Webs & Wards (Beesong Chronicles Book 2)

by Benjamin Medrano

  “Perhaps not. Names, though… they are an interesting concept,” the attendant murmured, her gaze thoughtful. “I doubt we’ll ever name all of our number. That would require a great number of names. Still, do you all wish to meet her?”

  “Yes!” Joy said, excitement in her gaze, and she looked at Stella.

  The human laughed, then nodded. “Of course I would. I’m curious, now.”

  “Good! If you would follow me, I’ll take you to meet with her,” the attendant said, turning away.

  How quickly she decided to move caused Cora to have to stand rather hastily, almost slamming her head against the low ceiling on her side of the room. The delay let Stella get ahead of Cora, which was surprising, since the elf had expected Joy to take the lead, but then she saw Joy was waiting for her and Brianna, bouncing impatiently in place.

  “After you, Bri,” Cora said, gesturing her forward, and the woman chuckled before rushing after Stella, who was at least easy to spot among the swarming apis. That was a term Cora had never expected to use regarding other people, but it was the closest she could think of for how tightly packed the apis were.

  “Come on, Cora, let’s go!” Joy said, her excitement infectious as she bounced.

  “Why are you so happy? Haven’t you seen a queen before?” Cora asked, trying to suppress a laugh, but failing as she quickly followed Brianna.

  “Yes, but not as an apis! I’ve never seen an apis queen before, and I can’t wait!” Joy replied, almost crowding Cora from behind. “The only reason I’m following you is so you don’t get lost!”

  That prompted another chuckle from Cora, but she didn’t reply, instead turning back to follow Brianna as she thought back to when she’d been killed in the apis hive. She vaguely recalled the apis queen being somewhat larger than the other apis, but she hadn’t been that impressive… had she? Cora honestly couldn’t say, as hazy as the memory was.

  Either way, she wasn’t going to rain on Joy’s parade, so Cora tried to follow as quickly as she could. At least the apis were as good about swirling around her as they were at moving between gaps.

  Chapter 29

  What surprised Cora the most was their entrance. The attendant led them to a chamber separated by a thicker curtain than most, and which was only distinct because there were several apis outside the entrance, and she walked straight in without announcing them or anything else. Cora had thought that the room must be a passage leading to the queen’s receiving room or something like that, but she’d been wrong.

  The room they entered was much, much larger than any other that Cora had seen in the hive, though it was still small compared to most churches. It had honeycombs lining the walls, each sealed by thin layers of wax that showed the honey within, or something like honey. Across the room from them was a pile of pillows that had been made to look like large, vibrant blue and purple flowers.

  More important to Cora, they were also surrounded by apis lining the walls. There were more than thirty of them, she knew that much, and while half of them appeared to be attendants, the others were a mixture of warriors and an apis who had a staff similar to Cora’s, though the woman’s was made of chitin and had a gold orb atop it. They were watching the group like hawks, their nervousness obvious.

  Settled on the cushions was the queen, and this time Cora couldn’t mistake her, not after traveling with Joy for as long as she had. The queen was almost half again as tall as any other apis, standing nearly eight feet tall, and her figure was full and statuesque. More than that, the apis’s eyes were a brighter yellow, almost gold, and the pattern of her armor was more complex than the others possessed. Also beside the queen were a quartet of male apis, also armored and armed, and for a moment Cora was tempted to Analyze the queen, but she decided to refrain. She had no idea how that would be regarded, and didn’t want to upset the queen.

  “My queen, I have brought the visitors,” the attendant said, not bowing or doing anything else that Cora would have expected for someone going before royalty. “They are named Brianna, Cora, Joy, and Stella. I believe that names are important to them.”

  “I understand,” the queen said, her voice both like the rest of the apis, yet stronger at the same time, with a confidence that pervaded the woman’s every motion. She looked at Joy first, then examined Cora, Brianna, and Stella in turn, obviously curious about them and not attempting to hide her examination.

  “Hello, Your Majesty. I am Cora, and thank you for your hospitality,” Cora said at last, unable to bear the wait, taking a step forward as she bowed.

  “You are welcome,” the queen replied simply, looking at Cora curiously as she paused, then continued. “There is no need for you to take such actions, though. While I may be the queen of the hive, I am not a queen as your species considers the title. I rule the hive because without me or another queen, the hive would die. No more, and no less.”

  Cora paused at that, blinking, then slowly straightened as she considered, then replied cautiously. “You… appear to be more knowledgeable than I expected. When we visited the other hive, the Tulip Hive, they and Joy didn’t seem to know that sort of thing.”

  “Perhaps they did not, but the gods did not change us without giving we apis the tools to learn,” the queen said, looking at Joy again as she paused, obviously thinking. After a minute she spoke further. “Queens were given more knowledge than workers or drones, due to our place in society. The priests, a newly created type of apis, brought divine revelations to tell us what to expect. It took time to learn, and perhaps the Tulip Hive has reached the same point. I have tried to learn what I am able, and to pass on what I can. What I can’t do is ensure the hive survives if I cannot find other apis. Will you tell us where the Tulip Hive is located?”

  Cora was nodding in understanding as the queen spoke, marveling at the complexity of her speech and thoughts, so much more measured than Joy’s were, at least until the queen abruptly changed the subject, and her thoughts skipped a beat. That was very like Joy, when she saw something which intrigued her, and it took Cora a moment to gather herself. Brianna spoke in that time.

  “What do you mean, you can’t ensure it’ll survive without other apis? Is it because of the army ants?” Brianna asked nervously, standing almost at attention. Cora realized that a good part of her friend’s nervousness was due to how all the other apis were standing nearby silently, watching them.

  “The ants are a threat, yes. One which might destroy the hive if we are unable to fend them off. However, that is simply a short-term threat. I am far more concerned about the future,” the queen said, looking down at one of the men beside her and running a hand gently through his hair as she smiled sadly. “I am old, for a queen. I do not have many years remaining to me, so a new queen will replace me soon. When she does, she will need drones, mates that are not of our hive. Without them, the hive will slowly atrophy and die. That is why I ask where the Tulip Hive is.”

  “Oh! I… I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that was what you were asking. Joy mentioned that apis would need to meet one another, though, so…” Brianna said, her eyes widening as she looked at Cora, and at Cora’s nod, she continued. “Well, if you follow the roads north of the forest to Irador, then take the path from there to Seldrim, you’ll find the Flower Forest. It’s about eleven days by foot, and I’m sure you could cut off some of the time if you went directly there.”

  “There are some dangerous areas between here and there, though,” Stella spoke up softly, looking at the queen in concern. “I would probably follow the roads if possible.”

  “There… there is the other hive, too. The one near, um, the Shimmerwood?” Joy suggested, her voice unusually nervous, and at last Cora realized that the apis had been silent until now, and her eyes were wide as she watched the queen worshipfully. “I don’t know how far away it is, but there’s supposed to be a hive there!”

  “Of course, I almost forgot the Guildmaster told us about that!” Brianna said, gently slapping her forehead, then looked a
t Joy with a grin as she added, “Joy’s right, and that hive is closer, but in an area suited for people of around level twenty-five to thirty. It’s about seven days away, following the roads again. There’s supposed to be another hive near the northern edge of the duchy as well, but we didn’t get much information on it.”

  “Thank you, that will help immensely,” the queen said, nodding and looking like her tension had eased. At the same time, a rustle went through the other apis, who Cora saw look at one another and whisper among themselves, smiling most of the time. The queen wasn’t finished, though. “I have other questions for you, but those can wait. I know you came here looking for us, so I should ask why.”

  “It’s because of Joy,” Cora said softly, prompting a squeak from the apis, who flushed a brighter yellow and hid behind Brianna, prompting a smile from Cora.

  “Oh?” the queen asked, looking at Joy, a smile playing across the queen’s face. “She does seem quite attached to you, but I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

  “Well, in some ways it’s my fault. We encountered an opponent we couldn’t fight, and he poisoned me,” Cora said, taking the plunge as she winced at the memory. “I was going to die, and due to a recent death… it probably would have been permanent. Joy used an item to save me, one which had been given to her by her former queen when she was sent out of the hive. Pure royal jelly.”

  The apis almost all went still as their gazes focused on Joy, who blushed, but the queen’s gaze didn’t waver from Cora’s, unnerving the elf as she swallowed, then continued. “I wanted to try to replace it, but her hive didn’t have enough to spare, and couldn’t make it in time to let her become a queen, even if she reached level twenty. They did say another hive might be able to, though. I… we came here in the hopes we could either purchase or find some form of trade to get some from you, or even to go to the other hive in the Shimmerwood if this fails.”

  “Ah. I see why she cares about you,” the queen said, smiling and nodding as she looked around the room. “However, while we have pure royal jelly, and in amounts we could spare, you realize that it is truly precious to us, yes?”

  “Of course we do. We were told a lot about it, but…” Stella hesitated, then swallowed as she spoke passionately. “Joy’s our friend. She gave up almost a century of life for Cora without hesitation, and I know she would’ve done it for any of us. If we can give her that back…”

  The queen just watched them silently, and Cora shifted from one foot to the other, nervous that the queen would outright deny their request. The fact she hadn’t already made her hope, yet she feared that her hopes were about to be dashed. Even the other apis were waiting for the queen’s decision, watching her as they occasionally glanced at Joy curiously.

  “I am willing to allow you to trade for the jelly,” the queen said at last, sending a wave of relief through Cora, and she felt her face light up as she looked at Brianna, inhaling, but then the queen continued. “I have some conditions, however, and it will not be inexpensive.”

  “We entirely understand that; the only question is if we can afford what you’re asking,” Cora said, her stomach tightening again, though not nearly as much as it might have.

  “We do have quite a bit of coin, though I’m doubting that it’s something you want,” Brianna said, grimacing slightly as she added, “We had that discussion before, that money isn’t very valuable to you.”

  “No, it isn’t. However, what we don’t have is the ore we need to upgrade the weapons of our warriors, which would make the battle against the ants easier,” the queen explained, nodding to the side, then looking at Joy as she continued. “If I believed you could acquire it, I’d ask for enough iron or silver ore for all of them, but that isn’t reasonable. Instead, my requirement has two parts.”

  The thought of trying to get enough ore for even thirty thousand apis was enough to make Cora flinch, let alone if this hive had as many as sixty thousand members. Based on what she’d seen of Joy’s work, the apis had been able to upgrade her weapons and armor with three pieces of ore. If they went with iron ore, which was cheaper, that would likely cost nine to ten coins each… and the sheer cost of that much ore made her head hurt, assuming they could even find that much.

  Fortunately, the queen hadn’t stopped speaking, so Cora’s worries eased rapidly as the apis spoke calmly. “The first is enough ore to upgrade the weapons and armor of five hundred warriors. I believe that would require one thousand, five hundred pieces of ore, which might be difficult to provide, but possible. The second part is a little embarrassing, perhaps, but we are not certain how to make contact with outsiders. I want you to make contact with those in charge of the nearby community, and assist us in setting up a trade agreement.”

  “That…” Cora began, then paused, looking at the others, worry welling up inside her.

  “The first part should be possible. Iron ore is about ten to twelve coins, on the high end,” Stella interjected softly, but she looked troubled as she hesitated, then admitted, “The second part is what concerns me. I think we’d be able to help you with a trade agreement easily, if things were normal, but… Bearton has been taken over by the Kingdoms of Darkness. I don’t know that we can get back to Irador, let alone help with a trade agreement.”

  “Um, unless you could help us?” Joy said, sounding hopeful as she looked at the queen.

  “Oh?” the queen asked, tilting her head at Joy, who blushed again. “How would that be possible? We’re currently fighting a war, and don’t have many apis to spare.”

  “Yes, but… well, I don’t know how many of the darkness people there are, but there can’t be that many, right?” Joy asked, looking at Cora and Brianna hopefully. “You said that towns are small, compared to hives.”

  “Well… Brianna?” Cora asked, looking at the redhead, winding a lock of hair around a finger nervously. Stella looked cautiously hopeful as well, she noticed.

  “I… am not sure. Armies can be in the tens of thousands, Joy, though it’s relatively rare. Most of them are a couple thousand soldiers at most. A lot depends on whether this one was a raiding party or something bigger,” Brianna said, tapping her leg nervously. “It could just be a couple of companies of soldiers, which would be only a few hundred people.”

  “Mm. They have been exploring the jungle, and not in great numbers. If there are that few of them, things might change,” the queen said, and looked at an attendant. “I believe it is a bright night, from what has been said, so send a few apis to scout the town, and see how many are guarding it. They are to remain unseen.”

  “Yes, my queen,” the attendant said, and quickly trotted off.

  Cora was a little taken aback by the queen’s casual order, and how promptly it’d been carried out. She opened her mouth, then paused and added, “Um, while I should have thought about it earlier, I should say that if you do help, that’ll likely gain you a lot of good will with the locals, which would help with any trade agreements or the like. It’s also pretty likely you could get reinforcements to help fight off the army ants. They’re considered a plague by most nations in the world.”

  “Interesting,” the queen said, and smiled a little as she nodded to Joy. “In that case, the suggestion is well-received. Thank you, Joy. If we can help in a way that does not endanger the hive, I will see what I can do. However, your companions appear to be tired. Would you like to rest here for the evening? I should have enough information to make a decision by dawn.”

  “Yes, of course. Thank you very much,” Cora said, relaxing again as she thought about their situation. She smiled at the queen and bowed her head respectfully. “Your assistance has been helpful beyond words.”

  “You are welcome,” the queen said, nodding slightly as she looked at another attendant. “Please give them a resting chamber to themselves. I believe that they find too many others in the area to be uncomfortable.”

  “Yes, my queen,” the attendant agreed, and quickly stepped forward, smiling as she spoke to them. “
If you would follow me?”

  “Of course,” Stella said, smiling as she took the lead alongside the apis.

  As they walked away, Cora saw Joy taking sidelong looks at the queen before they left, the fascination in her eyes obvious. The elf had to wonder just what it was that had Joy so enthralled, but she didn’t ask, not here.

  The one thing Cora hoped was that the room they’d be resting in wouldn’t be too bright.

  Chapter 30

  “The adventurers ended up where?” Damaris demanded angrily, her good mood shattering at the information, and she saw Leah flinch. The reaction told Damaris that she’d overreacted, and she immediately moderated her tone as she continued. “I’m not blaming you, Leah, but I want to be sure I heard you right.”

  “I understand, sir,” Leah said, taking a deep breath before speaking again, her tone ever so slightly grating. “I lost most of the scouts that were following them, but two managed to stay on their tail all the way into the Teeming Jungle. The adventurers were ambushed by leopards, and looked like they would either lose or be left as easy pickings for the scouts when they were rescued by a group of apis. From what they said, the apis adventurer asked for help, and they gave it. Then they escorted the adventurers back to their hive.”

  “Gods damn it!” Damaris hissed, inhaling sharply as Leah confirmed what she’d thought she’d meant, though in a little more detail this time. Looking up, she spoke sharply. “Velk!”

  “Yes, sir?” Velk replied, ducking through the doorway, then came to attention.

  “Could we get through the defenses of the apis hive?” Damaris asked, though she was quite certain of what the answer would be.

  “Not a chance,” Velk replied, blinking in surprise at the question, but his voice was serious. “We got a look at it, and the hive is the size of all Bearton, if the town went upwards, too. Maybe bigger. With as many of them as there are, even if we had all four companies we’d get torn to shreds.”