Zaid shakes his head. “No…but I’ve heard about this before. It’s a popular trial of Athena.”
“Okay, this is easy.” I step around Rafe, a bright smile on my face.
“Thea…” Everett’s voice is a low growl.
I wave him away. “I got this.” Turning to the statues, I wave. “Hello. Which pathway do we need to take to get to the center of the maze and Athena?”
The marble woman shifts her veiled face towards me, the sound of rock grinding against rock permeating the air.
“The door to the left is the one you would want to take. But be careful—we are not the only threats you’ll need to face.” Her voice is soft and lyrical, a startling contrast to her appearance.
The bronze statue shifts slightly. “The door to the right leads to the center of the maze. Athena will be waiting there.”
His voice is raspy though not harsh.
“If I were to ask the other statue which door to take, what would they say?” I ask, popping my hip out and feeling immensely satisfied with my own cleverness.
Zaid turns to smile at me, pride glimmering in his dark eyes.
Yeah. Take that, Everett. Suck it. I’m so fucking smart.
“They would tell you to take the right passageway, because they lie,” the woman statue says. “Thus, you must take the left.”
The bronze statue exclaims, “They would say to take the right door. But of course, you already knew that.”
I whirl towards the others, smiling brightly. It takes considerable effort not to fist pump the air and scream, “I told you so,” to Everett at the top of my lungs. As it is, when I see begrudging respect in his eyes, heat rushes through my veins.
“Left passageway it is, then,” Krystian says, moving in that direction.
But I remain where I am as something occurs to me.
“Will we find the answers we seek once we reach the center of the maze?” I ask tentatively, keeping my attention fixed on the marble statue.
“You will find answers, but they may not be the ones you’re looking for,” she answers.
“You will receive no answers and only be left with more questions,” the bronze statue says.
Then, there’s a loud creaking sound, and I watch in riveted fascination as the statutes resume their previous positions. The bronze statue’s head lowers, and the marble statue once again grabs at her skirts.
They don’t move again.
“Woah,” I breathe, struck by the sheer brilliance of Athena’s creation.
“Come on, sweetheart.” Zaid’s fingers interlock with my own, and he pulls me towards the passageway. “We need to get moving.”
I take a deep breath, bolstering myself, and then shoot one last glance over my shoulder at the statues. I can’t help but think that their existence is…sad. Their entire purpose revolves around Athena and this maze. Do they have feelings? Wants? Desires? Or are they simply pawns in this game?
Maybe I can’t stop thinking about them because I relate to them. I, too, am a tool for someone else to use. Until I met the guys, I was virtually the same as them—frozen, only coming to life when I was needed.
I turn away from the statues, albeit reluctantly, and hurry after the others, Zaid’s hand still curled around my own.
I just hope my story ends better than theirs did in mine.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
RAFAEL
Nobody has ever asked me about my past before, about my family. Granted, the only people I can stand spending time with are the guys—and they already know everything about me—but it’s the thought that counts.
