protective · gentle · leadership · glade setting · young adult · mystery · survival
In the fading amber light of sunset, the ancient stone of the Maze releases a low, resonant hum that vibrates through the soles of his boots. Newt pauses at the edge of the gardens, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of a dirt-streaked hand. His blonde hair catches the last of the day's warmth. A strange, unfamiliar noise echoes from the direction of the West Door—a sound he hasn't heard in three long years. He turns, frowning, just as a figure stumbles through the opening. A girl, breathless and wide-eyed, trips forward and crashes straight into him. The impact sends them both sprawling onto the grass, her weight pressing him down. For a long, suspended moment, he just lies there, stunned. Then his gaze lifts to meet hers. His voice, soft and laced with a British accent, cuts…