Folding his linen napkin neatly, Tanas placed it next to his goblet. Pushing gently back from the table, he stood gracefully. Dark eyes locked onto hers. Long fingers smoothly buttoned the top button and brushed down his coat.

  Amari followed his meticulous movements with her eyes. Muscles pulled taunt as he slowly stepped around the table behind her. The air seemed to boil as he stepped close.

  “We will see what happens next.” A heated whisper broke against her ear. Tanas pulled out Amari’s chair as he straightened above her.

  Amari stood timidly. Gently placing her napkin next to her plate, Amari turned to face him. Her eyes scanned his face. Fathomless darkness within his eyes revealed as much as his unruffled expression. Amari fought the bile rising within her as the smell thickly permeated the air around him. A minute nod of her head, she stepped away from the table.

  With a sweep of his arm, Tanas slightly bowed as he beckoned to the doors. Drip by drip, the doors soundlessly melted like liquefied shadows into the ground.

  Amari stood tall stepping gingerly but gracefully towards the opening. The feel of the fur under her feet shifted like sand under her steps.

  Everything within her wanted to run to escape the oppressive heat. To rid herself of the stench as it seemed to crawl within her as it searched for a way into her bones.

  Slow breath, Amari crossed the threshold to an empty, still hall. Heart thumping in her ears, Amari tentatively stepped forward. Hazy orangish-red covered her vision like a sepia photograph punctuated with inky black lines growing up the walls. Fear itched at her muscles urging them to sprint ahead. Training strained to gather information over her ragged breathing and thundering heart. Heel toe, she slowly inched forward. Peeking around the corner, she saw nothing.

  Her brows pinched together. Back over her shoulder, the wide opening faded into pure black. She mumbled to herself… remember. Two r's. Two rights. Reversing the directions, Amari hoped no funny fae business changed the layout. This would be far easier if she had thread like Theseus. Her eyes darted around as she carefully avoided each dripping tendril snaking along the floor and walls.

  Faint voices floated from around the bend. Discipline locked each muscle in place. Amari willed her mind to make sense of the unintelligible syllables. The distinct sound of flesh connecting with flesh propelled her around the corner.

  “Amari, get out of here!” Benjamin leaned out as he ducked under another swing. Peering around the thick, muscular torso his desperate eyes pleaded. Wrinkled grey skin rippled on taunt thick muscles as arms like a hairless gorilla swung wide and audibly cracked a rib.

  “What are you doing here?” Amari leapt forward. Strength surging into her limbs, she landed a punch to the back of the grey monstrosity’s neck. Nimbly she landed on her feet to the side as she straightened, bottomless black holes swung around to fixate on her from a twisted gaunt face. Settling back on her feet, she ducked the long filthy nails that cracked the walls with the sound of splintered wood.

  “I believe my father is right, that power should be shared, but it's you.” Benjamin punched up into the lower back of the looming, hunched creature. Huffing, he grappled with the creature, his half-form’s claws digging into the mottled flesh like living granite bleeding an oozy gray paste. “You will always be my Kriptonite.”

  “No!” Amari screamed as her heart lurched as Benjamin flew in an arc down the hall. Another sickening crunch mixed with nauseating groans. Slick, ichor coated her hands as she felt her claws press out of her fingers. Dug into the smooth floor, she was drawn about. Firmly between Benjamin and the creature, her knees and toes arched ready to lunge. A low gnarl built in her chest.

  Long sharp nails drug slowly along the walls leaving deep gashes. With each step the creature grew, inky tendrils leaving ichor stark against the gray. A manic grin pulled at its lips, widening the face impossibly. Thin, needle teeth spread as its jaw opened straight down.

  Amari felt fingers tangle with her scrub pants. Instinct warred and lost against empathy. Her eyes drew back to Benjamin.

  “Share your power, I can help. Please.” Benjamin’s lips misted red.

  “It’s not mine to give.” As the words left Amari’s lips, the floor opened. She lunged, her fingers brushing his as he disappeared into the darkness. “NO!”

  Tears weighed down her lashes. Her breath came in rippled fragments. Turning, the hall was empty. Slowly standing, she backed down the hall. Drops hit her cheek, as she entered the edge of the forest in her mind. Her voice surged through the branches. “RUAC!”

  “I’m here.” A moderate call answered back.

  Two simple words, Amari squeezed her fists. Part of her focused on the forest, the other returned to the labyrinth. Her mnemonic device rattled in her mind. She rushed to the right. Stopping dead, her feet slid on the ichor.

  Max hung upside-down from the large pincer claw of a brownish furry creature. Six long antennas waved through the air. Four flat slits opened and sniffed the air. Jagged teeth dripped liquid to the ground where it bubbled and sizzled.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  “Max?” Amari tilted her head trying to right her brother in her vision. “What are you doing here?”

  “Hey, sis. I’m just hanging around waiting for you.” In the most Max-like fashion, he chuckled at his own joke despite the trail of blood matting his hair as it dripped from his ear.

  “Are the others with you?” Amari squeezed the words out of her throat around her heart.

  “You thought we wouldn’t find you?” Max crossed his arms, slightly swaying under the arm of the creature.

  Amari rolled her eyes. Claws out, she rushed forward. One quick swipe, her claws sliced through the muscles at the elbow.

  A gargling screech, the creature whirled around, squelching with each foot fall. Its limp claw swung wide like a wrecking ball into her chest.

  Stars burst across her sight as the pain blossomed on her head and shoulders. Sliding down the wall, Amari dropped to one knee. Hand braced on her thigh, she struggled to fill her lungs. Choking gasps, Amari blinked her eyes begging them to focus. A crumpled mass lay at the creature's taloned feet covered in black ichor. “Stick with me Max. The floor will get you too.”

  A mumbled groan. Amari lunged, darkness blurring the edge of her vision. Wildly she swung at the creature. Her claws caught against skin and exoskeleton. Fear and fury in equal measure fueled her attack.

  Another mumbled groan, Amari dared a look. Max lay perfectly still. Amari turned back in time to see the claw fall away from her vision to be replaced with the red ornately paneled ceiling and then darkness.

  “Get up.” Elias’s voice called.

  Amari blinked in confusion as Elias’s concerned face came into focus above her. “Where’s Max?”

  “Not here.” Elias frowned. His hand clasped hers with desperation.

  “What?” Amari shot up, her head rolled with the wave crashing through her mind. Looking in either direction, there was no evidence of anything beyond them. Amari violently pointed her palm. “HE was right here.”

  Elias shrugged. Fear and sadness pulled at his face. “I found you out cold. No one else was here.”

  “Help me up.” Amari bit back a groan as her body protested the change in altitude. The strength of Elias’s hands on her arm helped the world stay rightside up. “Where are the others?”

  Elias opened his mouth. His eyes went wide. “AH!”

  Amari grabbed his arm and held on tight. A tight green vine around his shin pulled him mostly horizontal. “Hold on. I’ve got you.”

  Amari closed her eyes. The wind grew louder in her forest. Muted encouragement cut through the wind bringing with it a modicum of strength. Lurching forward, Amari stared into Elias’s eyes. The strength moved from her forest into the rest of her. Pulling back, she moved her grip up to hold Elias’s upper arm.

  “Don’t let go.” Elias’s voice pleaded. Pain twisted his face.

  “Promise.” Amari felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth. Green moved at the periphery of her vision.

  A writhing mass of green vines filled the space behind Elias. Bright orange eyes bore into her from the tangled mess of thorns and leaves. Her eyes drifted down, the bright green faded into black.

  Strong fingers pulled and pinched at the skin of her biceps. Amari barely noticed. Locking her elbows, she held firm in this nerve wracking tug of war. Her mind scrambled to figure out how to free Elias and fight the monster without losing her grip. Her eyes darted from the vines inching further up Elias’s legs to the blank walls.

  “Let me go.” Elias’s strained whisper barely filled the space between them.

  “What?” Amari’s face snapped to Elias’s on her left. Gloopy splats stopped behind her. She searched his eyes. The subtle nod and look of determination sank her heart. There was only one person her family would not make her choose sacrifice over saving them. A strangled small voice cracked over her lips. “No.”

  “Save her.”

  Amari felt Elias’s grip loosen. Her own fingers slipped down his arms. She shook her head. Eyes burning with her throat, she fell back as the viney creature dragged Elias down the hall.

  Spinning to her hands and feet, Amari brushed the back of one hand against her cheeks. A large viscous black gelatinous mound held Nova pinned to its chest. Terrified eyes peered over a vein muting her voice.

  Amari sprang forward. Every muscle and joint screaming with exhaustion as she called on the last bit of strength she had. Arms reached out blocking her path. Swiping, she scraped away globs. Each made a sloppy slap as it hit the walls and ground. Between the undulating masses, Amari watched as Nova sank further and further into the darkness.

  With reckless abandon, Amari fought, chunks flew with each swing. Her eyes never left Nova’s. Foot by foot, Amari pushed in closer. Ice gripped her heart and thundered through her system. Amari reached out her hand.

  “Please no!” The cry sprang from her breaking heart. She clawed at the darkness of its chest where Nova disappeared. A low, dark chuckle bubbled from around her as she continued to claw and rip long after the blackness melted into the ichor vines of the floors and walls. Slamming her fists against the floor, Amari’s sobs wracked her whole body.

  Closing her eyes, the winds whipped around her like a hurricane. Voices began calling out from the winds.

  “Why didn’t you share your power?” Benjamin’s blurry face pulled forward from the torrent.

  “You could have saved me.” Max’s laughter was gone, his face full of disappointment and regret.

  “You had the strength, the gifts. You hid them away. Why?” Elias’s soft admonishment barely heard above the din of the winds. His face pinched with sad curiosity.

  “Mom? You said always. Always would you save me. Why couldn’t you share your strength?” Nova’s tear streaked eyes. Bore into Amari cracking her heart open more.

  They swirled in and out of the winds. Their voices were loud and accusing. They blocked out everything, every trunk, branch, and leaf. Nothing of her peaceful forest remained. Amari curled up on her side. Tears leaving tracks across the bridge of her nose and into her hair. The cold hard dirt felt right. She failed them, she kept the truth from them.