his shoulder. “I stand outside. If someone want in, I direct elsewhere. You can finish the talking amongst together, eh?”
He left the tent, and both Tobias and Leila went loose.
“Oh my God,” Tobias exhaled. “I swear I stopped breathing. Mother of shit...”
“That shouldn’t have happened,” Leila said. “We need to be more careful.”
“You’re right.” He cringed. “God, that could’ve gone horribly wrong.”
“We should go after him.”
“No, it’s all right. We can trust him.”
“You’re sure?”
Tobias thought back to his encounter with the Dog a few days ago. “He owes me.”
A rustling stirred outside—the sound of Enzo shifting, waiting in front of the tent as he had promised. Meanwhile Leila still stared at the entrance, her nails digging into Tobias’s arms—a vision of fear he’d seen too many times before. A burden he’d lift by any means necessary. He ran his fingers through her hair.
“Well then, I suppose we ought to finish our conversation, yes?”
Leila met his gaze, thawing in his embrace. Victory swelled through him the moment she smiled, and she stood on her toes and kissed him, gladly reigniting their quiet conversation.
***
Tobias sat alongside the cliff, dangling his legs over the edge. The sanctuary bustled behind him, but he kept his eyes on the ravine below, the site of their last challenge. Today there’d be another, or perhaps a trek through the labyrinth, but for once he wasn’t concerned, his mind uncluttered, at ease.
Enzo plopped down at Tobias’s side, resting his hands on his knees. “You and Healer girl, the other night. You fuck?”
Tobias sputtered out a laugh. “No, no. Just kissed.”
“I wonder. I heard no noises. I wonder, is the Artist bad at the sex? Or is sex not same in Thessen as in Kovahr? We fuck loud with appreciation.”
Tobias chuckled, shaking his head.
Enzo leaned in closer. “What is her name?”
“Leila.”
“…Leela?”
“Lay-luh.”
“Leila. Pretty.” He whacked Tobias on the arm. “You two—look good together. Like… I don’t know the word. Matching? Complements?”
“You think so?”
Enzo nodded. “You like her much, yes? You feel it here”—he pounded his chest—“in chest. And here”—he grabbed his groin—“in cock. Eh? I am right, eh?”
Tobias playfully shoved Enzo in the shoulder. “Not so loud.”
“See? You wear big dumb grin. I am right.” He looked over his shoulder at Zander, then turned back to Tobias, donning a gap-toothed grin. “New love, it is great feeling.”
“How long have you and Zander…?” Tobias cleared his throat. “You know.”
“From beginning. We connect right away. Instant…uh, how you say…”
“Spark?”
“Yes. The spark. Men in Kovahr, they don’t look like him.” He eyed Tobias up and down. “Or you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Men in Kovahr are large. Hard as rock. You two, you’re thin. Pretty.”
“Pretty?”
“Yes, pretty. Like women, but men.”
Tobias laughed, plucking a few pebbles from the floor and tossing them into the ravine.
“What of The Savior, eh…Cahsema?”
Tobias nearly scowled. “Co-see-muh.”
“Cosima. You don’t like?”
Tobias hesitated, then shook his head.
“She pretty Woman. But I don’t like pretty women. I like pretty men.”
“If you don’t mind my asking, why are you here if that’s the case?”
Enzo shrugged. “My queen command, so I go.”
Bricks shifted behind them. A portal materialized in the opposite wall, and in its center stood the Proctor.
“Gentlemen,” he said. “The labyrinth awaits.”
The back wall crumbled away, revealing another portal—and another, and then one more. Tobias joined the others in the middle of the sanctuary, peering into the three tunnels.
“Today’s quest will be different.” The Proctor gestured toward the passages. “Before you stand three portals. One promises safety. You will travel but a short distance and meet no obstacles along the way, reaching the sanctuary with your lives most certainly intact. A second portal is much longer with several obstacles to navigate, though insurmountable they are not.” His eyes narrowed. “Then there’s the last portal: miles of desolation, and when the time comes that you reach your only obstacle, know your odds are bleak. Know there will be blood.”
Blood. Perhaps Tobias should’ve been more alarmed, but the Proctor’s words didn’t faze him quite like they used to.
“You will travel in groups of four. For our first group, we have the three challenge winners: the Shepherd, the Cavalier, and the Regal.” The Proctor instructed them to step forward. “Joining you on your quest will be the Dragon.”
As the four men clumped together, Tobias exhaled, relieved to be rid of Kaleo and Drake if just for the day.
“For our next group, the Hunter, the Dog, the Intellect...”
Say the Artist. Sure, he was free of two heinous creatures, but there was one last man he was hoping to