The Hunchback's Reluctant Bride ✔

32 | Maze

Wyrn jumped out into the path to find...nothing and no one. Looking left gave him a narrow view of the mouth of a maze. Right was no better.

A hand held his shoulder and he jumped away, turning with his knife drawn. The sight of his brother, Shaza cowering behind, calmed him.

Bonn wasn't pleased with his findings.

"Wyrn?" Mother's voice called. "Where have you gone? You'll be lost in here."

As soon as Wyrn opened his mouth to answer, Bonn's hand stopped him from making a sound. His brother kept his firm hold until Mother's voice grew distant.

When she was gone, Wyrn lost all hope. He shoved Bonn back finally.

"Are you mad! Now what will we do?"

Bonn hesitated then clutched Shaza's left hand and said, "Succubus hearing. We cannot follow Mother. She doesn't want to find your woman."

Wyrn stepped back, taking insult. His eyes drifted from his brother's miserable frown to land on the succubus in question.

"Since when do you trust her?" Wyrn demanded.

Bonn let out a weak sigh. "Since I've come to realize I haven't been fair to her." His voice held affection when he tugged her close.

Never had Wyrn imagined a succubus could be embarrassed but she was bashful in Bonn's embrace.

"And ever since she's been making me privy to some things." Bonn pulled Shaza closer when he took a deep breath and told Wyrn, "Mother let the prince go."

Wyrn broke in two. He imagined a hammer brought against his manifested frame.

The shock evaporated, allowing him to pull himself back together again but Bonn stopped him from reaching for Shaza's throat.

"She speaks the truth," Bonn shouted. "Look at us. Look where we are!"

"You.... What sort of son are you?"

Bonn let out a sigh. "My wife's habit comes with pleasing others. That's all she knows because that's the very basic nature of a succubus, extracting praise any way they can. The most basic is through cardinal means. I was resentful, especially since Dalin had been a virgin. I am to blame for much but there is one thing you need to understand, Shaza's never lied to me. What gives me pleasure is knowing what she's been up to, so she tells me. And I believe her."

"Why? Why would Mother do such a thing?"

All eyes fell to Shaza who kept her head hung. "I do not know, but what I do know of her will get me injured. So I beg that you don't ask it."

Wyrn turned on her, but Bonn reminded him, "We're losing time."

They'd lost time. Wyrn meant to argue that with fate so steadily against this rescue, he'd decided to give up.

"It says go right," Shaza whispered.

"What?" Wyrn waited and looked down to where she pointed. The fairy.

Hand clutching the jar in seconds, Wyrn said a silent thank you. He started to run, and Bonn followed.

Five minutes later, they emerged from the maze, their mother thoroughly vindicated. Their family was nowhere in sight, but a black tower stood before them.

Wyrn scanned the darkened brick. A part of him wanted to examine it closely—there was something familiar about it. But he hadn't the time.

They entered the archway and took the steps two by two.

What they emerged to find was even more amazing than he'd imagined.

The throne room held no chair, instead, it had a pool filled by the massive waterfall outside. They could see the blue-gray sky in all directions but that of the water.