Within the walls of the maze, time seemed to move differently. Amira and Ro fell silent, as though they had been compelled by a force beyond their control. No wind ruffled the spindly green leaves that hung around them. No birds chirped out their lilting song. Even the air seemed to be holding its breath. The whole thing was eerie.
“Which way?” Amira whispered. It felt like sacrilege to break the quiet that had descended over them, but despite this odd sense of drawling time, they had less than two days to reach the palace walls.
Ro peered at her wristwatch. It was a gift, given by the same woman who offered climbing roses for sale in the Hollow markets. When their village had first heard of their daring mission, they had been showered with tokens of gratitude. Amira hadn’t brought any of her gifts with them, but Ro’s wristwatch was undeniably useful. It not only told the time with the ticking of thin metal hands, but also served as a compass, a celestial body identifier, and came with an attachment that measured the nutrient profile of soil. Amira tried to batter down her jealousy, but Ro was so fixated on the wristwatch that she didn’t even seem to notice.
“We take right turns until we come across a hybrid tea rose bush, then it’s three lefts, followed by one more right.” Ro glanced up. “By that time, we should have reached the centre walls. And that’s where things start getting difficult.”
Like clockwork, the women turned and began walking.
“We should collect some of the tea roses,” Amira suggested quietly. “When we reach them, I mean. We can use them to flavour our water later on. You know, boost morale.”
Ro chewed thoughtfully on her lip and stared straight ahead. “That’s not a bad idea. Besides, we should probably be collecting some samples to take back to the village.”