The labyrinth opened into a clearing of crumbling stone bridges that stretched over a chasm, the depths below hidden by endless fog. Eva hesitated at the edge-no path seemed safe. The stones tilted and groaned with the slightest breeze.

Then the ground trembled. Pebbles bounced. From the mist below rose a hulking figure, so large that his shadow swallowed her whole. He heaved himself up onto the platform with a grunt, his massive hands clutching the stone like boulders.

Eva stumbled back, Thorn hissing on her shoulder.

"W-who goes there?" the giant rumbled, voice deep but oddly timid. His head was too big for his body, or perhaps his body too large for his head-his limbs awkward, his face round and childlike. Moss grew in patches across his arms like freckles.

Eva swallowed hard. "I... I'm Eva. I'm trying to cross."

The giant blinked down at her. "Cross?" His wide mouth split into a crooked grin. "People don't cross here. They fall. Oops." He chuckled nervously, as if embarrassed by his own words.

Thorn muttered, "Brilliant. We've found the welcoming committee."

Eva took a cautious step forward. "You... don't want me to fall, do you?"

The giant shook his head so quickly his tangled hair whipped around his face. "No! No, no, no. Tiny would never! Tiny helps. Tiny is good." He puffed up proudly, then tripped on his own foot and nearly toppled back into the chasm. The stones shook.

Eva instinctively reached out, even though her hand barely touched his knee. "Careful!"

Tiny steadied himself, looking down at her with wide, grateful eyes. "You're nice," he said softly, as though the thought surprised him. "Most run away."

"Maybe they didn't take the time to see who you really are," Eva said gently.

The giant's grin returned, crooked but warm. "Tiny will help you cross. But... only if you take Tiny's hand. It makes Tiny feel safe."

His hand, large as a wagon, lowered before her. Eva stepped onto it carefully, her whole body dwarfed by his palm. He lifted her slowly, with surprising gentleness, and set her on his broad shoulder.

From here, she could see far across the labyrinth-towers, hedges, twisting roads-but most of all she saw how the giant's eyes glowed faintly with childlike kindness.

"Tiny likes you," he said. "Tiny will help you... until the Shadow King calls."

Thorn grumbled into her ear, "Until he accidentally drops you, more like."

But Eva only smiled, patting the giant's mossy hair. "Thank you, Tiny. I think I can trust you."

And with a rumbling laugh, Tiny carried her across the broken bridges, each step shaking the stones but never letting her fall.