When the flames die down, Marigold releases her fist, and the clouds dissipate as suddenly as they appeared. She and Lottie find their breath together as they stare into each other’s eyes.
“Are you okay?”
Lottie nods. “What is happening?”
“I wish I could better explain. Something is strengthening my power beyond what I can control.”
Lottie moves her hand to hold the back of Marigold’s neck. She brings their noses together and says, “Must we stop now?”
Bewildered, she says, “After all that, you still do not want to stop? Lottie, if we keep going…” She runs her fingers through her hair and shakes her head. “It will destroy us both.”
“Isn’t it worth it?”
Marigold laughs, either in disbelief or excitement—even she is not sure. All she is sure of is that she doesn’t want to stop. She wants to be with Lottie, even if it means the rest of the world will burn away. It’s selfish, dangerous, but most of all, irresistible.
“You are worth everything I have,” she says as she leadsLottie farther into the maze, fighting her way through unexpected bends and corners until she can find the center. She needs to be alone with this girl, and they need a place where no one else will find them. There is no better hiding spot than the heart of a dark and twisted maze. Her legs tremble with exhaustion as she continues to run with Lottie, hand in hand. The sound of the fountain that marks the center of the maze trickles behind the hedge.
As soon as they turn this corner, the world will change. She pulls Lottie around the edge, ready to tear off her dress with her teeth if she must, but something catches her eye as soon as they stand in front of the fountain.
It appears they were not the only ones with the instinct to find secrecy in the maze’s heart.
Sitting on the rim of the fountain, with undone vests and masks cast aside, are Frankie and August, entangled in a wild kiss.
The sight of them pulls her out of this ridiculous daydream. She and Lottie will never be able to kiss like that again—not without Lottie suffering through more unimaginable pain. Despite Lottie’s willingness to brave that, Marigold cannot let her. It’s her job, her heart’s purpose, to keep Lottie safe, even if she is the most dangerous thing in the world for Lottie.
She takes a deep breath, thankful that seeing Frankie and August has brought her back to her senses.
“Hello there,” she says, startling the men so much that they both fall back into the fountain.
Marigold and Lottie cannot help but laugh. The way they both flail around in the water trying to stand themselves up is even funnier than the performance from the clown laureate when they first arrived.
When Frankie and August finally step out of the fountain and stand before them, they’re embarrassed and soaked through.
“We were just—” Frankie says, but he cannot find an excuse. He looks to August for help.
“Kissing!” August blurts out. Frankie slaps his palm to his forehead.
“What?” August says. “It’s okay. We’re soulmates.”
Frankie blushes, but he nods and stands next to August. “Just tell them everything, why don’t you?”
“Well, they saw us, love.”
“It’s true, we did see you,” Marigold says through her smile.
“Saw a lot more than we ever needed to see,” Lottie echoes. August gives her a knowing look.
“Caught without a chaperone in the maze garden, entangled in a passionate kiss? How scandalous, Frankie Claude. What will the papers have to say about you?” she teases.
“And what were you two heralds of virtue planning on doing out here? I know why Frankie and I are soaking wet, but what’s your excuse?” August asks breathlessly.
Marigold and Lottie look at each other with wide eyes. They both stumble over their responses and excuses, wringing out the rain from their hair, and August laughs. “That’s what I thought.”
“Wait,” Frankie says. “You two?” He points to Marigold and Lottie. “But what about”—he leans over to Marigold and ineffectively whispers—“what about the curse?”
Marigold grits her teeth. “You’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
And then, it’s over.
