The Trials

Chapter Nine

The maze was much bigger once we approached the opening than what it looked like high up in the trees. Before even stepping through, I could feel a heaviness that I couldn’t quite explain. It settled in my chest as if giving me some sort of warning for what was to come. As much as I didn’t want to go through the maze, I knew there wasn’t another way around.

Our lives were a game to Erik. However, the one thing that Erik wasn’t counting on was the fact that someone would make it out alive to tell everyone back home all about Erik’s plans. It wouldn’t be easy convincing everyone which is why I knew I would need someone by my side other than Karoline when I returned. I would need Adan. I hated to involve him in this, but I didn’t have much of a choice. Karoline was here with me and could back up my claims and Adan would follow me anywhere. It was a small army I was gathering but by the time I was finished, Erik wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.

Karoline turned to me and grabbed my hand. “I have a bad feeling about this, Riven. Are you sure there isn’t another way around it?”

I knew exactly what she was talking about, but we were so close that I could taste it. “No. We have made it this far for a reason, Karoline. If we stopped to look for another way around, we would have to spend another night at least in this place. I’m not sure about you, but I would love to get back to my family.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“What’s wrong?” I asked, sensing the pain in her voice.

She shrugged and gave me a not-so-convincing smile. “My family back home is great, don’t get me wrong, but they aren’t like you. They don’t care for me in the same way that you do. You have shown me more love and care in the last few days than I’ve ever received from my family. I’m only here to fight for them because I do not wish to see harm come to them but calling them my family is a far stretch. I’m the black sheep of my family and my other siblings are angels in the eyes of my parents because I’m just a child they took in, not biologically theirs.”

I squeezed her hand. “Tell me more.”

“Erik said the same as you that my father was slaughtered by the enemy, but I’ve never believed that for a second. He was the only blood family that I had left and after his death, a family in my community took me in and raised me as their own. As selfless as I thought it was at the time, the older I grew up the more information I learned. They didn’t take me in out of the kindness of their hearts. In my community, the more children you have, the more benefits you receive from Erik including food and clothing. They never once gave me any of that food they so graciously receive from Erik each month. I get scrapes while my brothers and sisters get their bellies full every day. It’s hell there, Riven. Sometimes I wonder to myself if it would be better to die in this place. At least I would be at peace, no longer wondering if I would starve to death.”

“Hey,” I said a little harshly. I took a deep breath and calmed my voice. “Don’t say things like that. You’re the only one around here that I found that can actually stand me. That means more to me than you know. You’re such a great person, Karoline, with so much to offer. I’ll tell you what. If we make it out of this alive, you have a place in my home with your name on it. My mother would be happy to have you stay with us.”

Her eyes lit up excitedly. “Really?” I nodded and she jumped into my arms again. “Thank you, Riven. I can’t wait to meet your mother and see what your home is like.”

We took each other’s hand and walked into the maze together. If something sinister lurked inside, it would have to rip us apart from each other. I pulled out the weapon that Dorian had given me. It didn’t hurt to prepare for the worst.

Wrong turn after wrong turn, we began to get agitated. “Is there even a way out of this place?” I asked in frustration. “It seems like we have been going around in circles for hours.”

“I can climb the vines to see a clear path,” Karoline suggested.

I shook my head. “Bad idea. We have no idea what is inside this place. What if by climbing those vines, you make yourself known to it? I won’t lose you, Karoline.”

As if my words brought life into her, she smiled. “It’s okay. Remember that I have got you now to help protect me. Just keep a close watch and listen for anything unusual. Yell up to me if you see or hear something. I’m a great climber, remember? I’ll be able to get down to you before you can count to five.”

Without waiting for me to answer her, she took off up the vine behind us. The minute that she touched the vines, it felt like something awakened deep in the maze. I couldn’t hear anything before, but I could begin to hear screeching sounds along with what sounded like feet pattering quickly against a hard surface. I wanted to tell Karoline, but I thought it was best not to worry her. The sounds weren’t close, so we had enough time to check for a clear path and get the hell out of there.

I waited for her to get to the top and once she did, she surveyed the area for a few minutes. When she nodded and began climbing back down, I could hear the noises getting closer.

“Karoline! We have to go, now!”

She dropped down by my feet and picked up my bag alongside hers. “You protect with that weapon, and I’ll carry our things and get us the hell out of here. Follow me!”

Quickly dashing off to the right, I followed closely beside her, keeping an eye on our surroundings. Nothing had made itself known to us until we could clearly see the way out. There were three giant animals, resembling some type of cat blocking our way out the other side. They noticed us but didn’t move, not yet.

“What do we do?” Karoline whispered. “You can’t take them all on with that thing. We won’t both make it out alive.”

I could see the panic in her eyes, but I was trying to stay calm for the both of us, even though my heart was racing faster than it was when that creature attacked me. What could I do here? If I attacked face-on, I would no doubt be killed. If Karoline and I both tried, we would both be killed. It wasn’t like we could run through them or even run around them.

Karoline looked petrified. “Well?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. I know what I’m about to say is going to be crazy but at least one of us has to make it out of this place. This isn’t going to make any sense to you but knows that this so-called enemy didn’t kill our fathers. It was Erik who slaughtered them and everyone in our communities should know about it. I need to hide in those vines and wait until I have led them away. I’ll make sure they all follow me and when they do, make a run for the exit. Just promise me that you will make it your mission to bring down Erik once and for all.”

“No, Riven. This would be the second time you have sacrificed yourself to save me. It’s noble really but if anyone should make it out of here alive, it’s you. You have a much bigger story to tell than I ever could. People out there will listen to you because you have the voice to make them listen. I’m a nobody. No one is going to stand by my side and hear what I have to say.” She took a deep breath, closed her eyes tightly before opening them again. “You can hide, and I’ll lead them away.”

Before I could argue with her, Karoline pushed me into the vines to cover my body, making me drop my weapon. She dropped the bags and quickly picked them up and raced over to the beasts waving her hands in the air while screaming. Just like I assumed they would, they all took off as fast as lightning after her. Karoline looked back at me one last time before she disappeared into the maze.

With tears in my eyes, I quickly picked up the bags and raced for the exit like a coward. I prided myself on always taking the hardest path there was because that’s how my father taught me. Instead of running for freedom out of this horrid place, I should have run after Karoline, but I knew she would hate me for it. So, I ran as fast as I could out of the maze and up the hill.

I’m not sure how long I was running before my knees gave out and I collapsed on the ground. All I knew was that I was closer to Erik’s mansion. I had to keep pushing, but before I could get to my feet, one of Erik’s soldier’s trucks pulled up.

“No way!” I heard him say. “Your Riven!” He laughed. “I f*****g knew it! Wait until they see you.” He picked me up and threw me into the back of his truck and drove away.

In the back of the truck, I could see the outline of the maze and I began to cry. Now that I had made it out and realized that I had left behind the only friend that I’ve ever known besides Adan, I cried so hard that it hurt. Karoline was so sweet, so fragile that I knew she would never make it out of that place alive. Even though all seemed lost, I prayed for her right there in the back of that truck like my father had shown me, praying that she made it out alive.