Belly of the Beast

Chapter 36

The sky was lit by a three-quarter moon when Vincent and I started our journey through the labyrinth. With the cube, a supply of water and snacks, and an ancient text about the goddess we would face, Dmitry patted us on our backs and sent us on our way. His smug smile had put me in a mood.

While I shuffled like an overstuffed elephant, following the directions Dmitry had written on a sheet of paper, Vincent recited the details of Isis's life from the book. "It says here that pregnant women in ancient times prayed to Isis asking her to ensure the safe delivery of their children."

"Why are you bringing that up? I don't plan to have our baby inside this labyrinth. I just want to get this over with and get the hell out of here."

Vincent lifted his gaze from the page, looking regretful. "I just thought it might be reassuring to know that Isis was known as the mothering goddess, among her other titles."

"Thanks. I'll log that away. And I'm sorry if I'm acting petulant. Dmitry is an asshole." I said this knowing he would take it as the apology I intended. "We're coming to our first landmark."

We pulled up to a concrete pillar with a steel sculpture of a star shooting from the top. Across from it stood a door with the same image etched into the wood. Based on the aerial view I'd seen of the labyrinth, the door opened to the other side of the hedgerow. But, according to Dmitry, each door had the potential to lead us to the chamber of Isis. Before that could happen, however, every landmark had to be engaged. There were seven in all, which meant I had a lot of walking ahead of me.

"What's the riddle?" Vincent asked. "I want to guess at it before you tell me the answer."

"I hold the landscape you cannot touch, but your eyes will tell you much. There is little to see in the light, but all will be revealed overnight."

Vincent looked thoughtfully at the statue, taking very little time to come up with his guess. "I'm going to say the sky."

I smiled at my clever husband. His intelligence nearly overshadowed his sexual prowess... Nearly. "You're right. Now, I just need to press my hand on the door and repeat the answer." Following the instructions on the paper, I laid my palm on the door and answered the riddle exactly how Dmitry had said to do it. "The goddess Isis is the ruler of the sky."

I stepped back as the etching on the door illuminated with the yellow glow of the eternal flame, igniting the star and making it look like it was preparing to shoot to the sky. "Wow. That's pretty cool."

"Yeah. I'm not sure whether to be impressed by your powers or to be afraid."

I snorted as I lifted onto my toes and gave him a quick kiss. "You should never be afraid of me. Only impressed."

My remark drew out a smirk, and he took my hand, tugging me further down the passage. "C'mon, my goddess. We have six more doors to ignite."

The next landmark we came to had a sun at its apex. The statue was constructed of the same materials as the last, and I couldn't help thinking of the gollums and demons I called friends. Each of them possessed the strength and stubbornness of steel and stone, and as I recited the answer to the riddle and watched the image on the door ignite, I thought of them. Although I possessed the same DNA as they did, I still had a hard time believing I was one of them.

"Baby, are you okay?"

Vincent's query drew me out of my thoughts, and I blinked at the yellow light shimmering inside the carvings of the door. "Yeah, I was just thinking about the friends I've made since meeting you. I can't imagine my life without you all."

I didn't realize my eyes were watering until Vincent brushed a tear away with his thumb. "Reese, I think I speak for all of your friends when I say we wouldn't be the same without you."