“Dozmary.”
The final resting place of Excalibur.
Morty had mentioned Dozmary Cavern, and Landon had told me about the tunnels on my first day here.
That had to be where the tunnels led.
I just needed to find my way to them.
Scanning the map, I searched for a starting point along the symbol, but I couldn’t tell where it ended or began. But I remembered my first night here, so I gathered my clues, keeping the map clutched tightly in my hand, and pulled out my inhaler to use before zipping up my bag.
“Good girl,” I whispered to myself, since Landon wasn’t here to do it for me.
On shaking legs, I walked deeper into the Round Tableau and headed to the pathways I had taken the first night to the Maiden’s dressing room.
As I walked, I kept my ears peeled for any sign I’d been followed, and I traced my path on the map. I needed to find a place that branched off in a different direction.
When I reached a fork in the path that led to the dressing room, a memory of running through this area that day with Ben resurfaced. Right before Morty found me, I reached where the floor sloped and tunnels went underground.
Standing before it, my heart raced in my chest.
I pulled my cell phone out of the pocket of my leggings. One bar of cell service, so I stepped back until I had enough to call.
“Gia, I know I sent a message, but I had to call you, too. I found it. The entrance to the tunnels, and I’m going in now. I love you. Tell the guys—” A noise came from behind me. “I’ll see you on the other side.”
Switching on the flashlight, I walked forward.
At the first fork, I remembered what Vivian had said and realized in my excitement over Dozmary Cavern that I’d forgotten to check the schedule. ESSESSSESS. The tunnels forked in different directions, so it could be a code for left and right, or the pattern. I tried to trace out the path with my finger, but nothing lined up with where I needed to go.
Reaching into my crossbody for my lighter, I pulled it out and clicked it on before realizing I hadn’t applied the lemonjuice. I squeezed out whatever I could from the corner of my shirt, and I tried the lighter again.
RLLRLLLRLL appeared on the paper.
I blew out a breath of relief, tucking the lighter and schedule in my free pocket. As I walked, Vivian’s words nagged at the back of my brain.Answers.
She said Morty had given me the answers.
If I missed a hidden clue, I could take the wrong path. I paused and leaned against the tunnel wall, catching my breath as I thought through what Morty had said.
I pulled out the schedule and lighter again, examining the list of training sessions closer and thinking about my lessons, wondering if I’d missed something.
And considering the lead I’d lose if I turned around.
What I’d heard on my call with Gia could’ve been another girl heading for the tunnels. Vivian could’ve lied about Morty giving me the answers to lead me into a trap.
But that didn’t sit right.
It felt like reacting defensively to the girl who’d held my head under water, when she’d thought I’d swept in to take what she’d been so clearly groomed for. It felt like ignoring everything I’d seen from her since the second challenge. The way she’d responded to certain things I’d said.
The way she’d panicked in the bathroom of the cabin.
The way she’d freaked out at my accusation over Max.
And the way she’d said she’d helped me because I’d done her a favor. I’d helped her through her panic, sure, but letting me win The Quest because of a pep talk felt like a stretch.
Something else was going on with her, and without knowing her reasons for helping me, I just had to decide if I believed her or not. If I wanted to spend more time searching for the second answer Morty gave me or take a leap of faith and trust her.
It surprised no one more than me when I clicked the lighter back on, but too had changed since The Quest began.
