The Spider Queen

by Emma Slate

  Maggie said something to Hunter, but I had tuned them out.

  Did you save me? I asked Thane. Were those your hands on my heart?

  Yes.

  Thank you. I closed my eyes and sighed.

  You don’t have to sound so disgruntled about thanking me.

  I don’t like feeling indebted to anyone. And you saved my life. Which means I have to save yours.

  I’m not dead, Poppy. I’m trapped.

  That’s no life at all. I’ll free you, Thane. And then we’re even.

  The pull—

  Forget the pull. Freeing you just became my choice.

  “This changes everything,” I said interrupting their conversation and struggling to rise. “If the house can be infiltrated, then we aren’t—I’m not safe.” I looked at Hunter. “We have to go to the cliffs. Now.” I wobbled on my feet and would’ve fallen if Hunter hadn’t caught me.

  “You can hardly stand,” he pointed out. “How are we supposed to make it down—”

  “Give me a few minutes. I’ll be okay,” I assured him.

  “We need supplies,” Hunter said to Seamus.

  “Come with me,” Seamus said.

  Hunter gently released me, and when he sure I would remain upright, he followed Seamus out of the room. As soon as they were gone, I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes.

  “Easy there,” Maggie crooned, taking me by the arm and leading me into the bedroom. “Sit,” she commanded, pointing to the bed.

  She went to the armoire and flung open the heavy, dark wooden doors. “Are you sure you have the stamina to do this today?”

  “I don’t really have a choice, do I? I can’t stay here, it’s not safe. And I will not put more people in danger.”

  Maggie stopped riffling through the clothes in the armoire to look at me. Her face softened and then she was back to business. “It will be cold on the cliffs. You’ll need to layer. There’s a good chance it will also be raining, so I’ll give you a rain mac and hiking boots.” She set a pile of clothes on the bed.

  I pulled on a gray tank top and then put a white thermal over it. “Is that where Seamus took Hunter? To get the same stuff?”

  “Partly.”

  “Partly?” I got into a pair of clean underwear, Lycra leggings, and then finished it with a pair of rain pants.

  “Supplies—food, water, ropes, lanterns—”

  “Oh! Like camping gear. Got it.”

  Maggie found a white wool sweater but before she handed it over to me, she took one of my hands in hers and gave it a squeeze. “I was wrong about you.”

  “You were?”

  She nodded. “You know how I can feel essences? Well, I couldn’t feel yours. It was like you simply didn’t exist. And that didn’t sit right with me.”

  “Let me guess,” I said with an ironic drawl. “I almost died and now you can feel me?”

  Maggie smiled. “Yes. Exactly.”

  “What do you feel?” I asked. She opened her mouth to respond, but I cut her off. “You know what? I don’t want to know.”

  “You really are going to free him, aren’t you?” She dropped my hand.

  I put on the sweater and breathed in the smell of lamb’s wool. “I am.”

  “Because you feel the pull?”

  “Partly,” I drawled.

  “You don’t seem angry about your destiny anymore. Why is that?”

  “You have your secrets, Maggie. Let me have mine.”

  She chuckled. “Come on. Let’s get you and Hunter a hot, hearty meal. You’re going to need it.”

  Chapter 45

  Hunter packed up the car we were borrowing from Maggie and Seamus, and then we said our goodbyes. We were full of good food and uneasy feelings. I was still woozy, but I put on a brave face. As Hunter drove us toward the cliffs, he sipped on an energy drink. I had power bars stuffed into the zipped up pockets of my rain jacket.

  “I’m going to pretend like we’re going camping,” I said. “Maybe that way I’ll be able to wrap my brain around this.”

  “Have you ever even been camping, even once?” he asked in amusement.

  I shot him a look. “What? I don’t look like the kind of girl who likes camping?”

  “No, no, you don’t.”

  “Jerk,” I teased.

  He chuckled and then sobered. “We’re going to Knockardakin, the highest point of the cliffs.”

  “And the staircase is there?”

  “Yes. It’s going to be windy, so I’ll tie a rope around us and keep us tethered to one another.”

  “It’s surprisingly sunny out,” I commented, peering out the car window. “Wouldn’t that be something? We make it down the entire staircase with no rain.”

  “Don’t hold your breath, Poppy.”

  “Right, because my life so doesn’t work like that.”

  We arrived at the cliffs. My hand reached for the car door while my eyes fixated on the ocean. The view stole the breath from my lungs. The cliffs were jagged and rocky, lining the edge of lush, green land. The cliffs stretched for miles and I was intoxicated by the view.

  Entranced, I stepped closer and closer to the cliffs. Hunter’s arms locked around me, hauling me back against his chest.

  “Damn,” he muttered. “I forgot about the pull.”

  My heart skittered like a trapped rabbit as I realized I was in danger. “I would’ve kept going until I went over…”

  “Yes. Let me get the rope.” He didn’t let go of me as he went to the backseat of the car.

  But I felt the pull in my blood and it made me antsy. “Hurry, Hunter.”

  “I’m trying, Poppy. It’s hard finding what I need with one hand.” He dug around in the backpack and pulled out climbing rope and other equipment.

  “How is this going to work?” I asked as Hunter looped the end of a rope around my waist and tied a knot.

  “I weigh more than you do,” he reminded me. “The wind won’t be able to carry you off, nor will the pull draw you over the side of a cliff.”

  “Let’s hope. Then again magic is magic. And all bets are off.”

  “Right. Then we better get going.” He zipped up the backpack and put it on, climbing gear clinking as he did. “Okay. I’m ready.”

  “I wish I could say the same.” We both stood there for a moment and then I raised my eyebrow. “I’m waiting on you to lead.”

  “I’m not the one leading here, you are.”

  “Um. I have no idea where the staircase is. You said you knew where it was.”

  “Yeah, of course I know where it is—the Cliffs of Moher. As for the actual location? That’s all you.”

  “What? I’m supposed to close my eyes and use my ‘spidey’ sense to find the staircase?” I shook my head. “Wow. That term suddenly has a new meaning for me.”

  “Be quiet.”

  “Hey, you can’t—”

  “Poppy, be quiet. If you’re quiet, you’ll hear things. Shhhh…”

  I glared at him but closed my mouth. I heard nothing, but felt a beat low in my belly. It throbbed and grew, and soon I tugged against the rope that kept me tethered to Hunter. We set off at a quick pace, inching toward the edge of the cliffs. There was no protective railing, and the wind was picking up. But it didn’t matter because I knew where we had to go.

  I came to a halt about a quarter of a mile away from the car. A cluster of gray boulders jutted out of the land. Closing my eyes, I leaned into the air, feeling the ocean spray on my face. I shivered, but not from fear or cold. I felt…ready.

  “What is it?” Hunter asked, finally breaking the silence. I pointed to the gray rocks. “See that group of huge stones over there? The staircase is under them. In the earth.”

  “Under—”

  “The rocks, yeah.”

  “But I—I thought the staircase would be, I don’t know, chiseled through the cliffs. We’d still be outside.”

  I shook my head. “We have to move those rocks.”

  He looked down at m
e, mouth slack, eyes wide. “You’re kidding.”

  “Nope.”

  “Those aren’t rocks, they’re boulders and how the hell do you expect us to move them? We’re human.”

  “I’m aware, Hunter,” I drawled. “Just follow me.”

  “I don’t have a choice. We’re tethered together.”

  “We don’t really have time for sarcasm. Hurry up.”

  Fighting the wind, we leaned into it and pressed forward. We got to the crop of rocks, which looked like they were in a man-made formation. Not like a standing stone circle, but more of a haphazard triangle. We paused for a moment and then I stepped forward, into the configuration.

  The moment we strode into the center of the formation the wind died, and I no longer felt like I was going to be pulled over the cliffs.

  “You can untether us now,” I told him.

  “Poppy, I don’t think—”

  “I’m sure. Trust me.”

  He inhaled a breath and then nodded with reluctance.

  When I was free, I moved around to each stone, pressing my hand to them. I expected them to be cool and wet from the Irish rain, but they were dry and…warm.

  “Give me your knife,” I said.

  Without hesitation, Hunter handed his blade to me. I clasped it in my right hand, turned my left palm up, and dragged the metal across my skin. Pain and blood welled. The sound of Hunter’s protest died on his lips as I placed my bloody palm to one of the stones. It gave a shudder from within and then was still. I went to the next stone and did the same, placing my palm to it. With each successive stone the earth beneath them rumbled and trembled with a great force. The land groaned where we stood and split open like the rift after a massive earthquake, and then all was silent.

  “Whoa,” Hunter breathed.

  “Yeah,” I agreed, in awe of what had just occurred.

  “We need to wrap your hand,” he said, taking a step toward me.

  “No, it’s fine.” I held it up to show him. “See? It’s already healing.”

  His eyes widened. “How did you know—”

  I shrugged and then turned my attention back to the opening in the ground. I peered into the bowels of the earth, but only the first few steps of the stone staircase were visible. They were shiny and black, like they were made of the same stone that Thane had been clutching while he’d been in the glass cube as a spider.

  “How did you know? To cut your palm?” he asked.

  “I just knew. I felt something I can’t describe.”

  There was no movement to the air around us. It was stagnant, like the rocks were holding their collective breath.

  I dragged my eyes back to the cavernous stairwell. “Down we go.”

  Chapter 46

  I descended into the earth. The temperature dropped at once and I felt the air around me turn from mild and breezy to cool and damp. It was dark, and I pressed my hand to the smooth stone wall to try and keep my bearing. It would be far too easy to tumble down the stairs…and who knew how far I’d fall?

  “Do you have a light?” I called up to Hunter. The moment I said light, flames flared to life. Torches illuminated the stone staircase—the same kind that had been in Thane’s prison.

  “Shit just got real!” I yelled, feeling adrenaline surge through my body.

  “Right,” Hunter yelled, mirth in his voice. “Because life wasn’t real before now.”

  Adventure and excitement had me fidgety. I called to Hunter, “Am I going to do this without you?”

  “Right behind you, Poppy.”

  I felt Hunter at my back and then I began my journey, shivering as I walked. “I’m glad Maggie gave me a lamb’s wool sweater.”

  He made a noise of agreement. Down and down we went, deep into the ground. The stone staircase grew tighter, narrower as we descended. The torchlight seemed to go on forever, and I wondered how long it would take before we got to the cave.

  After more than an hour of steady walking, I had to sit down and take a break. My head pounded and my eyes hurt with strain. Hunter didn’t complain. He perched on the step above me, pulled off the backpack, and took out a bottle of water.

  “Thanks,” I said, taking it. The liquid was cool against my parched throat. I handed it back to him, and he drank a few gulps before putting it away.

  “What do we do if one of us has to go to the bathroom?” I asked.

  Hunter laughed, the torchlight caressing his jaw and turning his blue eyes dark. “You ask the weirdest questions.”

  “I’m the practical one, remember?”

  “I have no idea—maybe you should ask Thane.”

  I snorted. “Spider dude probably has no idea, either.”

  “You really should show him more respect.”

  I stood up, ready to be on my way. “Don’t start that, Hunter.”

  “I’m just saying—”

  “I’ll respect him when he respects me.”

  “He does respect you, Poppy.”

  “Maybe,” I allowed. “All I know is that he and I will have it out when we’re face to face.” Hunter was silent a moment, and I turned my head to look at him. “What? You’re not going to protest—”

  “Eyes forward,” he snapped. “What are you trying to do? Get yourself killed?”

  “You’re sweet to worry about me,” I said with a laugh, swiveling back around.

  “Someone has to—”

  “Ahh!” My foot slipped on a slick stone and I fell. But Hunter was there, and his quick reflexes saved me from plummeting down hundreds of stairs. He pulled me into the side of his body, held onto me as we both stumbled into the wall.

  “That was close,” Hunter breathed against my hair.

  “Too close.”

  “Maybe we should focus on not falling down the stairs.”

  “Good plan.”

  Hunter released me, and when I was steady enough, I began to descend the stairs again. “To think we were worried about doing this during daylight, outside, with wind.”

  “Focus, Poppy. And watch your steps.”

  I kept my eyes on the stairs, concentrating on being safe. The torchlight was doing something to my vision, making it spotty and fuzzy. I felt something happening, and knew we needed to reach the cave soon.

  After what felt like another hour, the stone staircase’s steep incline began to level out. Excitement burned in my stomach. Was this it? Had we finally come to the cave where I’d go through the final test and free Thane?

  In my anticipation, I picked up speed—and then collided with an invisible wall. I bounced off and landed at Hunter’s feet.

  “Um. Ow,” I moaned. “What just happened? I think I broke my nose.”

  Hunter crouched down next to me and took my chin in his hands. “Your nose isn’t bleeding, so I think you’re gonna be okay.”

  “What the hell?”

  “I think we just encountered a ward.”

  “Do you know how to break it?”

  “No.” Hunter went forward and placed his hand on the invisible wall and peered closer. “Nothing looks out of the ordinary on the other side—which means it’s something really terrible.”

  “How do you figure?” I asked.

  “Some wards are designed specifically to keep people out, and some are meant as a warning. We have to go through this ward to get closer to Thane, ergo—”

  “Ergo, all ye trespassers beware?” I asked in my best pirate voice.

  “Exactly. Unfortunately, we won’t know what we’re dealing with until we break the ward.”

  “Which neither of us knows how to do,” I pointed out.

  I can break the ward, came Thane’s voice in my head.

  Have I been sharing my brain with you this whole time? I asked him.

  The Veil between us is no longer—

  Oh God, don’t mention the Veil.

  Fine. But it’s the reason I’m tapped in to you without you consciously being aware of it.

  You mean I’m just an open vessel righ
t now? I seethed in anger. Would I never have any sort of privacy ever again? You’re like a brain parasite.

  Careful.

  Sorry, not sorry.

  “Poppy?” Hunter asked, looking at me, hand still on the wall.

  “Just having an argument with Thane,” I assured him. “He says he can break the ward.”

  “Good.”

  Do you know what’s behind the wall? I asked Thane.

  Not a clue.

  So we break the ward and then take our chances.

  Pretty much, yeah.

  Jeez, Thane. If Guardian of the Bridge, whatever the hell that is, doesn’t work out for you, maybe you should become a motivational speaker or a life coach.

  And maybe, you should really hone your skills in survival instead of sarcasm. Sarcasm gets you nowhere.

  Sarcasm is my reason for living.

  “Okay, seriously,” Hunter voiced. “I feel really left out.”

  “Thane is mocking my sarcasm skills.”

  “Why? I think they’re brilliant.”

  “And this is why I love you,” I told him, knowing Thane heard that. I hoped the dig hurt. I was being petulant, but I didn’t care. “Should we do this?”

  Hunter nodded.

  Ready, Thane?

  You’ll pay for that, Thane growled.

  Yeah, yeah. I have to survive all this first.

  I’ll enjoy punishing you.

  Sadistic spider. I sighed. Let’s get on with it.

  Chapter 47

  Put both hands on the wall, Thane commanded.

  I followed his instructions, trying to see if there was a threat lurking behind the barrier. But all I could see beyond was a cavernous stone room with another set of stairs at the end. Which meant Thane wasn’t behind door number one. It would’ve been too easy.

  And my life was not easy.

  My palms began to tingle and then vibrate, and soon began to glow a dull red.

  Thane—

  Relax.

  The deep red light soon became bright orange flames and my hands began to burn. Fire licked at my skin, shooting up my arms. Fear hit me and I tried to rip my hands away from the invisible wall, but they wouldn’t budge. It was like they’d been super-glued to the smooth surface.