Isaw what might have been the central tower, where a great tree emerged from its center, far taller than the fae-made structure had ever been.Itsbranches and roots had consumed the building, bursting through the walls, while also holding it prisoner.Brickswere suspended in the air on the precepts of destruction, only held firm by the tree’s will.Itseemed the forest really did own this place now.
Justbeyond the edges, the forest once again devolved into darkness.Thetrees leaned in, caging this place, and us with it.
“So, what do we look for now?”Iasked.Abraxassqueezed my hand and then released it.
“Well,Iwas hoping you would be able to sense its magic, or perhaps draw it out.”
“Whyme?You’rethe one with magic?”
“Yes, but you’re the one who seems to have a habit of calling forth lost things.”Hiseyes shone in the dancing light.
Iremembered theLeviathanand theNalle.Ithought about talking with the forest and the way it had felt holdingOryx’shand.HowIhad felt them not as something separate from myself, but something thatIlet flow through me, like my own breath.
Ifocused on my breathing, letting the forest around me enter my lungs.Eachtime deeper and deeper, until it filled not only my lungs but my entire chest, my stomach, all the way to the ends of my toes.AsIfocused, my body slipped away andIreached out, feeling for anything that seemed to call to me.Minutespassed, and allIfelt was the shift of the wind through the leaves.
Butthen something small scuttled across my mind, “There, in that tower.”
Wewalked into the decaying building, careful not to disturb the ancient walls.Itwas much darker inside, and even my fae vision was limited.ButIcertainly felt something here, andIstarted shifting through the rubble,Abraxasdoing the same.
Again, that presence shifted around in my mind, but this time it was accompanied by a very audible shuffling.
IfeltAbraxasfreeze, “Something’sin here.”Hedrew out his sword, whenIsaw a dark shape move in the corner of my eye.Myheart hammered in my chest as the shadow slinked around the walls, crawling over our heads and disappearing out of one of the many cracks in the wall.Ijust about breathed a sigh of relief when something jumped at me, clutching onto my neck.
Ifelt its hairy legs clinging to me and saw the flash of at least four eyes.Thesound of its pinchers crinkled in my ear so close it made my skin try to crawl off my body.Abraxasraised his sword, but the little creature jumped away again, landing on the wall.Butit didn’t run away.
Itwas about the size of both my hands, with all its eight legs outstretched.Icould see its four huge eyes on the front of its furry head, four more disappearing down its back.Itspincers shifted about unnervingly, but it raised its front right leg, like it was waving to me.
Abraxascharged, butIraised my hand to stop him.
“Hello, little one.”Iwaved back at him.Heraised his other front leg and shuffled side to side. “It’snice to meet you.”Heflared his abdomen at me, displaying the bright red underneath the dark fur of his body.
“Don’ttell me, you’ve found another creature to befriend?”Abraxassheathed his sword.
“Don’tbe jealous,Abraxas.”Iheld out my hands tentatively, and the spider jumped onto them.Myheart stopped at his rapid motions, but he settled there, waving his legs and looking at me with those big round eyes. “Youhave to admit, he is cute.”
Ididn’t need to seeAbraxasto feel the eye roll, “Youand your beasts.Ijust hope his mother isn’t around.”
“Wassomething chasing you?”Thespider spun in a circle, whichIsupposed could have meant yes.
“Tori, we need to keep searching.”Abraxaswas leaving the tower now, andIshifted the little thing onto my shoulder, as much as him rustling my hair and that unnerving chittering he made had my nerves crawling.
“Youcan come with me.”Hespun in a circle and flared his abdomen again.
Wesearched the next few rooms to find absolutely nothing but some books that crumbled at even the slightest touch and old metal sconces that hadn’t been completely corroded.Weweren’t going to get anywhere like this.Itried to focus my breathing again, but nothing came to me, especially with the creature on my shoulder spinning and chittering.
Isighed, “Idon’t suppose you know where it is?”Heheld my two eyes staring with all eight of his.Iput my hand up to the top of my head, “Weare looking for a crown.Youhaven’t seen one, have you?”Tomy surprise, he jumped off my shoulder and walked away.
“Guesshe didn’t like my questions.”Butthen he halted, and turned back to me, waving both his front arms.AbraxasandIexchanged glances, and then followed him.
Heled us deeper into a fortress, then ducked behind a root and disappeared.WhenIlooked,Iwas greeted by a dark abyss leading down into the dark.Itmust have been an old corridor that had been nearly consumed by the roots of the tree.Iturned toAbraxas, “Itcould be a trap.”
“Yes, but we can’t turn back now.Aren’tyou the one who always dives in headfirst?”Hewas right.Heflicked his fingers and that emerald fire danced over his palm.Ifelt the trees around us groan, but they didn’t move.
“Let’sgo.”
Wedescended into the tunnel, with no light except for the eerie green ofAbraxas’ flames.Mylittle friend waited just inside, but then led us ahead as we entered.Wedescended further and further down, the chill in the air now paired with a sick humidity that clung to me.Ikept walking until my feet started sticking to the floor.IheldAbraxasarm to move his flames further down, andIsaw then the entire tunnel was coated in…
“Spiderwebs,”Abraxaswhispered.Hugespiderwebs, enough for a whole nest.Weboth stopped, and our little guide turned around, waving his arms, motioning us to keep going.
