfectly possible that Ardens guard will destroy the rebel forces and Adamantia and Selene will come for us. If the estate does fall, Ardens reinforcements are undoubtedly already on their way, and the estate will be retaken in quick time. All we have to do is find somewhere safe to hide and wait. The maze is our best option. Selene will find us there,” Sasha explained, squeezing my hand gently in reassurance.
It sounded like an okay plan. Except from the inter-coven magic part. I didn’t even know how to perform inter-coven magic, and my magic wasn’t exactly doing as I wanted it to lately.
“I don’t know if I can do it,” I admitted. “My magic… I don’t know if I have enough control.”
“You can do it. I will help you. It will be a first for both of us. I have never practised inter-coven magic either,” Sasha reassured.
“Great. So neither of you two even know what you’re doing,” Katrina muttered, holding the side of her head and grimacing as she walked. “This is a death trap. Percy, you should come with me. I can get us out of here,” she continued, reaching for my free arm.
Sasha pulled me away, out of Katrina’s reach, and turned to her.
“Who are you?” Sasha asked, coming to a stop in the corridor. We were near Selene and I’s rooms now.
“What?” Katrina asked, doing a poor job of feigning being taken aback by the question.
“Who are you? Why are you so sure you can get Percy out safely?” Sasha continued.
“Because any idea is better than the fucking maze!” Katrina answered.
Sasha clenched her jaw, her forehead creasing with her frown. “Who are you?” she asked slowly—and maybe I wasn’t the only one spending too much time around vampires, because I could almost imagine the growl that should have accompanied the tone of Sasha’s voice.
“She’s with another rebel group,” I answered in Katrina’s place, feeling a weight lift from my chest.
“Which one?” Sasha asked taking a threatening step towards Katrina. The fingers of her free hand not holding mine splayed at her side, ready to use her magic.
“There’s more than two?” I asked, a combination of shock and upset. How many rebel groups where there in the North? Did they all want to use me in some way?
“The New Foundation,” Katrina answered defiantly.
