Sasha had three choices. She could return to her troop and use Elias’s orb, but that would be far too obvious. Elias would surely have someone lying in wait. She could attempt to scale the wall and search for her sister—a tempting thought—but given the current circumstances, it would be sheer madness. Or, she could head somewhere entirely different, somewhere even Isaak couldn’t find her.

  The problem was, that place was too far from where she needed to be to make use of the orb. And besides, she wasn’t in the mood to face Greg right now.

  So, with a muttered curse, Sasha turned left toward the city. There was no better place to hide than in plain sight. She wouldn’t let Isaak—or anyone else—dictate her choices.

  The city wall wasn’t particularly tall, but its magic was deceptive, a trap for the inexperienced. Sasha, however, knew better. She understood the spells that guarded it and knew of the shortcuts woven into its defenses. One of those shortcuts stood just ahead—a soldier. His uniform would serve her well.

  She approached quietly, murmuring an incantation under her breath. “Let moonlight be daylight. Lay your head upon the grass and let the sun caress your skin.”

  Her fingertips brushed his neck, transferring the heat of her magic. The spell anchored itself in his mind, bending his perception. He smiled faintly, removed his coat, and lay down, as if savoring the end of a summer’s day.

  “Sleep well,” she whispered, humming a soft lullaby. By the time he woke, he’d be too embarrassed to report the theft.

  With the soldier’s coat draped over her shoulders, Sasha scaled the wall. In the faint moonlight, she moved like a ghost. The wall’s enchantments didn’t so much as touch her. Her next challenge, however, would be much harder: the king’s castle.

  The main entrance was barred to her, and the second wall was deadlier than the first. But Sasha had another option—the labyrinth beneath the castle. Few dared to venture there. It was home to monsters, yes, but also to treasures and rare herbs.

  Sasha removed the coat as she entered the pub through a side door. It was a dingy place, despite being in one of the city’s wealthier districts. The tables were polished, but dirt caked the floor, and plants grew haphazardly in cracks and corners.

  In the kitchen, an older woman turned with a delighted cry. “Darling!” She wrapped Sasha in a fierce hug.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  “Esmeralda,” Sasha said, returning the embrace. “I’ve got something for you.” She handed over the coat.

  Esmeralda’s eyes gleamed. “This’ll cost me plenty to offload, but it’s worth it. Enough to cover bed and board for a week, at least. How long will you stay?”

  “That depends. I need to explore the king’s labyrinth. Could you use anything from down there?”

  “Oh, always. Brewing the finest ale calls for rare ingredients.”

  “Then I’ll make you a trade,” Sasha said. “Skip the room and send two of your best explorers with me instead.”

  Esmeralda grinned, her eyes sharp with amusement. “The lone wolf asking for company? This I have to see. Give me a moment.”

  Esmeralda didn’t disappoint. She sent Aiden, a man who knew the labyrinth better than anyone. Mysterious and secretive, he was a loner like Sasha, though older, with a reputation shrouded in wild tales.

  “So, Esmeralda’s errand must be something special if she sent you,” Sasha said as they descended the first ladder into the maze.

  “She didn’t tell you?” Aiden asked, stepping nimbly over a broken rung.

  “No.”

  “And yet here you are, blindly following me.”

  “As long as you help me find the Flowers of Winter, I don’t care.”

  Aiden chuckled. “Ambitious. Most don’t come back from that.”

  “Then it’s a good thing I have you,” Sasha replied.

  The labyrinth was damp, the air thick with the smell of earth and mold. Sasha kept close as Aiden led her through a narrow tunnel.

  “This way,” he said, stopping at a second ladder that descended deeper into the maze.

  Sasha hesitated. “No one goes down there. It’s nothing but heat and death.”

  “And mucus,” Aiden added with a grin, lighting a torch. “I’ve raised one of the snakes myself. Stay close.”

  Sasha shuddered but followed him. The lower level was stifling, the air heavy with humidity. Shadows slithered at the edges of the torchlight.

  Aiden began to whistle a strange tune, the notes reverberating in the dark. A moment later, the sound was answered by a low, undulating hiss.

  “She’s coming,” Aiden said. “Stay still, and do exactly as I say.”

  The snake emerged, massive and glistening, its black scales reflecting the torchlight. Its golden eyes locked onto Sasha, and it flicked its tongue toward her, whispering incomprehensible words.

  “She wants you to hold out your hand,” Aiden said.

  Sasha’s instincts screamed at her to run, but she held her ground, extending her hand. The snake’s tongue hovered close, brushing the air around her fingers. Finally, it withdrew, satisfied.

  “She’s letting us pass,” Aiden said. “Move quickly. Others will follow.”

  They hurried through the tunnels, Sasha’s nerves fraying with each passing shadow. She could feel the other snakes watching, their whispers pressing against her mind.

  At last, they reached a black archway. Beyond it, blinding light illuminated the Winter Garden. Frost-covered plants glimmered like jewels, their delicate flowers luminous against the snow.

  “I must admit,” Sasha began, turning to Aiden, “your help has been invaluable—”

  Pain exploded in her head before she could finish. She collapsed into the snow, her vision fading as a second figure emerged from the shadows.

  “Time to sleep,” Aiden said.

  Sasha struggled to gather her magic, but her strength faltered. As darkness claimed her, the last thing she saw was a pair of silver shoes stepping into the light.