The Spider Queen

by Emma Slate

  The afternoon sun was bright and strong, but my body suit kept me cool. I sent another silent thanks to the creators of it, and the pulse of awareness rushed back at me.

  “Where are we stopping for the night?” I asked as Thane handed over a fruit resembling an apple. He’d pulled it from his leather pack, and I briefly wondered where we were going to get food when our supply ran out. I had no idea what was edible or not, not to mention, I hadn’t yet seen any wild animals. Maybe I’d go vegetarian for a bit, I thought in amusement.

  “I’d like to get to the edge of the forest. There’s shelter there.”

  “How much longer?” I asked, trying not to sound like a kid asking are we there yet on repeat.

  “It will be past sunset by the time we arrive.”

  “How much past sunset?”

  “Eat your fruit.” He winked. “Keep up your strength.”

  A flush spread across my cheeks.

  “For the journey, Poppy.” He grinned. “You have such a dirty mind.”

  “I do not!”

  Thane laughed, and then he did something that felt completely out of character—he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me into his side. He pressed his mouth to my hair. “This doesn’t feel real.”

  “What doesn’t?”

  “All of it.” He sighed and pulled back.

  I watched him close his eyes. “It’s been so long since I’ve smelled the fresh air. Stretched my arms and not felt invisible chains holding me back. I forgot. How rich it all is.”

  My heart leapt into my throat as I watched him savor the moment. The peaceful joy radiating from his face was obvious. His eyes flipped open.

  I touched the space between his eyes and pretended to smooth out the skin that was habitually furrowed.

  “I’m not sorry, you know.” His voice was low, purposeful. “I’m not sorry it was you I had to wait for. I’d wait a thousand more years for you.”

  His words made my hand tremble as it fell from his face. “How can you say that, when you don’t even know me?”

  Thane smiled. “You think I don’t know you? I do.”

  Was it worth arguing? And the bigger question—did I even know myself anymore?

  “I’m not human, Poppy.”

  “I know that.” I finally bit into the red fruit I’d been holding, needing something to do. It was tart and sweet.

  “Do you?” he wondered aloud. “I feel like I have to remind you. I’m not human. I am not a college boy who had the means to flirt and seduce you.”

  His allusion to Hunter felt like a punch in the gut.

  “I can’t take you out on a normal date. Even if I could, I’m not sure I’d want to. I’m Guardian of the Bridge. I’m immortal.”

  I wanted to get us back to the levity and gentle intimacy that had been floating between us the last few hours. So I shot him an amused smile. “Are you saying because you’re immortal, you’re above wooing me?”

  He grinned. “Okay, Poppy. I see what you’re trying to do.”

  Thane took my hand, and we continued up the hill. As soon as we got to the crest, we peered out across the land. The island was gone, giving way to tall green grass as far as the eye could see.

  “It’s like the Iowa prairie on steroids,” I blurted out.

  He laughed and squeezed my fingers.

  I held up the fruit core. “Can I chuck this?”

  “Yes.”

  I tossed it into the bushes and turned back to face him. “So where are the animals? Or does Purgatory not have them?”

  “There are animals. But there are wards in place. To keep the beasts away from my property. That ends the moment we step into the grasslands.”

  “What kinds of creatures are there?” I asked, instantly wary.

  “Creatures that are more afraid of me than I am of them.”

  “That didn’t answer my question.”

  He raised our hands to his lips. “Trust me?”

  I nodded.

  Thane took a step, with one foot in the grasslands and the other still on the rocky island ground. With a deep breath, I followed him—and immediately heard sounds that had been absent thus far.

  Insects chirping, cawing birds with bright plumes flying overhead, and beasts—shaggy beasts that were a cross between a goat and an elephant. They weren’t very big, and they looked like they’d stand only to my mid-thigh. Long trunks, stubby horns, cloven hooves. Black, gray, brown, tawny. Every now and again one would bleat. I wanted to pet one.

  “Don’t look directly at them,” Thane warned. “If you meet their eyes, they’ll charge.”

  I quickly looked away, my heart racing.

  “Stay close to me. Step where I step. And if you see a pair of tawny eyes in the grass, run. Because not even I will be able to stop it.”

  “Do I even want to know—”

  “No. You don’t.”

  “I hope there’s some type of fermented beverage once we make it to safety.”

  He kissed me hard and fast, his eyes full of promise. “There will be more than that.”

  Chapter 13

  The afternoon finally melded into evening. As the golden sun set, turning the sky a wash of lavender and cotton candy pink, Thane’s steps grew longer, and our pace quickened.

  He’d explained that during the day, the threat of him kept most of the beasts at bay. But come the darkness, if some creature attacked, he’d have to use magic to defend us.

  And magic was traceable.

  “I don’t want to give Xan any clues as to where I am.”

  “But he knows I’ve freed you, yes? What’s stopping him from tracking us now? Can he do that?”

  “He can do that. Sort of. If we’re being tracked, he’ll have an idea of where we are, but he won’t be able to pinpoint our exact location. If I use my spiders, it’s like sending up a flare.”

  “Got it. This shelter you’re taking me to…is it warded?”

  “Yes.”

  He looked at me. The dying sun illuminated his dark eyes, finally devoid of shadows. For now, Thane was thinking clearly—the insanity battled back behind a wall. How long before it showed itself again?

  Golden hues outlined the contours of his jaw, his body. “Apollo,” I whispered.

  He frowned. “Why are you bringing up that lout’s name? He’s the one who cursed Cassandra.”

  I blinked. “He’s real?”

  “Of course he’s real. Why did you—”

  “The light,” I blurted out, feeling foolish. “It’s behind you and you look like your skin is shining from the inside out. Never mind. It was stupid and fanciful. It’s this place, I think.”

  Thane stopped and put a finger under my chin, forcing me to look at him. “It’s more than that. It’s—you. And me. It’s us, together. It’s not just souls that come to Purgatory, Poppy. It’s hopes and dreams. Lives unlived, wishes unfulfilled.”

  “I’m unraveling,” I said in realization. “Who I was before. It’s all—untangling and being spun into something different. Something new.”

  “That’s one way of putting it. You’re still changing from human to immortal.”

  “It’s a long process then?”

  He shrugged. “Hard to know. Some transform faster than others.”

  The grass was thick and swished in the gentle breeze. It was impossible to see more than a few feet in front of us—and it had been that way for hours.

  I sighed with weariness, ready to rest for the night. “Tell me about—”

  His hands grasped my upper arms to turn me away from him. “Run. Run now.” He gave me a gentle shove and then whirled.

  A beast roared.

  Like a horse whose flank had been smacked, I ran through the tall, thick grass. My heart pounded in fear when I heard more snarling and then a growl.

  And then I made the mistake of looking over my shoulder.

  An eight-foot-tall, silver-haired monster on four legs bared three rows of jagged teeth stained with blood. Tawny
yellow eyes filled with savage rage stalked toward me. A horn in the middle of its head had a piece of bloody, torn white cloth hanging from it.

  Where was Thane?

  I tripped and went down hard enough to make my teeth rattle.

  Fear coated my tongue as my vision swam. Should I call my spider army to me, or was Xan tracking me too? What was the alternative? Die by the jaws of a beast?

  I was fond of living.

  The creature halted mid-step and then slowly eased down into a crouched position, clearly ready to spring. Razor sharp claws elongated from its paws as it prepared to pounce.

  I gulped.

  Before I could call my spiders, Thane burst through the tall brush, diverting the beast’s attention. The side of Thane’s face dripped blood, and one hand clutched his side. In the other, he held an ebony blade.

  The sky was now shades of crimson and gold. Thane looked like an ancient warrior as he faced the monster.

  A growl escaped the beast’s throat. The sound was deafening, and I felt the land beneath me shudder. I slowly made my way to my feet as I watched Thane issue a cry like a warrior in battle.

  The creature lunged at Thane and a scream lodged in my throat. I waited for the beast to make a meal of Thane, but at the last moment, Thane squatted. And when the monster was airborne, with its jaws hanging open, Thane shoved his blade into the roof of the animal’s mouth.

  Sharp teeth clenched down on Thane’s arm, purely out of reflex, but it was too late. The beast went down, its glowing tawny eyes dimming with death.

  “Fuck,” Thane growled, trying to disengage his arm from the powerful jaws. “That hurt like a motherfucker.”

  The curses on Thane’s lips had hysterical laughter welling up inside me. I mashed it down and scrambled toward him, wanting to give the dead animal a wide berth, but my concern for Thane overrode my fear. “What just—what—I can’t—are you—” I grabbed the creature’s muzzle and pried open it’s jaws.

  Thane extracted his arm. Flesh and fabric were torn.

  “Oh God,” I whispered, reaching for him.

  “I’m okay,” he said. “I’ll heal.” He swayed on his feet, and though the light in the sky was nearly gone, I could see that he was pale.

  “You look like you’re about to fall over. And you’re clutching your side.”

  “It gutted me. But it’s healing already.” He took his hand away and opened his shirt to show me. There was a gaping hole in his side, but it wasn’t bloody. “See?”

  “See?” I squeaked, feeling nausea rise in my belly. “I can see your insides!”

  He closed his shirt. “I’m immortal, Poppy. I told you it was hard to kill me.” He smiled.

  I blinked. “Do you regenerate? Like a starfish? Or a liver?”

  Thane laughed and then winced, his hand moving to his side again. “Something like that. I need to sit down for a moment. I’m still…woozy.”

  “Where’s your leather fanny pack?”

  “Satchel,” he growled.

  “Semantics.”

  He gestured to the dead beast.

  “I don’t think I understand.”

  “It got a hold of the satchel, tore it from me, and swallowed it. If you give me a moment, I’ll slit open its belly and retrieve it.”

  “Or”—I swallowed—“we could just leave it.”

  He shook his head. “There are things in there that we need.”

  In the distance, I heard a snarl, and then a bay. I whipped my head around to Thane who shrugged. “The beast’s mate, I imagine. We can’t stay here.”

  When Thane made no move to get up, I sighed, knowing what I had to do. “Give me the knife. I’ll get the satchel.”

  Chapter 14

  “You smell rotten,” Thane said.

  “You don’t smell any better,” I commented, trying to breathe through my mouth.

  “No, I mean literally rotten. Whatever was inside the belly of that creature was being digested, and now it’s all over you.”

  “Then hold your nose,” I snapped.

  I’d retrieved the satchel, but it came at a smelly price. The both of us were covered in blood and guts. My magic suit needed a good rinse—and I wanted a scrubbing from head to toe.

  “There’s a lagoon close to the shelter,” Thane said. “We should be there soon.”

  We’d had to take it easy. Thane might’ve been immortal, but a gutting to the side was painful and slowed him down. We couldn’t travel nearly as quickly while he healed.

  I was hungry and tired. The adrenaline had worn off. Not only did I reek of dead beast, but I also smelled the sour odor of fear clinging to my skin.

  Purgatory had three moons—a fact that Thane hadn’t gotten around to sharing with me. At the moment, the fullest and brightest was the Cerulean moon. Everything seemed to have a murky indigo glow to it. The other two moons—Ebony and Plum—were crescents and looked farther away in the sky.

  The prophecy made sense now. When the Ebony moon was full and at its highest point in the sky, the barren tree would appear. Did that mean everything would be painted in an ebony tint?

  I stayed close to Thane, despite the putrid smells wafting from both of us. I had a healthy dose of self-preservation—and Thane had quickly proven his word to be true: he would keep me safe.

  “Why did you make me run?” I asked.

  His hand pushed aside a thicker part of the brush as he answered. “I knew the beast couldn’t kill me. No matter what it did, I would heal. I’m not sure about what you can do yet, Poppy. Since you’re still changing, I don’t know if you’re more human or immortal.”

  “Oh. That makes sense,” I said. “What sort of things can I expect when I become fully immortal, then?”

  “You’ll be able to take either of your forms in any realm.”

  I swallowed.

  “Your eyes will change. You’ll be able to see things that your human eyes never could.”

  “Like what?”

  “Every being, immortal or otherwise, has a soul. You’ll be able to see them. The souls.”

  “Weird,” I murmured.

  “You already know about the spiders. And your silk.”

  “Also freakin’ weird.”

  He chuckled. “Here we are.” We stepped out of the thick grass and my mouth gaped. We were on the edge of the forest—only these trees were nothing like anything I’d ever seen before.

  Shocker. It was the new theme of my life.

  “They look like giant asparagus,” I marveled, tilting my head back to peer up. And up. They were thick at the trunks, and thinner as they ascended. Reedy limbs devoid of leaves sprang out of the sides and gently swayed in the night air. The bark was dark green and bumpy.

  All of sudden, the air grew stagnant, and my lungs filled with trepidation.

  Thane placed a hand on my arm and then took a step forward. He walked to the nearest tree and pressed his forehead against the bark, chanting in an eerie language, both familiar yet foreign.

  The twigs and branches began to dance in the indigo light. The chanting grew louder as the other asparagus trees began to join in the rhythmic movements. There was a crack, like the sound of a whip lashing through the air, and the tree Thane was touching bent over. It looked like it was going to split in half. Thane’s arms were now around the trunk. There was a snap, followed by another, and then another. The trees were lifting their roots, twisting and turning, and still Thane didn’t stop chanting. The air swirled, alive with magic and song.

  Finally, the trees stopped moving, and Thane fell silent. His arms dropped from around the trunk, and he took a step back. He brushed his hand against the bark, and the tree shuddered.

  “Come,” Thane said to me, his voice soft but full of command.

  I walked toward him, stunned. The trees had moved and shifted to create a pathway. Their branches bent to form a protective canopy.

  “What did you do?” I asked in wonder.

  “I asked for their permission to enter. Th
ey are ancient trees. This is my domain, but they have long memories. It’s important to respect the trees.”

  As we entered the shelter of the forest, I hesitantly reached out to touch one, but I looked to Thane for silent approval first. He nodded and I set my hand against the trunk. It was cool on contact, and I felt the magic in it. It hummed with energy. Ancient, knowing, all seeing.

  I sent gratitude through my touch. The tree shuddered, and one of its branches brushed my shoulder. Looking up into the navy-colored night sky littered with stars and three moons, I smiled.

  Some things were too impossible to believe.

  Chapter 15

  “Are we sleeping on the ground, then? Is this what you meant by shelter?” I asked.

  Thane smiled and turned us away from the main path. “No. Wait and see.”

  How had I been tired moments ago, and now I felt energy welling up inside of me? Was it the forest? Was it the excitement that soon Thane and I would stop, bathe, eat, and eventually sleep in each other’s arms?

  We walked for a few more moments, and then Thane stilled. I had no choice but to follow. He pointed up. There, in the trees, was a shelter.

  “No,” I whispered. “A treehouse?”

  He grinned. “Yes.”

  “But how?”

  Thane shrugged. “This forest is ancient, and the treehouse has been here for as long as I can remember. It will give us whatever we need.”

  “How?”

  He shrugged again. “It just knows.”

  “How do we get up there?”

  “Curious thing, aren’t you?” Thane smiled. “I’ll show you.” He took my hand again and led me toward the treehouse trunk. He murmured a few words in the same language he’d used to greet the trees. The green bark rippled and transformed into a smooth wooden staircase.

  “Wow,” I marveled.

  “You said something about wooing? How am I doing?”

  I laughed. “Pretty good. Saving me from an insane beast. And now this? What’s the language you just spoke?”

  “It doesn’t have a name. It’s primal and belongs to the forest.”

  “I thought I recognized it. Before.” I shook my head, trying to clear it.