I bristle at his words, my rage burning away at the traces of the fog that still try to creep into my thoughts. “Never. Never again.”
“Our friend is in there, and Fates only know what she’s suffered. Stop acting like a whiny princess and get her out,” Sin orders. The authority in his words matches what I would expect from a warlord conditioned to commanding thousands.
“I’m getting her out,” I answer through gritted teeth and turn without another word, running to the maze that looms not far ahead.
The whole-body pain makes my knees shake, and the burning causes a cold sweat to run down my back. Still, I’m standing, and that’s a step up from what I could do the last time Leon and I were separated in this realm. While I would love to blame that on my memories from Cassandra, a chilling thought makes me reconsider. If the bond is hurting me less, it likely means Leon isn’t as far away this time.
The realization pulls me out of my thoughts, and I run faster toward the maze, grateful for the few days I spent working on my cardio with Damien.
The tall hedges grow closer, and I scan the surrounding forest, trying to find some kind of landmark that will tell me where to exit. It’s a stupid endeavor. I know everything will look the same once I’m in the maze.
This entire mission depends on one thing.
Reaching the wall, I open the jar of peanut butter and hold it over my head. Hopefully, the smell will be strong enough to attract what I’m looking for. I start making kissy sounds like I’m trying to call over a cat.
A minute passes, and nothing happens. More cold sweat drips down my back, and I’m seriously starting to doubt my plan. But then I hear it, a chittering above me. I look up to find a small, green creature. The same kind that Leon used to open the maze last time. It looks at me with wide eyes, and I smile at it.
The little creature looks like the offspring between a garden gnome and a squirrel, and it chitters nervously at me. I try to coax it forward using my best Cinderella voice as I take a small scoop of peanut butter out of the jar and offer it to the creature.
Given it looks like it might be part squirrel, I’ve bet this entire mission on the assumption that it will love peanut butter.
And here I was, thinking I wasn’t much of a gambler.
“Hey, buddy. Do you remember me?” I ask, still maintaining my most non-threatening voice.
I have no idea if this is the same creature Leon tortured last time. If not, hopefully, these little creatures can communicate, and they will know I’m a friend.
The creature climbs down further, sniffing at my fingers. It takes a tentative lick at the peanut butter before gobbling up the rest of my offering.
I grin.
Nailed it.
The little squirrel-gnome creature darts back into the hedges but doesn’t run away. Instead, it stares at me with a renewed interest, like I might hold the most precious thing in its universe. Its little paws are slightly darker than the rest of its green body, and I decide to name it Mittens. It’s less of a mouthful than ‘squirrel-gnome creature.’
“My friend is stuck in the maze. Do you think you could help me get her out? The entire jar is yours if you do,” I add, showing it the rest of the peanut butter.
Mittens eyes me warily, hesitating at my offer, only to dart deeper into the hedges.
My pulse starts to pick up at the panicking realization that I’m out of luck. But then the branches start twisting and coiling away from each other until they reveal an opening large enough for me to get through.
My heart slows, and I step inside, finding the creature clinging to the inside wall of the maze.
“Thank you. We need to hurry, okay? Bad people are going to be coming,” I note, hoping Mittens understands the urgency of our situation.
Mittens lets out a series of nervous squeaks before taking off, racing along the hedge wall. I follow.
The cut on my leg stings, but it’s got nothing on the ringing in my head. Now that I’m not focused on my anger, the fog is back, pressing further into the edges of my mind and threatening to overtake my thoughts.
Follow Mittens. Find Arianna. Get out.
I repeat the steps as a mantra on loop, hoping it will help to keep me on track if the brain fog gets too dense.
We’re deeper into the maze now, and I mentally log every turn we take, hoping my terrible sense of direction won’t get me captured. I may have oversold my ability to navigate the maze to the others. Sure, I’ve come inside and gotten out, but I can’t remember the turns Leon and I made. All my hopes are with Mittens.
It’s a risk, but saving Arianna is worth it.
We make it another few turns before I hear him. Leon’s voice echoes from a distance. “Vivian! I know you’re in here! Stop running!”
