Chapter 8

"Today, each couple will play the classic romantic quest: one for two," Valentine continued in the tone of a gracious host who, after a delicious dinner, had planned a hunt for his guests and already sharpened the bear traps. "The men will have to pass through the maze blindfolded, guided only by their partner's voice. The girls will guide their partners through a special headset: headphones and a microphone. Also through a personal video camera mounted on the contestant's helmet. With its help, the girls will be able to see the route inside the maze and the map on a special screen."

Valentine smiled broadly and conspiratorially covered his mouth with one hand, lowering his voice:

"So, dear contestants, I advise you to tell your boys right away to turn their heads less!"

"Did you hear that, Vlad?" Margot laughed coyly, adjusting the white capelet on her shoulders. "Memorize where to go immediately, because my memory for advice is short."

"Easy!" athletic Vlad replied loudly. He kept puffing out his shoulders and trying to look stronger than everyone else. Not that it stopped Margot from hanging on him. "Go straight, then left. Main thing is not to smash through the bushes! Ha-ha!"

"But when I'm nervous, I can mix everything up!" a girl named Nastya worried in earnest, looking at the good-looking guy who, I thought, was named Arthur. "I'm definitely going to send you the wrong way. I mix up subway lines all the time!"

"As long as it's not into the bushes with Vlad," Arthur joked quietly. "I can survive the rest."

"But!" Valentine raised a finger, skillfully drawing our attention back. "It is not as simple as it seems. Inside the maze, traps and obstacles await you. They are not marked on the map, which means you will have to orient yourselves on the spot. You will not know where a turn with a challenge is hidden. You will not see where your partner will slip. And you will not be ready to meet the Mirror of Doubt. Though..." The man smiled mysteriously. "That is part of the challenge ahead."

He took a dramatic step forward.

"The couple who gets through the maze fastest and with the fewest penalties will win. The points earned in each quest will be totaled and converted into an additional part of the cash prize for the winning couple. Everything is fair on my show. Love, like money, must be earned!"

Valentine put on his hat, snapped his fingers with flair, and fireworks lit up above the entrance to the Maze. The musical intro began, and the Victorian lamps came on.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, please proceed to our assistants!" he commanded, pointing to the area at the side. "Valets are waiting for the young gentlemen. They will help you put on the blindfolds, secure the headset, and fasten the helmets. And lady's maids are waiting for the dear ladies. They will seat you at the improvised control panels and show you how to navigate by the map and manage the quest."

Four assistants came out onto the side area, where small tables were already standing: two guys and two girls in stylized black-and-white costumes, as if they had stepped off the pages of a Gothic novel. Badges with the show's logo gleamed on their lapels, and all of them held trays with neatly arranged pieces of equipment. Everything looked strangely serious and... official.

Demond and I exchanged puzzled looks without saying a word.

"I hope, Catkin, you won't mix up left and right," Dennis muttered. "You didn't happen to play with remote-control tanks as a kid, did you?"

"No, I read books."

"Too bad. Then remember: where there's a dead end, there are no turns. Don't waste time searching. Go back instead. I have strong bones, sure, but I'd rather not test the helmet's durability with my forehead."

"Thanks... hm, I'll keep that in mind."

We looked at our hands and let go at the same time. We stood in silence for a few seconds, then headed toward the area where the other contestants were already gathering.