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“It would ensure only the strongest of them survive. It is not unusual behavior.”
“Maybe in your world, but not in mine,” I muttered. I knew that there were some animal species where the young did eat one another, but only if there wasn’t another food source, and it was generally rare.
“Children are not as common in my world as yours and therefore somewhat revered.” His voice held a hint of censure. “We certainly would not allow them to harm one another in any way.”
Which wasn’t what I meant and he knew it. But I let it slide and glanced up at him. “I thought reapers lived in big family groups?”
“We do.”
“Then why would children be rare? Do you suffer the same sort of problem that has killed off most of the Aedh?”
“No. Aedh breed only when their death is imminent, which kept their numbers stable for millennia. No one can say what changed, but we think the Raziq had a lot to do with it.”
That raised my eyebrows. “They killed off their own kind?”
“They believe in their cause and would certainly be capable of wiping out all opposition. In this case, that would mean those who tended and believed in the current viability of the gates.”
“All of which doesn’t explain why reapers don’t breed willy-nilly.”
He hesitated. “It is a combination of our long life spans and the fact that our recharge partners aren’t always our Caomhs.”
“Can you have both?”
“Rarely. And if a reaper only ever finds his recharge companion, he will not be blessed with children.”
“And have you any children?” I asked, curious and perhaps a little . . . afraid. Because if he had children, that would mean he’d met his Caomh, which in turn meant there was never any hope for us.
Not that there ever really was.
His expression closed over. “I am not the Aedh, Risa. I do not want or need multiple partners. If I had a Caomh waiting in the fields for me, I would not be with you.”
Summarily—though gently—chastised, I pulled my gaze from his and stepped back onto safer ground. “So what do you suggest we do about these spiders? Do we leave them, keep watch on the apartment, or what?”
“You do not wish to call your uncle?”
I hesitated. “How likely are the spiders to attack anyone who enters that room?”
“Very. Their hunger stings the air.”
“So why aren’t they attacking us?”
“Because we have not entered their lair.”
And I had no fucking intention of doing so. “Can they be destroyed by something like pest spray, guns, or even fire?”
“Not ordinary fire. Though they wear flesh, they are spirit in design. Witches would more than likely be capable of destroying them, but not someone like your uncle.”
Which meant I either had to ring Rhoan and warn him—and get the shit blasted out of me for interfering in his case again—or get rid of the damn things myself. Great. Just fucking great.
Can kill, Amaya said with an eagerness that had me shaking my head. Will enjoy.
No doubt. I glanced up at Azriel again, and he nodded a confirmation. “It will not draw our dark spirit to us, though. She obviously does not look after her young any more than the initial feeding.”
“So how come we were attacked at the club? She wouldn’t have had time to lay her eggs, let alone for the things to hatch. She was only the fill-in entertainer.”
“She may have been carrying some young on her. Do not some spiders do that?”
“None that I want to meet,” I replied, with another shudder. I drew Amaya and held her in front of me. Lilac fire raced down her sides, and her eagerness ran through the back of my mind. “Go for it.”
