Page 8 - My FlipBook

M ER ED ITH T A TE

inside and fall under permanent hypnosis. Time for a little
intervention before they get any closer.
I take a deep breath and tiptoe toward the kids. “Psst. Hey.”
They both jump, but turn their attention toward me.
They’re only about nine years old, but they’re still Skilled, so
I keep my branded palms out of sight.
“You’ve heard that Dex eats children so he can absorb their
Skills, right?” I say, biting back a smile.
“Nuh-uh,” the boy snipes back.

The girl stares.
“It’s true.” Actually, no one knows what’s true about Dex,
but I’ve heard these stories enough times that they’re basically
fact around here.
“My Pa says Dex was born in the maze,” the little girl says,
her eyes wide. “And absorbed some of its magic.”
I shoot a glance at the too-close labyrinth, barely twenty
feet away, trying to keep my heart from hammering. “That’s
one theory.”
“That’s not true.” The boy whirls on her. “He was a Trinnean
kid, abandoned at the labyrinth entrance.”
The girl puts her hands on her hips. “You don’t know that.”
“Actually,” I cut in before their raised voices attract any

unwanted attention, “no one knows for sure.” Anyone who gets
close enough to learn the truth loses their mind before they can
share. They usually end up in the asylum, if they aren’t killed in
the maze first. “You shouldn’t stand so close to the entrance,
though. Otherwise he might . . . jump out and grab you!”
They gasp.
“Delilah!” A woman with her lips pressed tightly together

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