Skylar listened for anything that sounded out of place. Footsteps, the rustling of leaves, or the telltale thumps of a giant glaive used as a walking stick instead of what it was used for.

  Nothing. For now.

  Skylar shifted against the hedge, leaves cushioning her back and tickling her ear. She was hidden in the shadows within the very centre of the maze, which was another escape for her within the castle.

  It had been built before Skylar was born, in the Western quarters of the castle, as part of the courtyard where her parents would often hold ceremonies or eat their breakfast. She knew every twist, every dead end and loop. She had learned them the hard way, spending much of her childhood exploring and getting lost until she couldn't anymore. But Skylar knew she'd be found soon, because she wasn't the only one. Her mind drifted to a memory, one she hadn't thought of in a long time.

  ***

  As a child, Skylar thought the maze was a monster. The hedge walls loomed like towers to someone so young and small, and the paths seemed to multiply the deeper she went. She got lost constantly, but she never stopped trying to find the centre. It was the only way to defeat the maze.

  Unfortunately, her stubbornness posed its own challenge for the guards of the castle. Every time she vanished, they would have to find her. They'd tramp through the maze, reach dead ends and get lost themselves. Hours would pass by before the disgruntled men would emerge from the maze. With their scuffed armour, and their dignity bruised, they escorted their young Lady to safety, who always looked far too pleased with herself, and had the fire of determination burning bright in her eyes.

  One day, it took until evening to locate Skylar. She was sent to her room, and the doors to her garden were locked. Her father talked about tearing the maze down, and her mother agreed. But Alfred couldn't go through with it. His daughter warmed his heart like so many times before, so he came upon another decision.

  Skylar was forbidden to enter the maze unless she found someone capable enough to accompany her. They would have to know the maze, and all of its countless twisting, looping and inter-connecting paths. And they would have to able to enter and exit the maze within five minutes. It would be impossible, for anyone. But Skylar realised it was supposed to be impossible.

  Her father chose such a challenge on purpose, intending to keep her out of the maze. If she got caught entering alone, or end up lost one more time, he would have no choice; the maze would fall.

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  Skylar asked every guard she came by to attempt the impossible challenge. They failed her. They stumbled about in circles, and lost their way like usual. Skylar tried to help, they never heeded her advice. She was a child, after all.

  Fifteen guards attempted and failed before Skylar decided to take matters into her own hand. She'd enter the maze by herself. At night, when everyone slept. No one would know. She'd memorise every corner and dead end, and she'd prove she didn't need a guard. She was nine years old, and she could do this.

  ***

  When night fell, Skylar stepped out into her garden. She slipped through the opening in the wall hidden by ivy, crept along the colonnade that connected to the Western Quarters, and kept to the shadows. She avoided any patrolling guards and managed to make it to the maze.

  Its entrance gaped like an open mouth. The cold wind whistled through the hedges, giving the maze an eerie voice, and the night's darkness draped over it like billowing smoke.

  For the first time, Skylar hesitated to enter the maze. She questioned her own decision, and a voice within her begged her to turn back, and that exploring the maze in the dark was foolish idea after all.

  But she pushed forward anyway. Skylar was not sure what drove her forward. Perhaps it was stubbornness, her determination, or her fear of failure. Whatever it was, it gave her the courage to march ahead and ignore the ice-cold fear crackling through her chest.

  The hedge walls rose up and flanked either side of her. Skylar looked up. She tried to discern where the walls ended, but it was difficult to see with only the faint and far moonlight above. Her heart raced within her chest, and her mind whirled with alarm. Skylar took a deep breath and took another step forward. In the daylight, she'd have run along these paths without a fear in the world. But her legs now felt heavy, each step more difficult than the last.

  Skylar reached the first corner, and she dared herself to take a small peek around. She turned her body, and she saw the deep belly of darkness. Deep and endless. An abyss. It tempted her to fall, and it promised that she would never return if she heeded its call. Skylar leaned forward and was about to take another step. But another voice pulled her away.

  "What are you doing?"

  Skylar froze. The voice was too young to be a guard, and too calm to be her parents. She turned to see a young boy standing behind her. He looked a little older, maybe, and he stood there with a quizzical look on his face. He wore a cotton nightshirt, and in his hand was a wooden sword.

  Skylar was so glad to see this strange boy, that she didn't even question why he was in the courtyard all by himself. At that moment, she didn't care if had followed her or that he might be a ghost, or anything else at all. She was just so relieved to see him.

  "I-I'm sorry!" she cried, and she ran to hug him. He was taller than her, so Skylar embraced his torso. All the fear that she'd been swallowing poured out. She couldn't hold back the tears that spilled from her eyes. It made the boy freeze, this time. Then, slowly, he relaxed and his hand patted her on the head.

  "Let's go back," he said.