The only reply was three menacing growls. So diplomacy wasn’t the solution here. Was he supposed to fight his way through? He could try, but the idea was absurd. Why would he, an unarmed solitary traveler, rush a trio of hulking strangers with clubs? He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, and caught a faint clinking sound.
Of course! The puzzle box had given him more than just an apple. He pulled out the gold, and the group in front of him relaxed visibly at the sight of the three coins.
“I’ll give you one each in exchange for safe passage,” Theo said curtly.
They held their hands out, and as soon as Theo handed over the gold, they melted to the sides, allowing him through. Theo strode past them, waiting until they were out of sight before resuming his jog. Two more twists, one more fork requiring investigation to identify a dead end, and he emerged into an open space that could only be the center of the maze.
In the middle of the space was a small wooden room. There was a door on the side closest to Theo, with a prominent brass handle. It was hard for him to get a good look, however, because in front of it stood another three men. These ones were different from the burly club-wielders, however. Each was different from the others, as well.
The first man had an ax over his shoulder, but he didn’t wield it threateningly. His garb declared him as a woodcutter. The second wore the uniform of a member of the Torrenese Craftsmen’s Guild. A skilled magic manipulator, presumably. At the third, Theo did a double take, surprised to see the castle steward in such a place. But a second look showed that this man wasn’t the steward, although he had been dressed to look just like the well-known figure, down to the styling of his hair.
“Congratulations on reaching the center of the maze, Your Highness,” the imitation steward said. “You have one final challenge before your task is complete. You must get inside the locked room. You may ask one of us to assist you, and you are allowed to ask each one of us three yes or no questions before making your decision. But once you have requested help from one, you may not receive it from any others. Do you understand your options?”
“I understand,” Theo said calmly.
He studied each of the three men in turn, then the door. The woodcutter’s axe would be able to get through it, certainly. But the door looked thick, and hacking it open enough to allow a man to pass through would likely take longer than most peoplewould assume. The craftsman could no doubt get him through using magic if he was willing to do so. Although if Theo went that way, he would be wise to use his questions to confirm that the man was actually a skilled craftsman, not just dressed in imitation of one.
His eyes returned to the steward lookalike, and he noticed a thick chain around the man’s neck that he hadn’t seen at first. It disappeared below his tunic, obscuring whatever was pulling it taut. A glance back at the door showed a keyhole below the handle. Theo felt a smile grow on his face.
“I have a question for you,” he informed the third man. “May I see what’s on the end of your chain?”
The steward’s smile matched his as he answered. “Yes, you may.” He drew out the chain to reveal a small brass key.
“Does that key open the door into this room?” Theo asked, gesturing in front of him.
“Yes, it does.”
“And my final question,” Theo said, “are you willing to unlock the door for me if I ask you to?”
“Yes, Your Highness, I am willing.” The man was beaming at him, apparently pleased with Theo’s quickness.
“I choose you to assist me, sir, if you please,” Theo said.
Chapter
Nine
The man stepped forward and unlocked the door, gesturing respectfully for Theo to enter. He did so with swift steps, to find that nothing was inside but for a large bell on a pole. Theo rang it vigorously, and immediately heard an answering blast from the bugler outside the maze. He had finished the task, and his completion time would be recorded. The sound was quickly dwarfed by the cheers of the spectators, and Theo couldn’t resist a grin as the three men applauded him politely.
The craftsman moved forward, swinging his robe around him in a sweeping motion that generated enough Dust for Theo’s dull senses to recognize. The next moment, a ladder emerged from a pile of hay nearby, leaning itself up against the side of the maze without aid from any visible hand.
Theo climbed the ladder and emerged onto the top of the nearest hay wall. The crowd roared with excitement, and he waved a hand to acknowledge their praise. His eyes were drawn at once to the splash of gold that signified Elowen. From his new position, he could see her more clearly. As he walked along the hay wall to get out of the maze, his eyes kept drifting to her. She was applauding enthusiastically, her face flushed withexcitement, and her features all the more attractive as a result. In fact, she was absolutely stunning in a deep purple gown, with her hair twisted into a golden crown around her head, and her eyes as bright as bluebells. Their eyes met, and although he again fought back the urge to make a sign with his fist over his heart, he found himself grinning. It may have been his imagination given the distance, but her answering smile seemed shy, although not in the aloof way of their first meeting.
She was glad he’d performed well in the maze event, that much was clear. A sense of common feeling swelled within Theo, buoying him up as he jumped from one hay wall to another on his way out. Archery and weapons combat were the standard fare of tournaments, and they were well enough in their way…but that event had beenfun.
As Theo passed along the top of the maze, he saw various flurries of activity within, as the challenges were reset for the next competitor. When he reached the front of the maze, he was congratulated by the master of events, then released. Thankfully no one expected him to stand around waiting while all the other contestants took their turns. Theo noticed Elowen still watching him, and made his way toward the stands where she was sitting. She moved forward to lean over the front of her roped off section of stands as he took the steps two at a time.
“That’s an ingenious event for a tournament,” he said, by way of greeting.
“I’m dying to hear details of what was inside,” Elowen said, her eyes eager. “We couldn’t see much from up here. I definitely caught a horse’s head rearing up at one point!”
“You’ll have to wait until the event is completed to interrogate Prince Theodore for details,” Prince Patrick said, his tone the closest to indulgent Theo had ever heard it. “He’s bound to secrecy until all contestants have attempted it, remember?”
“Yes, I suppose that makes sense,” Elowen sighed. “Was it exciting, though?”
“It was well-designed to be challenging and intriguing,” Theo said. He smiled at Elowen. “Thank you for coming and cheering me on.”
“Of course,” she said lightly. “I have to cheer for my champion, it’s an integral part of tournament tradition.”
