Chapter 187

The minotaur had jumped on the manticore and was wrestling both it tail and it's head at the same time. Lyle could not believe his eyes and was frozen where he stood. Soon the minotaur had the manticore in a head lock with one arm, and still had it's tail. The minotaur's grip on the tail seemed to be keeping the manticore from being able to fire it's spikes. The manticore yowled and tried to roll over to get the minotaur off, but the chains did not allow it to do any more than roll to it's side.

The King stood up. He was furious. "He is supposed to go after the challengers not the beasts that are in there to kill them!" He walked to the balcony again and yelled to the archers himself this time. He did not want to wait for the head guard to come up to the box. "SHOOT THEM!" He yelled with his arm pointing into the maze. The archers took aim, and let their arrows fly. Lyle moved around the hedge wall and used it as a little cover, while the mintaur took advantage of the manticore laying on it's side, and used the creature for cover. Amaris saw the arrows rain down, but none of them hit Lyle or the minotaur. The King slapped his hand to his eyes and then turned and ran down the stairs to where the archers stood. He was mumbling to himself that 'if he need something done right', as he ran away. This left Amaris in the box all by herself. She looked back at the back of the box where Jason had indicated earlier. A surge of adrenaline hit her as she decided that it was now or never. She knew that once she was out of this place she would be able to help everyone inside. She got out of her chair keeping low and darted to the back of the box. Behind the large tapestry on the wall with the King's coat of arms on it she found a small set of stairs for the servants. Amaris decided this must be what Jason was referring to. She ducked under the tapestry and down the stairs as quick as she could. At the bottom, there was a narrow gap between the wall and the back of the box that led to a small door. Amaris ran to the door and threw it open. She quickly went in and closed it as quietly as she could. She was now in a long stone passage. She could hear voices toward the end of the hallway, and see light trailing out of an open doorway. From the clanging of pots and pans, Amaris imagined that this must be the kitchens. She hurried down the hallway. Amaris was hoping that these people would help her and not send her back to the King. She slowed as she got to the door and peaked around the corner. There were three elderly ladies in there chatting away in hushed tones so their voices did not carry. Amaris took a deep breath and moved forward quietly into the room. The taller and oldest looking woman was facing her as they all worked kneading bread at the table. Her head came up in mid sentence, and she stopped talking and stared. The other two women looked up at her to see why she stopped talking and then turned around following her eyes. The youngest of the three began wiping her hands on her apron. "Oh my dear it's you." She took her apron off and threw it on the table next to where she was working and walked over to Amaris and gave her a hug. "Jason and Persia were beside themselves that they would not be able to get you out. I am so glad you made it. You will have to hurry to catch up to the lot of them." She said with a warm smile. The woman was still holding Amaris' arms. Amaris stood there in shock not knowing what to say or do. The woman seemed to have cottoned on and gave Amaris a knowing look. "He did not tell you what the plan was did he?" She asked with a shake of her head. "No, not really. All he said was that he would be able to get me out through the back of the box once the challenge started and everyone was distracted. I only got here by accident." All three women laughed at that. "He is so like his father that one." The tall woman commented. The woman standing next to Amaris seemed to become more aware that they had little time. "Come love. Let's get you out of here before they discover your gone and start searching for you." The woman bustled around the table and out a door at the far end of the room. She turned and waved Amaris through it and poked her head back in saying "You know what to do." to the other two women before she shut the door. The woman set off at a pace, so fast it was nearly a run. They went down a dark windowless passage. Every fifty feet or so there was a torch on the wall to light the way. The woman quickly reached the end of the hallway. She went through another door and out into the last rays of the sunset. She held the door and ushered Amaris out after checking to make sure they were clear. She gave Amaris a quick hug and then pulled her close as she talked quietly. The woman raised as arm so they both could look in the direction that she was pointing. "Go out the gates and head that way. They did not go back to your camp. They figured that would be the first place that the King would look. They are waiting only a short while in the town there. Meet them in front of the building with the steeple with the bell. Go now before they discover you are gone." The woman gave Amaris one more quick hug and then pushed her in the direction of the gate.