Free Labyrinth Wall (9780991531219) by James (EDT) Nicole (EDT); Allen Emilyann; Zoltack Girder Page A

kill you and all the Mahk.” There haven’t been any Mahk bodies yet, but we’re also far off from the most populated area of the labyrinth.
    Suddenly it occurs to me that almost everyone is likely dead because of me. Despite the lengths I’ve gone not to kill anyone, I managed to take out almost all of the Mahk as a result of my curiosity, my rebellion. I might not be particularly proud to be a Mahk, but I hadn’t wished them all dead, at least not at my own hands.
     

 
    Chapter 9
The Rotting Pass
     

     
    Blue could even be dead by now. Sickness writhes in my core, like parasites eating away at my perseverance. My body moves through the maze of hazardous objects, but my spirit is trapped.
    Rase struts beside me, knowing we won’t hurt her. It’s tempting to leave her strapped around a tree to die. She’s so irritating, she and every other Creator.
    Commotion sounds behind us in the distance. Korun seems to pick up on the noises as well. We both whirl around in sync to observe their origin.
    Fifteen Creator guards are advancing on foot in our direction. By this time, they’ve seen us for certain.
    “Let’s see…” Korun looks at me inquisitively. “Now what?”
    “Now we run!”
    Korun takes Rase, his strength making it easier to force her along.
    I bolt swiftly but find myself hanging back for Korun and Rase. She refuses to make this simple for us.
    I’m problem solving intensely as the guards gain on us. They’re probably a quarter of a mile away.
    Korun finally catches up to me. “We aren’t going…to make it,” he says hoarsely, trying to catch his breath.
    “No, I agree. We can’t outrun them like this.” My finger points a different direction from our initial route. “We need to head for the Rotting Pass!”
    “Rotting Pass?” he repeats nervously. “Doesn’t sound good.”
    “You’re mad!” Rase’s lip curls. “The Creators don’t even venture there.”
    “Exactly,” I respond, “it’s our only chance to lose them. Come on.” I motion again down the newly selected passageway.
    The guards are drawing nearer. Their arrows speed through the air.
    Grabbing Rase’s other arm, I help Korun drag her as we run for our lives.
    I’ve never actually gone through the pass before. Rase is right to be scared of the place. Still, we stand a better chance of survival there than in the hands of the Creators. Fortunately, we make a couple turns so the walls provide cover from the guards’ deadly arrows.
    “We’re almost there,” I tell Korun. The foggy path beneath towering canopy trees comes into view. “There!” I point.
    He nods. He must have a million questions, but he refrains.
    We converge with the dark overgrown valley of decay. “Stay behind me,” I tell him. “There are things to look out for in this place. Be careful.”
    “That was my plan. Think you’ve got this figured out better than me.”
    We all take in the maze of giant tree roots along the ground entering the Rotting Pass. Attempting to maintain our speed, I navigate the roots smoothly, sometimes having to leap across them. Korun doesn’t stray from the path my footprints create. Upon our entry, even Rase is cooperating. That’s in her best interest. Now that we have dragged her into this death trap, she’ll have to work with us to survive.
    The guards have let up on the shooting now, probably due to the large trees protecting us from their view. They laugh as we work our way deeper in this place.
    “We’ll keep guard here, but they aren’t going to make it out anyway.”
    “Can you believe how stupid the Mahk are?” another chimes in. “Intentionally running into the Rotting Pass. They’ll never make it out.”
    They’re all so smug and proud. At least our impending deaths can be of entertainment to someone .
    “Looks like they’re not coming in after us,” I tell Korun and Rase. “For that matter, I think we’re far enough they can’t shoot at us.”
    “It does look that way,” Korun