Chapter 13 - The Fracture

Theron had his threats prepared.

Four days of civil war had taught him the value of leverage. Asterion controlled the gates, but Theron held the palace interior, including the architects. Including Sisyphus.

The immortal architect was the key. The man who'd fallen from the sky, who couldn't die, who the entire palace now whispered about in equal parts terror and awe. If Theron controlled him, he controlled the narrative.

He descended to the cells with six guards. The northwestern passage was collapsing - reports had come in overnight. Without the architects working, the entire labyrinth would fail. And if the labyrinth failed while they were fighting a civil war...

No. He needed Sisyphus working. Needed him compliant.

He'd prepared the right threats. Not death, that didn't work. But Daedalus. The workers. The random servants Sisyphus seemed to care about for no reason. Theron would hurt them until the architect cooperated.

Simple. Effective.