Beneath These Waves

Chapter Ten

No amount of talking or thinking could have prepared me for this. This is something that rattles and shakes my very existence.

There are stands, towering high above, stuffed with mermaids. More than the town suggested it was populated with. They're squashed on top of each other, and I can spot about three fights breaking out as we enter.

There are three pathways. A middle one, and two branching off, going deeper underground.

And, in front of them, a labyrinth.

I can only see the very edges of it, but its walls are incredibly tall, as tall as the towers that Juno and Venus live in. The pathway inside that I catch slices of is desolate, carved completely flat. It's a wasteland within walls, made for trapping people.

Amphira is waiting for us, and I loathe the look on her face, one that's knowledgeable and smug, like she has something that we don't. And that's right. I have no idea what's going on, Cal and Ser don't either, telling by their horrified expressions, and everyone else does.

A cheer rings out from the stands. I can't make the words out, but it's frantic and feverish. It makes chills rush through my body as I look around, trying to locate it. But I can't. It's too much. Too many people, too many objects. Already, I feel hopeless. Judging from the environment, this task is going to be basically impossible.

Amphira curls her finger inward, beckoning us. I look around for Venus and Juno, but they're gone, just out of sight. I didn't see them slip away. They abandoned us. They were our temporary mentors, but now, they're gone.

"Time for an explanation." Amphira's smile is rigid now, drowned out by the applause that rings through the area. The ceiling is carved in a way that reflects sound, I recognize the structure from when Dad made us read up on echolocation. We observed dolphins for two whole months afterwards.

"Yes. Please. Go ahead. Explain." My words come out stilted, dripping with sarcasm, because that's the only emotion I can put in my voice right now.

"This is the labyrinth." Amphira begins. She turns around and gestures towards to towering stone walls, looking almost proud. "This is where the task will take place."

"Yeah, because I was thinking it was going to occur in the stands, you know?" I can't stop it. It's the only thing keeping me stable.

"I'd prefer if you relaxed your tone, Delphine." There she goes using my full name again. The anger comes in a single spurt, and makes me want to wrap my hands around her throat. Instead, they go stiff at my sides, petrified.

"Your task is relatively simple. Get to the center of the maze. There's not even a time limit."

"What's the catch?" Ser asks, raising her eyebrow. For once, she's backing me up, but of course it has to be in dire circumstances.

Amphira's silent, looking around, deciding. Then she starts to speak again. "The maze is twisty and difficult. All of those who attempted the trial gave up." she then lowers her voice, trying to hide the next part without seeming obvious. She fails. "Or got too injured too continue."

"What?" I screech. This is not okay. This is not what was promised, not what I prepared for. This is a violation of an unofficial oath that was whispered to us again and again. If I wasn't so desperate for this next piece, which I haven't even seen, I'd swim away right now, force the submarine to work, and sail far away from here. Maybe even go on land, for once, just so I didn't have to touch the same water as these crooked creatures.

"This labyrinth was built centuries ago." Amphira's turned around, so I can't see her expression or the look in her eyes. "We haven't changed it one bit since then."