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The groundwasshaking.
My blood chilled.
And when I looked up, the Spider came charging at me.
12
Horror froze my bones as the Spider opened his mouth wider.
He would swallow me whole, bones and all still intact. He wouldn’t need to chew me at all, unless it was to make me suffer a slow, torturous end.
He lifted his leg to strike me, its endless shadow swallowing me.
I fell to my knees, watching him come closer and closer—
An enormous blur of black slammed the Spider charging at me away. The loud boom that resounded rattled the ground and yanked a frightened yelp from me.
But I recognised the new monster.
He crawled to stand above me, and I shook at how massive he was compared to me. Eon was bigger than me, but when he was in his true form and standingaboveme, I felt sick, like my very soul wanted to shred me apart to flee.
His long limbs around me made me feel like a bird behind the bars of a cage. He crouched low and hissed so loud that I covered my ears and pressed my forehead to the trembling ground, biting my lips tostopthe pain that pierced into my brain. My head throbbed, my eyes watered, and only when silence echoed in the aftermath did I raise my head.
Whatever Eon had communicated in their language sounded vicious, like a taunt or a warning.
Stunned and still on the ground, I watched with a slack jaw as the other Spider hissed one final time, thumping one leg on the ground like a stomp before he turned and slowly crawled away.
That was it? No battle or bloodshed? How could a Cyrva back down? They should have been tearing into each other to prove their dominance! Where was the violence? Where was the aggression? This… none of this made any sense.
The stinging in my stomach reminded me of Keia, and the thought of her lying defenceless and nearlydeaddrew a sob out of me.
Trying to stand on shaky feet proved to be a mistake when I instantly collapsed to the ground and scraped my palms. Another sob escaped me because this was sounfair.I shouldn’t have come back. I couldn’t stand up and look for my companion. I couldn’t do anything, and I hated myself for coming back.
“Keia!” I cried, and even though the searing pain splitting me apart told me she wouldn’t respond, panic gripped me when her voice didn’t resonate in my mind. The only thing grounding me at that moment was the Spider hovering over me, but when he moved, panic chilled into alarm. His shadow—his warmth—left me and ushered in bright sunlight and cool air. I flinched, tracking him with wide eyes as he crawled around. And when he stopped and dipped his head, foolish hope sparked in me.
Was he helping me? Had he found her?
He rose to his full height. When he turned towards me, terror crept its nasty fingers up my spine.
Keia was in his mouth, too close to his deadly fangs.
I watched as he crawled back to me, my pulse beating so frantically that it felt like it would shatter my rib cage and free itself out. My throat narrowed. Each breath became painful as my lungs pressed against my sore ribs.
The Spider stopped before me, his frame bathing me in darkness. Lowering his head, he gently placed Keia at my feet, then he took one small step back.
I stared at him, wide-eyed, warm tears irritating my face as they spilled.
A breath whooshed out of me, and it deflated my entire body. Sniffling, I reached for Keia and held her in my palms as lightly as I could while looking at her slightly bent side. Relief squeezed my throat because she was still breathing, her heart thumping faintly. The Fairies would know what to do with her. Their healing balms never failed.
I looked up at the Cyrva Spider. When his gleaming crimson eyes locked with my gaze, they closed, and he bowed his head to me.
He bowed his head to me. ACyrva Spiderbowedhis head to me.
The books mentioned nothing about this behaviour.
Tears of gratitude now burning my eyes, I carefully set Keia to the side before limping the short distance to him. I threw my arms around his head, somehow managing to avoid his fangs and mouth as I nuzzled him. His hair was short and thin and a little tingly, like I was nuzzling another person’s arm. He was sleek to the touch, his skin reminding me of leather.
Deep, rumbling sounds vibrated inside him.Purring. His head tilted slightly, rubbing on my exposed stomach as he kept lowering himself to exchange scents with me.
