‘What the …!’
She scurried to her feet, scanning the pathway for any sign of danger, then a scream in the near distance had her jolt before sprinting. There was no telling who it was or what they were facing, she couldn’t even be sure if everyone was in the maze.
As she met a crossway, the ground shook once more, and the green hedges changed to rusty sheets of thick metal panels. Some of them started to swivel, revealing more ways to go, but they opened and closed with such a snap, Scarlen got the impression they were capable of slicing a person in half if they didn’t slip through the gaps fast enough.
She wasn’t going to attempt moving to another path, but the panels shifted, forcing her in its chosen direction, and she jumped through an opening just in time, the slap of it sealing behind her clanging in her eardrums as though a bell had rung out close to her face.
The maze had her running, leaping through gaps, and steering her towards more metal, her need to rehydrate now desperate.
‘Smithson,’ yelled Oxley, sprinting her way.
He was such a sight for sore eyes, she almost hugged him.
‘Follow me,’ he added. ‘I found a glimmer.’
She had no idea what that meant, but rushed after him, darting through the sheets, her lungs burning, her chest so tight.
‘Look.’ Oxley pointed out a shimmer of blue light upon the ground by a grey wall. ‘Has to be something, right?’
‘Water, I’m hoping.’
Oxley took his dagger to the ground, stabbing it hard before digging, and Scarlen knelt to join in, but the metal sheets closed in on them, forming one big panel moving forward, looking fit to squash them between its rust and the stonework.
Scarlen ran at the panel. Pushing back on it, but it did nothing but press towards her. ‘I can’t stop it, Ox.’
He joined her side to help, but the panel kept moving towards them, and they both knew they couldn’t dig quick enough to escape their death so didn’t bother trying.
‘At least my hair didn’t frizz in this humidity.’ Oxley bit his lip and grinned, and Scarlen could do nothing but stare at him.
A bang of thunder boomed through the air, the ground vibrated, and the maze lowered back into the earth, revealing the clearing by the pond.
Scarlen made a dash for the water, but the glint of something shiny caught her eye as she passed Oxley, then she saw Judd, his mouth gaping, wild eyes burning white hot before flashing with horror, but why?
Oxley dropped to his knees, his head dipped to his stomach where Judd’s dagger speared him, blood seeping to the dry earth.
‘Ox, no,’ Scarlen gasped in terror, rushing to aid him, but his weight had them both tipping backwards, his head on her lap, her hands covering the wound, trying frantically to stop the flood, her fingers smothered, his amber top crimson.
Judd was panting, his hand still shaking with adrenaline rushing through him from his strike. ‘That was meant for you.’ His glare focused on Scarlen, the end of her braid tucked into the waistband of his bottoms, proving he had been the one who had cut her hair while she was locked in the pillory.
Oxley’s breath was sporadic, the dagger terrifyingly deep within him, taking all it was designed for, and Scarlen could no longer see Judd, as her focus was on the man who had always been so kind to her. The man who made everyone laugh, was everyone’s friend. He didn’t deserve to die.
‘Speak to me, Ox. How can I help you?’
His warm smile still held strength as all else faded. ‘Take care of Bear.’
‘You take care of him. Fight this and see him again. See everyone.’ Her words were useless, but her mind was scrambled, and she didn’t know what to say.
‘He cares for you like I’ve not seen before,’ he spluttered. ‘Care for him. Love him as I have.’ Obsidian eyes watered as they fluttered, his hand reaching for hers but lacking the energy to make it all the way, so she grabbed it, trying for comfort, hoping someone would arrive soon to take away his pain.
Muffled footsteps came, then silence, as the other inmates gathered in the clearing for a drink before noticing who had fallen, and all heads dipped in sorrow at once before scowls turned on Judd.
‘He was going to hang soon anyway,’ Judd told the sea of eyes judging him. ‘I did him a favour.’ But his gaunt face told a different story as the scorch of malice changed to the taste of dread. Everyone knew of the storm coming. War with the Flames was one thing, but he’d killed a Rebel. His imminent death was in Bear’s hands. It was just a matter of when.
Scarlen huddled Oxley into her, rocking him like she used to sway her little sister to sleep on the nights Lancen wouldhave nightmares. ‘Stay awake, Ox,’ she whispered, knowing he wouldn’t. Couldn’t. No one was coming to save him, and she had never felt so helpless. ‘Please. Please,’ she cried softly, brushing his locks from his sweat-filled brow as life in his face faded.
Warm blood leaked over her fingers curled with his as his wound pumped more from his body. His heart slowing, his eyes closing, his breath fading. There was his easy-going smile within his last look, cast just above her shoulder, and she wished she knew what he was seeing. An angel, she hoped. One as bright and beautiful as him.
‘Mother,’ he whispered, his one word stealing Scarlen’s heartbeat.
