Blue Blood (Series of Blood Book 3) by Emma Hamm (books to read this summer .txt) 📕

“I’m not wrong this time. Trust me, please. There’s something in the middle of the maze that we need to get.”

Jasper rolled his eyes so violently he was certain they would get lost in the back of his skull. “Yes, there’s something we need to get. For him. For Malachi, because that’s what he told us. You and I have nothing to find in this maze other than inevitable death. Apparently, unsolvable puzzles are a Fairy’s weakness and this cursed place knows it.”

“Well, that’s true. But I’m quite certain that there’s something very important for us to find here. Please. Trust me.”

He didn’t want to trust her. The smart decision was to ignore the tiny Fairy in his head and to run. There weren’t any creatures here to look over his shoulder. No one could drag him back to Malachi. And then he could bring an army back to Lyra. Jasper wasn’t going to be able to save her alone. The other man who loved her, however, likely could.

What little Jasper had seen of Wolfgang’s powers convinced him of that. The dead man was capable of protecting the things he loved. It stung to admit Wolfgang loved Lyra enough to turn himself into a monster just to save her. And Jasper was willing to turn to monsters for help.

He hated that he would forever watch them love each other from afar, when it should have been him.

A long breath hissed through his teeth as he stared between ivy covered columns. He didn’t want to go home and find them together, just in case Malachi was lying. He didn’t want to think about what his life was going to be like now. He wanted to claim whatever was in the center of this maze.

“Damn it, curiosity killed the cat,” he muttered.

“But satisfaction brought it back,” Bluebell responded.

“What?”

“That’s how that saying ends.”

“I’ve never heard it said like that.”

“But—” Bluebell stuttered, “but that’s how it ends.”

“I don’t know if you’re right.”

“I know I’m right.”

He snorted. “Like you know how to solve mazes?”

“I know that too!”

“Bluebell, we have spent the last three hours trying to find the middle of this maze. We’ve been going in circles.”

“You don’t know it’s been three hours.”

“I can track the movement of the sun. And I can tell you, with total confidence might I add, that it has been about three hours.”

She fell silent for a few moments before he heard her heave a sigh. “Fine. Then we’ve had enough fun, I suppose. Teleport right.”

Jasper moved to teleport before her words sunk in. He clenched his fists and bit his tongue. Controlling his anger would be important if he wanted the truth. She tended to hold grudges if he got short with her.

“Bluebell,” he began, “have you known the correct direction this entire time?”

“Maybe.”

Now, he seriously considered strangling himself. Of course she had known the way this entire time. Why else would she have giggled every time she told him to go in a different direction?

He didn’t retaliate. He didn’t yell at her, because he already knew that was a waste of time. She was a Fairy. They were mischievous and strange, but they weren’t malicious. She hadn’t been leading him in circles to make him angry. She had just been enjoying herself.

So rather than yelling as he wanted to, Jasper teleported to the right. At the end of the long line of hedges, he paused again.

“Left or right?” Jasper asked.

“Neither.”

“What?”

“The wall in front of you isn’t a wall. You just need to walk through it, and we’ll be in the center of the maze.”

“A false end,” he muttered. “That’s just cruel.”

Jasper stepped forward, expecting the ivy to retract as it had before. He walked all the way up to the living wall until it nearly touched his nose. Still, it did not move.

“How do I open it, Bluebell?”

“You have to touch it.”

“Is it going to bite me?”

“It’s ivy, Jasper. What do you think?”

He sighed. He could do without the sass, but refrained from starting another argument. He had likely taught her to be sassy anyway. Instead, he reached out and pressed his hand against the cool, green vines.

They slithered under his palm, undulating like eels, but stilled as he removed his hand. He locked his jaw and held his hand to the unnatural greenery again. He forced himself to ignore the snakelike movements and to remain in place until the opening was large enough to slide through.

Ivy scraped against his clothing with surprising sharpness. Each leaf had razor sharp edges, slicing against his armor with every movement he made. They had yet to draw blood, and he held his breath to still his movements.

He stepped clear of the bladed plants and brushed his hands down his chest. He had escaped without bloodshed, it appeared, as his palms had not smeared any blue over himself. Rustling leaves caught his attention, and he turned to stare at the center of the maze.

Before him stood the largest tree he had ever seen. It was enormous enough to be nearly indescribable, stretching so high into the sky that he could not see the top. Each branch bore dangling strands of willow leaves that trailed to the ground around him. Small, sparkling fireflies danced upon each bough.

Green moss adorned the trunk like emeralds, trailing from the tangled roots which made the ground ripple as they broke through to the air. The tree vibrated with life and magic, so much so that he expected it to move. Instead, it clung steadfastly to the ground.

Bluebell made an odd, choked sound before she reverently whispered, “The World Tree.”

“The what?”

“The connection between all dimensions. The World Tree’s roots stretch from every single world where living things exist.”

“Could we use it to get to your home then?” Jasper asked as he circled the great tree.

“No, my dimension was destroyed a long time ago. Still, it is an honor to stand before such a powerful creature.”

“Is it like us?”

“Another thing entirely. The