Page 54 of Darro

Inside the room, the gleam of gold dazzled Esme for a moment, and then she saw it was an actual library of scrolls and crudely bound books on rudimentary bookcases built into the walls. They and their contents had been turned into anchors for an enormous spider web that stretched from floor to ceiling. With all the gold in the room it was going to be hard to spot a spider of the same color. But as her eyes adjusted, they grew wide. Under the glittering web was a very still Olivia, who looked up at them.

“Where is it?” Esme said quietly.

In answer, Olivia slowly shook her head.

Esme pulled the dagger that Rory had given her. She wasn’t going to watch her friend become spider food.

“Lass,” Darro hissed. “You mustnae trigger the web.” Although his hand shot out to grab her arm, her dagger cut one of the fine strands.

Olivia shrieked and Darro cursed as something large and heavy fell on Esme, knocking her flat. She flipped over to see a giant golden spider crouched over her, a huge bundle of webbing in its jaws. It was the stuff of all her nightmares, and it was going to eat her.

“Darro.”

A big fist grabbed her and dragged her out from under the arachnid. As the chieftain yanked her to her feet Esme uncorked the jug. A thick strand of webbing wrapped around her forearm, binding it to her waist. More thick golden threads came flying at her, smacking into her upper arm, snaking around her chest, shoulder and other arm to immobilize her. Then she saw what it was binding to her body.

“Don’t,” Olivia called to Darro as he lifted his sword.

The large golden sac of webbing the spider had lashed to Esme’s arm began to bulge all over, as if something inside were fighting to get out.

Esme used all her strength to stop shivering and stand very still. “It’s an egg sac, and it’s about to hatch.”

As the huge spider skittered toward them, its fangs dripping black poison, Darro took the dagger from her hand and sliced through the webbing binding her arm and the jug she still held in that hand. “Douse it now, lass.”

Tossing the soap and vinegar concoction at the arachnid made it drop to the floor. It rolled onto its back, its legs and body writhing as it began to shrink. Darro reached through the webbing to put his hand near the still-burning fire in the hearth, and drew the flames out before thrusting his hand down toward the spider. The arachnid caught fire and shriveled even more.

At that moment the egg sac bound to Esme began to crack.

“Hold very still, my love,” the chieftain said as he cut the webbing lashing it to her body. As the cracks in it widened he finally wrenched it from her and tossed it onto the burning mother spider. Flames engulfed the sac, burning the hundreds of tiny legs trying to push out from the inside. Like the now-tiny mother spider, they burned to ash.

She threw her arms around him and let the sobs in her throat pour out. “Gracias, mi corazon, gracias.”

Once the fire died down the golden web turned gray and fell down like wisps of ash onto the stone floor, freeing Olivia. As she scrambled to her feet and out of the library, the webbing there did the same. Several black spiderlings skittered out of the wall cracks as if to attack, and then dissolved into ash like the webbing.

“It’s over, I think,” Esme said, leaning against Darro and smiling at an ash-covered Olivia.

He put his arm around her. “Aye, for now.”

Olivia wiped some burnt remnants of the web from her face. “I picked the wrong room to barricade myself in.”

The sound of heavy footsteps pounding in the passage made all three turn that way. Esme blew out a breath when she saw Tasgall and two guards rushing toward them.

“The zed enchantment, ’tis broken,” the laird said. He eyed the room beyond them and the heap of ash on the floor. “Mayhap you ken how.”

“Aye,” Darro said grinning.

“Teamwork,” Esme added.

Tasgall nodded to her and clapped his brother on the shoulder. “The telling of it must wait. We go to find the barricaded and ensure Bodach hasnae hidden.”

As the laird headed back down the passage with the guards trailing behind, Olivia said, “And I need to go find the war master. When he doesn’t find me in the dungeons, there’ll be some explaining to do.” She grasped Esme’s hand. “Including how you two rescued me.”

Esme drew her into a quick hug and then Olivia turned and followed the laird, brushing more ash from her clothes.

Once they were alone, Darro drew her into a gentle embrace. They stayed like that for a long time, and then she drew back and pressed her hands to his face.

“When we fight, we win. Even girls.” She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. “You see?”

“Aye, my girl.” He held her tightly.