THE two of them continued along the winding path. At times, they strayed, drawn into fragments of Emperor Kallixto’s childhood that surfaced like scattered shards of memory. Only then did Thalia understand that this final phase of the selection was never about simply reaching the exit... it was about witnessing the Emperor’s past.
“You still won’t tell me how you deciphered the stone tablet?”
Thalia cast a sideways glance at the invisible mage. “Why the sudden interest, Mister Mage?”
Curiosity is part of my personality. Mage’s nature,” Kayne replied with theatrical pride.
“If you insist,” Thalia said, unable to hide her playful tone. “To me, Emperor Kallixto is like a white fox. He even looks like one.”
Kayne’s laughter burst through the quiet of the labyrinth garden, shattering the c
