chapter thirteen

The cell was hot and smelled like sweat and ale. It didn't take long to figure out why. The jailkeepers apparently offered the prisoners with labyrinth sentences a final pint of ale to drink to wash down their woes before descending the cave. Thea politely declined.

What she couldn't get out of, however, was the dress code. All those who entered the labyrinth were required to wear a bright shade of crimson. Rumor had it that the beast wandering the maze was attracted to the color, so it ensured the prisoners would be dealt with efficiently. Others rumored that the blood-red color was meant to strike fear into the hearts of any onlookers, reminding them why they should never dare defy the divine ones or royals.

It was rare for women to be sent into the labyrinth, so it took a little time for them to find a dress in Thea's size that matched the required shade of red. The gown was simple, with a long skirt, sleeves that stopped at her forearm, and a modest neckline. A piece of black cord was tied around the waist, giving the dress a vague shape. The leather bands she used to tie back her hair were confiscated, along with her shoes and other personal belongings. She kept her dark hair tucked behind her ears, the soft waves curling around her face from the heat in the cell.

The night was long, and she didn't remember sleeping any, but she did remember the feeling of safety that came from sleeping behind an iron door. That was the last night of security she would ever have. Once the labyrinth gates were opened, Thea could kiss any sense of safety goodbye.

Yet she was ready.

She didn't want to go into the labyrinth. She knew what horrors awaited her. But she was proud of her choice. It was a choice that she made, and not one that someone blackmailed her into choosing. Her sisters would be safe from any further manipulation from Ceyden, and her father had already been set free. Her life was a small price to pay for her family's freedom. She just hoped that one day they would forgive her for leaving them behind. She hoped she really could visit them in the roses once the labyrinth took her life. No one could ever help but smile when looking at a perfect rose.

"Aynna," the guard called through the bars, shocking Thea upright from the straw-covered bench she'd used as a bed. "You have a visitor. Keep it brief."

"A visitor?" Thea tilted her head. "I don't understand. I thought labyrinth-bound prisoners weren't permitted visitors."

The guard didn't respond, he just stuffed the key into the lock and clicked the door open. When it swung to the side, Thea understood why this visitor had been permitted to break the rules. He had a nasty habit of always finding her, no matter where she hid.

"Hello, Theabelle," Ceyden said in a cracked voice that was a far cry from his usual cockiness.

"What are you doing here, Ceyden?" Thea spat with a fold of her arms. He had some nerve showing his face to her now. "The verdict has been made, and not even you can change my sentence now. Did you just come to gloat about how I'm going to die for refusing you? Well, save it, because I—"

"I came to apologize, Thea," Ceyden interrupted, his voice sharp and tense like he was biting back pain at the same time. Thea's jaw dropped, her head spinning as she tried to imagine how the word apologize could possibly come out of a Ceyden-shaped mouth. "I'm sorry... for all of this."

Am... am I already dead?

"Pardon?"

"Don't make me say it again," Ceyden said, finally sounding a bit like the Ceyden she knew. He groaned, pressing his thumbs to his brows as he took a moment to collect himself. "Look, I know things went too far. I shouldn't have accused your father of the things I did, and I shouldn't have pressured you so hard into marrying me, but I won't apologize for loving you, Thea."

Loving me?

"You never loved me, Ceyden." Thea shook her head. "People don't blackmail the ones they love."

"Well, what else was I meant to do!?" Ceyden snapped, his fists clenched to his sides, and for a moment, Thea could have sworn his eyes were misty. "What could I have possibly done to make you mine, Thea? I tried everything , yet even after my attempts, you chose death over me!"

"I chose freedom ," Thea said sternly. "That wasn't something you could offer me, Ceyden."

"You don't know that."

"And I never will." Thea folded her arms, her heart pattering behind them like a caged hummingbird. "You chose to corner me, and I chose my only way out. What's done is done, Ceyden. Whether you loved me or not, you will never have me. My life belongs to the labyrinth now. No more second chances."

No more anything...

Ceyden gnawed his lip, his eyes dark and thoughtful as he glanced back at the prison door, ensuring the guard was out of earshot. When he looked back, his eyes were glowing. He was searching for them or someone else. When he seemed content with the distance of their whereabouts, he let out a long sigh.

"What if you did have a second chance, Thea? Would you take it?" he asked with an intense stare.

A second chance?

Thea narrowed her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about a way out of the labyrinth."

Thea's breath caught in her throat, and the fluttering in her chest went quiet. A way out of the labyrinth? But such a thing couldn't exist. That would defeat the entire purpose of the maze being used as a prison. Is this some sort of trick to get revenge?

"Ceyden, I..."

"If you could escape the labyrinth," Ceyden continued, his eyes still glowing as he checked over his shoulder, "would you finally agree to marry me?"

"Marry you? Ceyden, what are you getting at?"

He stepped forward, and to Thea's surprise, he took her by the hands. His grip was cold and clammy compared to the warmth her skin had absorbed from the cell, and her skin still crawled whenever he touched her.

"I know it was wrong of me to blackmail you, Thea. I'm sorry about that. I'm sorry I put you in this position." Ceyden tightened his grip on her hands. "I couldn't sleep last night thinking about you in the labyrinth, so I used my gift to look for something instead."

"F-for what?"

"A key," Ceyden continued, his voice growing hushed. "I wasn't even sure one existed, but the more I pushed my magic, the closer I got to finding one until..." He released one of Thea's hands, reaching into the inner pocket of his coat until he pulled out a bright red rose. "This."

"A flower?" Thea blinked. It was certainly a beautiful bloom. The petals were a rich red, and the bloom was as full as a stem could physically support. The dark green leaves contrasted with the bright petals that almost seemed to catch the light in the same way Ceyden's eyes did.

"The key," Ceyden claimed. "I found it hidden in my father's study. If my magic is right, it's the key to the labyrinth, and potentially your chance to escape it."

Escape the labyrinth? Is that even possible?

Thea studied the flower closer, narrowing her eyes on the shiny petals. The petals weren't just reflective; they were sparkling with magic... Whatever this rose was, it was somehow infused with power.

"I... I don't understand. How can a rose be the key to escaping a maze?" Thea asked.

"I have no idea," Ceyden shook his head, "but I'm hoping it will make more sense once you're inside the labyrinth. I know I placed you in this position, Thea, but this is my chance to pull you out of it. I'm sorry I was cruel, but I only did it because I needed you in my life. I still need you in my life."

He pressed the rose into her palm, and her skin sparked as the stem made contact. This was absurd. How could an enchanted rose ever free her from the all-powerful labyrinth?

It couldn't.

Thea looked up at Ceyden, wondering if he'd confused his magic with false hope as one final attempt to have her as his bride. It was sad, really. He still hadn't accepted that she was lost to him. That was fine, though. This gave her one final chance to bargain.

"How about I make you a deal," Thea said, her fingers still latched around the rose but not fully pulling it from Ceyden's grip yet. "I'll take the rose and make every effort to escape the labyrinth. But I will only marry you on one condition."

Ceyden nodded before Thea even said anything. "Name it."

"You must swear to provide for my family the moment I step through the gates," Thea said with a bold lift of her chin. "Even if I never escape, you must see that they never go cold or hungry. If I do escape and find that they are well cared for upon my return, then I'll marry you. If not, then my escape will mean nothing to you."

Thea swallowed hard. Never in her life did she think she would agree to any terms that involved a marriage with Ceyden, but she also had no doubt that she would perish in the labyrinth. This would ensure her death wouldn't leave her family with nothing.

"I agree to your terms," Ceyden said as he pulled his grip away from the rose, leaving it in her palm. "But you must swear to try every way possible to escape. Don't leave me, Thea. Use the rose and find your way back to me."

He shifted forward, closing the distance between them so their faces were only inches apart. Thea didn't love the way his breathing sounded or the way his eyes were so close they were blurry, but he needed to believe she could fight her way back to him. This was the final gift she could bestow upon her family.

"I swear," Thea whispered as she tucked the rose safely inside her sleeve where it would be hidden .

"Good," Ceyden said softly, brushing his fingers along Thea's cheek, causing a cold shiver to run across her skin. "Then let's seal our promise."

He pulled her chin to his, brushing their lips in a sloppy kiss that squirmed against Thea's mouth. She shut her eyes and counted to five before pulling back, trying to avoid a shudder as he matched her eyes one final time. Fortunately, he didn't force her to do any more than the simple peck, though she could tell he longed for more. At least he had some respect for boundaries.

The guard clicked the lock back open, and the door swung into the cell with a loud screech. "Time's up," the guard said stiffly. "It's time for the girl to go."

Go...

Ceyden tightened his grip on Thea's hand, and she gave it a reassuring squeeze back so he would let her go. She stepped in front of him, facing the guard with a steady breath as she held out her hands to be shackled.

"I'm ready."