Chapter 150
The mood empted in a misture of theets and anatnes mutmors, Trams begts moving toward their enigned entrances, and I felt my volt sor an benjurth my skin.
we approached the mare entrance, I had in admit Elder Selene was right about one thing, the design was undeniably romantic.
The entrance won’t carved from cold stone or twisted metal like Ted expected. Instead, it seemed in groom from the earth itself, an sichway woven from living vines that Moomed with midnight blue moEL
Their petals shimmered with an otherwildly descence, as if dusted with statligt. Delicate thread can through
the light and creating patterns that shifted with every angle.
“It’s beautiful!” I said.
“Just like women,” Ryder quipped, his eyes scanding the entrance warily. The more beautiful they are, the more dangerous.”
I rolled my eyes. “And how many women have you dated to become such an expert?”
“Hey, I’ve had my share of
“There’s writing here.” Adrian’s voice cut through our banter, drawing our attention to the archway. He pointed to small, elegant script etched into the sher threads.
I stepped closes, squinting to make out the delicate words:
Long, an Eastern philosopher had a dream.
He became a butterfly—free, Joyfol, drifting on the wind, unaware he had ever been a man.
Then he woke up.
Lying in bed, he wondered:
Was he a man who had dreamed of being a butterfly,
or a butterfly now dreaming he was a man?”
“What does that mean? Ryder asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
That philosopher had interesting thoughts,” Lydia mused. “Perhaps it means Ele is but a dream? What if our lives are past dreams of the Moon Goddess”
“Then I hope my life is one of her pleasant dreams,” Ryder said with a smile.
Adrian’s jaw tightened, “Let’s go. We only have an hour.”
We stepped through ! the archway together, and the world transformed.
It was like tumbling down Alice’s rabbit hole. The narrow paths were lined with flowers of vanges colors. Butterflies danced through the air, their wings like stained glass catching sunlight that couldn’t possibly reach this deep into the maze. Nuvegber in the mountains should have killed any butterfly, yet here they thrived.
The path beneath our feet want ordinary dirt or stone it seemed to shimmer, changing texture with each step. One moment it felt like walking on clouds, the next like wading through water, though our feet stayed dry.
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Chapter 150
be weren’t in the midig of a com
“Don’t wach anything?” Lydik a sharp estimant finne my hand inthes from the them. “These plante socke
1 pulled my hand back quickly, grateful for her expertise. The Bowers pærer wees soddenly seemed elastica despromi
Wendeper into the mare, the patio twisting and turning unit of direction. The well grow higher, the viors thicker!
Suddenly, a scream echoed thinugh the m
high and terrified, cutting off abruptly, we all frome,
That came from the rast, tydia said. “Maybe three hundred panda:
“Should we help?” Ryder asked.
– Adrian’s response was immediate. We dont know if it a real me part of the mare illusions. We stick
Η
We pressed on, more cautions now.
When
tached the first
in the path, we stopped.
Two passages branched off from our location. The left path glowed with soft golden light, flowers blooming in warm user colors. The right path was shrouded in silver mist, barely visible beyond a few feet.
“No signs, no clors,” Ryder muttered, peeing down each path. ‘How are we supposed to choose?”
Adrian studied each option carefully, his tactical mind working through posibilities. “Remember what Elder Selene said–follow your heart, not your mind.”
“Great advice,” Ryder said sarcastically “My heart says both paths look equally deadly”
“Wait” Lydia interrupted, kneeling beside the fork. Look at the butterflies.”
We followed her gaze. The butterflies seemed to favor the left path, dancing in and out of the golden light in intricate pa
“Nature knows,” she said simply.
patterns
Adrian considered this, then shook his head. “Too obvious. This maze is designed to trick us. After a long moment, he spoke decisively. “We split up.”
“Adrian=” I started to protest
“Two groups cover more ground,” he continued, his tone leaving no room for argument. ‘Ryder, you’re with Lydu. Protect her at all costs.”
Ryder straightened, taking the responsibility seriously. “Yes, Alpha
Adrian turned to me. “You’re with me.”
Of course I was. Even in the middle of a trial, he couldn’t help being protective.
“If you encounter danger or hit a dead end,” Adrian instructed Hyder, mind link us immediately. We’ll regroup. Unlike the spy trial, we can use our connection here.”
Ryder and Lydia took the left path, the golden light swallowing them within moments. Adrian gestured toward the right path, the one shrouded in silver
I nodded, and we stepped into the fog together.
The mist was cool against my skin, carrying a strange scent. Visibility dropped to mere feet, forcing us to stay close. Adrian’s warmth beside me was reassuring, even as the silence between us stretched.
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Chapter 150
The ground beneath as began to slope downward, subtle at first, then more pronounced. My wall sense, ty e reliable, fet mather
“Why haven 1 we encountered any other packs? Lasked.
“The maze must be larger than we imagined, Adrian replied, his voice thoughtful. The perhaps it a designed to keep teams repinated?
A flutter of wings made us both tense. A butterfly, larger than any I’d seen before, circled us twice before landing on Adrian i shoulder Its weinige were peer Mack with silver edges.
The butterfly’s wings opened and closed slowly, almost hypnotically. Then, without warning, it hurst into a shower of silver sparks that rained den harmlessly around us.
“What the hell was that?” I breathed.
Before Adrian could answer, the path curved sharply ahead, I adjusted my stride to match Adrian longer one. The mist began to thin slightly, revealing wall covered in intricate murals. Batterflies frozen in paint seemed to move in my peripheral vision, their wings treating patterns that made my head spen if I looked too long.
at to touch one.
“These images…” I murmured, reaching out to
“Skye, don’t—”
But my fingers had already brushed the painted wing. The world tilted violently, the ground beneath my feet simply ceasing to exit
I heard Adrian’s shout of alarm as I plummeted into darkness, the butterfly mural the last thing I saw before shadows swallowed me whole.
Chapter Comments
Jamie DeWit
ooopsy
Jamie
Marcus didn’t go with them? he stayed back and helped to run the pack.
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