Arachne laughed a little, “I’d almost forgotten how sweet and delicate it was. But unfortunately, my sorrow is misflavoring the wine . . .”
“The more you drink, the better you will feel and the sweeter it will taste.” Keres sipped her wine encouragingly. Arachne mirrored her, downing half the glass.
Arachne . . . ! Leo’s thoughts raced. He’d never felt so trapped in his entire life. He beat against the sides of his mind, searching for any crevice out, any connection to his limbs or his throat. He felt no crack in the facade. Only smooth darkness, an impenetrable barrier between his mind and his body.
“Surprised you don’t want to cut the wine with water,” Arachne mused.
“Never again!” Keres laughed. “It’s been over a millennia since we diluted wine. I will never do so again, just as I will never serve food to a man first.”
“Amen to that!” Arachne raised her glass again and they laughed heartily.
“Are you ready for the coronation?” Keres asked.
“I am . . .” Arachne hesitated. “Though it’s not going how I anticipated.”
“Nothing ever does,” Keres smiled. “But here we are.”
“Indeed.”
“Do you remember?” Keres leaned back in her chair. “. . . our time in the corner of your house?”
“Oh . . .” a smile spread across Arachne’s lips. “Yes, of course!”
“When we were spiders, the whole world was so much bigger than the two of us. But it didn’t matter, because we were too busy weaving our webs to care.”
“I reflect on this time fondly.” Arachne laughed a little. “My father would watch us for hours. You were industrious . . . meticulous.”
“Yes, but you had such soul! You were always innovating, whether it was your tapestries or your web. It broke my heart that you stopped weaving.”
“I did . . .” Arachne took another sip of the wine. “However, you saw the tapestry in my apartment.”
Keres nodded.
“I did repair it a few centuries ago, with the help of Saint-Germain’s dyes. When I stitched up the tapestry, it was like I was repairing the seams of my heart.”
Arachne placed her empty glass on the table. Keres carefully poured wine into her glass and encouraged Arachne to drink more.
“And in the cavern . . .” Arachne said between sips. “I wove a web against that gargoyle demon and felt exhilarated. Vrkyos said if I used my powers I would feel the dark energy pulsing through my veins. I could feel that power, tempting me to harness it, to transform. It terrified me . . . but it also empowered me.”
She gazed over at Keres and took a deep breath. “Is it wrong to want that power? I swore to Vrykos, though he taught me how to tap into it, that I wouldn’t. He was so disappointed in me. But when I had a taste of it, I realized that I wasn’t really living. It feels like an addiction. Like I could never be content unless I used that energy. I’m afraid that if I use the crown, it will be the same.”
“You are a demon!” Keres leaned in. “You should use your demon powers. You shouldn’t hold back like you have been. You have nothing to fear from that power. Sure, you may not control vampires, but why pretend?”
Tears welled up in Arachne’s eyes as she leaned back into her armchair. “It’s so hard to remain disciplined when the magic coursing through my veins is wild. It’s dark . . . dangerous. But I don’t want to hurt anyone . . . I’m not sure I have the strength . . .”
“You have too much compassion for them.”
“No . . .” Arachne shook her head. “Humans deserve our compassion. I never wanted this life. If I could be human again, I would leave this all behind me. I wish I could relive my life as a human without magic’s involvement. I wish I could have died in old age, with children and grandchildren. But this is my life now, fighting the dark magic swirling just at my fingertips.”
Keres refilled Arachne’s glass and Arachne took another long draw.
“You are the greatest force in my life,” Keres said. “You gave my life a new purpose. You showed me what was possible. And for that, I’m eternally grateful. I’ve lived out so many centuries enjoying every treasure this world provided, traveling the earth, over mountains and across seas. I’ve enjoyed watching the progress and folly of man, over and over as they’ve tasted the fatal recipe of life. I cursed the gods with you when they left this earth. I appreciated your company as we reveled in our freedom, away from their cruelty.”
Arachne raised her glass tipsily, glowing with pride.
“Good riddance!” she laughed.
“I understand why you wanted to seek the crown.” Keres sipped her wine. “You were always grasping for what little control you could get over your situation. It was never easy. It was evil, what Athena did to you. But the past is the past. I want to focus on your future.”
Arachne nodded, gulping down more of the sweet dark wine.
“What would I do without you, my sister?” Arachne swooned. “You’ve been there for me from the very beginning. I lost my mother and my father. I never had any siblings. But I don’t feel lacking in love and kinship.”
“I . . .” Keres put her hand to her heart. “. . . am humbled by your words.”
Arachne grinned and sloshed her wine. “It’s true!”
“Arachne, your love has been my sole treasure.” Keres set her wine glass on the table. “It is why I cannot let you go through with the coronation.”
Arachne continued to grin tipsily for a few more moments before her smile faltered.
“Keres . . . ?”
“You always kept me safe, protected me. You gifted me speed and strength . . . eternal life,” Keres explained. “When you pursued this endeavor, I began to fear for your life.”
“I am strong enough to defend myself.” Arachne shook her head. “You don’t need to worry about me, sister.”
“But that’s where you’re wrong.” Keres rose from her chair. “You are blinded by your pursuit for power. You refuse to use your own magic to defend yourself out of fear of harming worthless humans. You don’t see the danger lurking in the shadows.”
“I see the danger.” Arachne rose from her chair to meet Keres. “But I am competent to face my enemies. Don’t tell me you, my sister, are now my enemy?”
“I am not your enemy,” Keres hissed. “I am your savior. In time, you will grow to appreciate what I’m doing for you now. This is a small hitch in your long legacy. You will be resurrected. You will rise again. But I cannot let you fall from grace permanently. I will not let you be the death of us all. If you die, we all die.”
“Keres!” Arachne took a step forward, furious. Then she gasped. The wine glass slipped from her fingers and she clutched her chest.
ARACHNE! Leo’s thoughts pounded against his own head, yet he could not free himself from the shackles of the compulsion. He stood and watched silently with horror.
“You will rest here,” Keres murmured as she helped Arachne to the floor, resting her head down softly. “And you should take heed: the ferocious sea demon is fast approaching New Orleans, and in two eves’ time, it will have sunk the city.”
“N-no . . .” Arachne struggled on the floor, trying to fight the paralysis. She grimaced, clenching her fists and gritting her teeth.
“Your actions incurred the wrath of ancient demons like this.” Keres tenderly grabbed the starry crown from Arachne’s head. “We were happy. Now we must flee. You may wish to kill me when you awaken. So be it. I welcome death as a sacrifice to save your life. Feel free to pluck my heart from my chest. When you heal, leave this city immediately, and save yourself. Let the city sink into the ocean . . . Let the storm wash away your mistakes . . .”
With that, Keres rose from Arachne's side with the crown in her hands. Then, in the blink of an eye, she vanished.
Chapter 24
The moment Keres disappeared, Leo regained control of his body. He clenched his fists and punched through the armoire door, breaking it. It swung on its hinges as h
e rushed forward.
“ARACHNE!” He fell to his knees by her side. She blinked up at him through hazy eyes and then passed out. “HELP! SOMEONE!” He held her up tenderly in his arms. She was limp, unmoving. After a moment, he heard the door slam open. Saint-Germain, was suddenly by his side, followed by Eshe.
“What happened?” Eshe demanded.
“Keres,” Leo’s words dripped with malice. “. . . poisoned Arachne’s wine. And she just collapsed.”
“What kind of poison?”
Leo looked down desperately at his shirt and pointed to the purple powder dusting his clothes. “She blew this powder on me. It allowed her to mesmerize me. And she put the same powder into the wine. Some kind of flower.”
“Anemone?”
“Yes.” Leo nodded furtively.
“Where is the crown?” Saint-Germain glanced from Arachne’s limp head in Leo’s arms to around the room.
“Keres . . .” Leo swallowed hard. “. . . took it.”
Saint-Germain placed his hands over his face and fell into a cushioned chair dramatically. Just then, Monette burst into the room.
“Sorry!” she panted. “Don’t have vampire speed . . . what’s . . . going on?” She saw Leo and Arachne on the floor and stood rigid, tears springing to her eyes.
“Oh . . . Leo . . .”
“Arachne will be all right . . . eventually,” Eshe said as she stroked Arachne’s hair. She pulled out a small vial from her jacket and then carefully collected some anemone dust from Leo’s shirt. “I will prepare a remedy. Until then, please bring her to the bed and place a cool towel on her head.”
Leo carefully carried Arachne to the bed and gazed down at her ashen face beading with sweat. Monette rushed to the bathroom and brought back a cool, damp towel to drape on Arachne’s forehead. Eshe commanded Saint-Germain to follow her down to the study. He reluctantly complied, leaving Monette and Leo by Arachne’s side.
They watched her sleep for some time, Leo staring intently at Arachne without speaking a word. Finally, Monette put her hand on Leo’s arm.
“Everything will be okay.”
“There’s nothing I could do.” Leo clenched his fists above his knees. “I was powerless to do anything.”
“It’s not your fault . . .”
“How? I knew Keres was no good, yet I didn’t say anything.”
“Who haven’t you accused?” Monette frowned sharply. “You didn’t trust anyone, but not everyone is an enemy.”
“I’m weak.” Leo closed his eyes. “Too weak to protect her.”
“You are the strongest person I know!” Monette grasped his arm firmly. “Don’t you dare blame yourself for this!”
Leo glared over at her and Monette scowled back. He felt his stomach perform somersaults.
“No brother of mine backs down from a fight! You were forged from a cut of steel most people only dream of. That’s what Dad says, anyway.”
“Well, Dad doesn’t know the darkness we have to face here. That we are alone in a sea of demons and vampires. That we are powerless in the face of these great evils, whether we’re witches or humans. We’re weak.”
“We’re not alone,” Monette insisted. “Arachne said it herself: we are as strong as we are united.”
“And yet here Arachne is, paralyzed with poison. The crown is stolen. There’s no hope.” Leo gritted his teeth. “I didn’t even think about her safety anymore, after all we’ve been through. She always seemed so strong.”
“She is strong, Leo. She’s just not impervious.”
Leo gazed down at his fists for several more minutes before he sighed, long and hard.
“I was trapped in my own mind. I didn’t know how terrible compulsion was . . . It’s like you’re in a nightmare you can’t control. You just watch in horror as your body moves, even though you’re screaming inside for it to stop.”
“There’s nothing you could have done.” Monette tugged at his sleeve. “What happened to you . . . it’s wrong. It’s not your fault.”
Leo blinked back tears and stared back at Arachne, still asleep in the bed.
“I barely spoke to her the last time I saw her. She ran from the room . . . She thinks she’s a monster. She doesn’t realize how much light she brings to this world. If I could go back to that moment and just—”
“Leo.” Monette shook her head somberly. “You tell her when she wakes up. She will wake up. And when she does, she will need you more than ever.”
Eshe reentered the room carrying a small steaming cauldron. Leo leaned away and rested his arms on his knees. Eshe set a small kerosene flame on the table and set the cauldron on top. Then she pulled the curtains open, allowing the sunset to tinge the room in an orange and pink glow.
“As the moon rises, it will power the anemone antidote,” Eshe explained. “Once it reaches the crescendo, after midnight, the antidote will be ready. Until then, we wait.”
The room turned a hazy purple with the onset of dusk, and then to inky black with only the stars, moon, and city beyond lighting the darkened room. As the moon rose over the horizon, filling the room with silver ribbons of light, the cauldron began to sputter and spark. The liquid turned from silver to various shades of blue and lavender, and finally to vibrant violet, the shade of the anemone dust. Shortly after midnight, Eshe stirred the cauldron and then cautiously poured the liquid into a vial. She let it cool for a few minutes and then brought it over to Arachne’s bedside.
Eshe took a deep breath as she tilted Arachne’s head forward and tipped the vial to her lips. They waited silently. Arachne did not respond. Leo held his breath, clasping his hands together. Finally, Arachne’s eyebrows scrunched together. She coughed and sat up suddenly.
“Where . . . ?” She gazed around the room, rubbing her eyes. She looked up to set her eyes on Saint-Germain, Eshe, Monette, and then . . . Leo. “Where is she?”
“She’s gone.” Saint-Germain frowned.
“Keres . . .” Arachne murmured. Her anger rapidly melted away.
“I’m just glad you’re awake,” Leo sighed in relief.
“Thanks to Eshe!” Monette supplied.
Arachne blinked, staring up at Eshe.
“It was a complicated antidote. It used a lot of my potion stores.” Eshe shrugged and grinned sheepishly. “At least you’re well. But it will take you some time to fully heal.”
“I may be for now,” Arachne leaned back in the bed and took a few deep breaths. “But dark forces are brewing over our home. The sea demon has a dreadnaught path toward us, and intends to sink the city into the depths of the ocean. It will be here two evenings from now.”
“The sea demon?” Saint-Germain stood from his chair, placing fingertips to his forehead. “We must evacuate.” Everyone stared at him as he shook his head and rubbed his temples. Then, he stared back at them and sighed, his shoulders slumping. “You all don’t want to go, I presume?”
“We can’t just leave.” Monette frowned. “This is our home. Our family . . . our friends . . .”
“We take them with us,” Saint-Germain insisted. “This is what flood insurance is for!”
“No.”
Everyone turned to watch Arachne as she pushed herself from the bed. She stumbled, and Leo quickly leaned forward to steady her. She flashed him a small smile before turning to address everyone.
“Our situation seems dire. I am weakened by this poison. Keres has the crown. The sea demon is fast approaching the shores of New Orleans. But we will not abandon our home. We will not abandon our hope. I am done running . . . ” She paused, meeting everyone’s eyes before continuing.
“I will stay and fight. It will not be an easy fight, but we can’t let this city fall just as we’re trying to protect it. Rally our allies! We will reign triumphant, or we will sink into the depths of the sea with the city and with our honor.”
Leo met Monette’s gaze and she rose from the chair.
“I’m not very strong, and if I have magic I have no idea how to use it,” s
he said. “But I’m happy to fight by your sides to defend our home.”
Saint-Germain nodded and then swiftly pivoted on his feet to exit the room. Monette and Eshe slowly followed him out. When everyone left, Arachne started toward the balcony door. Leo escorted her outside. Arachne took a deep breath, letting the cool air fill her lungs and moonlight wash over her skin. Leo watched her carefully as she leaned on the balcony. Dark clouds swirled beyond the horizon over the ocean.
“It’s getting late,” she murmured. “You should go to bed.”
“I can’t sleep.”
She turned to look up at his face. “You’ll need your strength.”
“And so will you,” Leo countered, frowning.
“I just want a moment to breathe.” She blinked. “I’ve never felt so . . .” she let her words fade into the moonlit night.
“I’ll give you space,” Leo said, a soft smile touching his lips. “But I just want you to remember what I said. I’ll say it over and over again until you believe it. You are incredible . . . the bravest spider I’ve ever met—”
“Leo . . .”
“I love you, Arachne.” His heart fluttered as he spoke the words once more. He desperately wanted her to know. “You deserve to hear it, because it’s true. And I don’t care if you’re not ready to say it back. Even a demon deserves some happiness.”
She stared up at him, her eyebrows scrunching together and her full pink lips slightly parted.
“I love you,” Leo repeated. “Goodnight.” He leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead. Then he stepped back inside their room, carefully closing the terrace doors behind him.
Chapter 25
“It’s October 28th. The Crescent City is preparing for Hurricane Morrissey, but the flooding has already begun,” the newscaster stated while images and videos of the city played in the background. “Even the famed French Quarter is starting to flood due to weather systems ahead of the hurricane. You can see in these images that residents are evacuating, only to find they’re trapped on swampy streets with overturned garbage cans and flooded vehicles. Some residents are even paddling their way down the street in kayaks! Now to our meteorologist, Emilie Strand, to speak more on this.”
Blood Moon (A Louisiana Demontale): Book 1 of the Crescent Crown Saga Page 22