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Thomas and Thalia scrambled to their feet, their breaths ragged, their eyes still locked onto the massive stone doors that had just sealed shut behind them.
Trapping them inside.
For the first time, the Maze felt real.
It was no longer just some unreachable, dangerous place they were warned about.
It was around them now, its towering walls stretching endlessly in every direction, the cold grip of night already settling in.
And then-
A pained groan pulled their attention away.
Alby lay crumpled on the ground, his head bleeding, his body eerily still.
Thomas took an uncertain step forward, eyes scanning the wound "What happened to him?"
Minho, standing over him, didn't even hesitate "What does it look like? He got stung."
Thalia's stomach tightened.
Her eyes flicked back to Alby's head, fresh blood seeping into the dirt beneath him.
"And what happened to his head?" she asked, her tone sharp.
Minho's face was hard, unreadable "I did what I had to do."
Before Thomas or Thalia could press for more-
A low, guttural growl rumbled through the air.
Deep. Inhuman. Close.
The Maze around them shifted.
Metal grinding against metal, the walls rearranging themselves, sealing off old pathways and opening new ones.
Thomas inhaled sharply, his gaze darting to Minho "Okay. Okay, help me get him up."
But Minho didn't move.
Instead, he stepped back, his expression twisted in frustration-or was it defeat?
And then-he turned and started walking away.
Thomas stared after him, disbelieving.
Thalia, already moving toward Alby, whirled on Minho "Minho! We can't just leave him here! We gotta get him up!"
Minho stopped, but he didn't turn.
Not right away.
When he finally did, his eyes were dark, tired, his voice cold and hollow "And then what?"
Thalia gritted her teeth "Hide him."
Minho let out a bitter laugh, throwing a hand toward their surroundings
"Take a look around, genius. There's nowhere to go!" His voice rose, frustration crackling beneath the surface "You don't get it. We're already dead."
