Chapter 10

Feyre

I swore as I dug through the creature's body, getting its bones so I could have some kind of weapon. I shouldn't have wasted my time crushing its head for as long as I did. I grabbed the sharpest bones I could find before rising and slipping a long one and a short one into my belt.

I jogged down the way I came before turning left. Exhaustion pulled on my senses and all I wanted to do was go to sleep. I turned again, glancing up at Jurian and Rhys. Despite the similarities between this maze and the last one, it was different. Jurian's play on my first trial was good, but he would never be able to truly recreate it. The first time I had no one. Not truly. Even if Rhys couldn't help me now I knew he was there for me. I was the only one fighting last time.

Wisps of darkness surrounded me, snapping me back to reality. I squinted as I continued to walk through the darkness, trying to find the source, when I heard cries echoing down the hall. Nyx's cries.

I started sprinting towards the cries, panic rising in my throat like bile, "Nyx!?"

I slid into a wall as I tried to turn a corner. I scrambled back to my feet, his cries beckoning me as my fear rose. How the fuck did Jurian get his hands on him? I turned again before seeing him.

His body curled into himself as his wings quivered, "Nyx!" he lifted his head, "Nyx. Come here," I fell to my knees, arms outstretched as he got to his feet and ran towards me.

He crashed into me, immediately turning into an ashy dust. I stifled a scream, "Nyx!?"

His dust swirled around me. I spun, crawling after it, "No. no no no Nyx."

I followed it as it settled around the area, blood splashing up onto my forearms as I continued to crawl forwards. A body was crumpled a couple feet in front of me, a male. Blood and pus oozed out of his shoulder blades as I grabbed his arm and flipped him to face me.

Rhys's eyes were shut, his lips whispering something I couldn't hear. I made a guttural sob as he opened his eyes. They were dull and glazed over, the flecks of stars gone, "Rhys? What happened?" his mouth opened and closed, trying to form words.

I leaned in closer, trying to make out what he was saying, "It's... It's…"

Tears pricked my eyes, "It's what?"

"It's your fault," he coughed, "It's your fault my wings were cut off."

I fell back, gasping, "Wha-What?"

His eyes drifted to my face, unfocused but full of anger, "You pushed me to come here. You said we had to keep contact with our only human ally," he softly scoffed, "Look where it got me."

I shook my head. No it couldn't be my fault. It was Jurian's fault, wasn't it? But I had pushed him to come; I told him just a couple days so we could meet.

Rhys shuddered as I grabbed his hand, "I'm sorry," I sniffled, "I didn't know this would happen."

My cheeks grew wet, "I love you," I leaned against his side, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Rhys. I love you," his chest stopped moving.

I shot up, shaking him, "Rhys? Rhys!" pressure erupted in my chest as I tried to find my breath, "Rhys!"

Grief ripped on me as I crawled backwards, eyes wide and unbelieving as I tried to feel for the bond that wasn't there. Silence surrounded me as the weight of what had just happened settled around me.

My screams filled the room as I shook him hard, screaming his name over and over as I tried to wake him up. To please wake up. My screams echoed off the walls as I held on to his body, sobbing as everything inside me teared into pieces.

vVv

I shuddered as my screams turned into shallow sobs. They had been healing him; it might have not been the best but he was alive. He should be alive. As his body grew cold I thought about my own death. We had made that bargain to die together, so why didn't I? I should've died when he died… meaning… he wasn't truly dead. This was a trick.

I sat up onto my knees and looked at him, breathing hard, and said, "You're not real," tears continued rolling down my cheeks.

I scooted back a little and narrowed my eyes, "You're a trick. An illusion. And you're not Rhys."

I swallowed as he started to shift, ever so slightly, and dissolve into the air. My quivered breathing filled the hall as the darkness disappeared, making way for light.

I rose shakily to my feet and hugged my arms around myself tightly as I started to walk slowly. I looked up towards the platform, letting out a cry of relief at the sight of Rhys, looking down at me with a mixture of rage and worry while Jurian just smuggly shifted his weight on his seat. I looked forwards again as I continued my shuffle down the hall.

vVv

I threw a look over my shoulder at the distant sound of footsteps. Quickening my pace as I turned the corner, trying to steady my breathing. The footsteps grew faster and louder. I broke into a run, gaining speed as I flew down the corridor.

The footsteps turned after me, growing faster. As I turned the next corner I looked at what was chasing me; three wolves sprinted down the hall, growling as they gained on me. They were bigger than normal, definitely bred for capturing and killing. The thought had me pushing myself harder.

One of them got close, snapping at my heels. I yelped as I groped for the long bone in my belt. My fingers wrapped around the handle and I pulled it out, spinning around before thrusting it into the wolf's head.

The wolf's carcass flew into me, knocking me off my feet. The other two wolves got closer as I tried to pull the bone out of the first's head. Giving up, I scrambled to my feet, trying to gain speed again.

They were no more than five feet behind me now. I risked a glance over my shoulder as one of them lept at me, I fumbled for my knife before unsheathing it and slashing out with it. The wolf whimpered as it made contact. I pushed deeper, impaling its throat before pulling it out. I couldn't afford to lose this bone too.

I dove around the corner as the impaled wolf hit the wall and stopped moving. Sweat poured down my hairline as I continued sprinting. I looked over my shoulder again as the final wolf lept towards me, giving me no time to react. A scream broke out of me as it slammed into me, sinking its claws into my back.

Stars burst in my vision as I realized the knife flew out of my hand. The wolf sank its claws deeper. I screamed as I whipped my head around, trying to get out from under it.

Where was the knife? Where? I spotted it, only a couple feet away, and reached my hand out, trying to grab it as blood started to pool around me.

My fingers brushed the handle once, twice, before I was able to wrap my hand around it. With a growl I blindly flung the knife behind me, feeling it make contact with the wolf's skin. It whined loudly as it backed up a few steps, dipping it's head and freeing me. I twisted, grinding my teeth at the blinding movement, and lunged towards the wolf before stabbing it again and again.

Only when it was still I struggled to my knees, my vision blurred as the room whirled. I reached my arm behind me and lightly felt the area the claws struck; I sobbed at the contact, but forced myself to apply pressure, trying but failing to stop the bleeding. I leaned against the wall, supporting myself as I forced myself to my feet. I needed to get out of this maze before I died.