Nidus

The Minotaur's Labyrinth

Her familiar blond hair tumbles down her cheek in bouncy curls, hiding her eyes as she smiles a mischievous smile with her ruby red lips saying,

"The name's Patton, Annabella Patton."

 I blink in surprise. Not only is she is surprisingly beautiful, carrying herself with a kind of natural beauty and elegance, but it is her-finally her. Even her voice is the same. And I finally have a name for her.

"Um, nice to meet you Annabella." I glance over her once before my eyes center on the glowing red sword pointing against my Adam’s apple. "Do you mind pointing that somewhere else?" I brush away the sword with my hand but she flicks it back to my neck making me step back with my hands up. I chuckle nervously, my gaze flickering from the sword to her face. "Or not." So she did take the sword.

"I will point this exactly where I intend to,” her eyebrow raises. “And that,” her lips shape every word with a purposeful delicacy that is alarming, “is right," she applies pressure to the sword, emphasizing her words, "here."

I chuckle dryly again, stepping backwards and giving her a quick look over. What is it about this woman? She is wearing a black leather chest plate, with chain mail on underneath. The chest plate extends all the way down her arms. Her pants gleam in the torchlight and to finish it off she has a pair of black boots similar to mine. She looks exactly the same.

"Speak and I'll slash out your throat."  

I gulp and close my mouth. I could feel a bead of sweat slide down the back of my neck. Does she not remember me? The dead sailor’s words flash through my mind as m fear mounts. No! You have to know me, I need to know!

She adds more pressure to the sword, making me shuffle backwards to avoid impaling my throat. My eyes flicker around the hallway. It is about seven or so feet wide and a few dozen feet long with a silver door at the other end of the corridor. The door I had come through is to my left. The pounding had stopped though, I guess the zombies would rather feast on the Minotaur.

I feel the cold wall press against my back. I drop my hands against it, palm side down as I spread them to my side. I swallow trying to wet my dry throat, but the pressure of the blade cuts into my neck and draws a crimson droplet of blood that stings my skin as it rolls down.

Annabella glances at it and bites her bottom lip, then looks back up at me. With a flick of her wrist, the sword point flicks upwards to where it bites under my chin. My heart pounds loudly and every pulse in my neck feels like it is about to be punctured on the sword’s edge. I flicker my gaze from the sword to her face again as she speaks.

"So, pray tell, what is an unarmed mortal, covered in fresh blood," she emphasizes the word mortal as if she is mocking me, "doing here in the very dungeons of the Isle of the Despaired at the rising of the High Priestess, the Queen of the Undead, and Bringer of the Damned?" She levels her gaze and smirks, pushing the sword even tighter against my neck. "And a better question, why shouldn't I just kill you right now?" She flips her hair back out of her eyes, those brilliantly blue eyes. For a moment, I feel lost in them before I realize what she just asked. Why shouldn't she?

"I am here to save you!" I blurt out, and she gives me a quizzical look.

            "Go on,” she cautiously nods for me to continue, so I shakily go on.

"Well, I," I close my mouth to try to swallow. What is with me? It is not just the fear, I feel weird; nostalgic. The sword is not helping, either. "Do you think you could move the sword away?"

She shrugs, then cheerfully replies, "Sure thing, sugar bean!" She smiles as she pulls the sword away. I sigh and feel my body relax, just before her fist connects with the side of my face. She grabs a handful of my hair and pushes the sword edge against my neck. "I moved it. Now tell me what you're doing here or..." Her eyes flicker down to the blade which is way more than enough incentive for me. Besides, I want I know what is going on.