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“No, we said the queen wanted us to fetch you,” the green one says.
There is something not right about this. In my gut I feel this is not the way to the spire. We are close to the heart of Under. It is calling to me. “This isn’t the way to the queen.”
The queen will be near the center and the spire, not the tunnels. Given that I have climbed the spire, I must have retained some of the castle layout even though I can’t summon it from my memory.
Is it the same queen as when I climbed? She always watched the climbers. Sometimes the still quivering fallen would be offered as a delicacy. I close my eyes for a moment, trying to drag up the memory. Why had I seen that?
How do I know that when I wasn’t served up? Had I done the serving?
I don’t remember. All I know is this is not the way to the spire, or the queen’s throne room.
I stop walking and repeat, “this is not the way.”
The grinning monster cuffs me on the head. I stumble forward and spin, ready to fight, claws raised, but Julie shakes her head, reminding me they will eat Joe if I lash out. I growl and lower my hands.
The other one’s mandibles twitch as though he is laughing. “You will see the queen when she is ready. Until then, we will keep you safe.”
Safe.
The word sends a shudder down my back.
2
Julie
This isn’t what I imagined the castle to be like. I thought it would be like a proper castle, even if it was run down, but it’s nothing but a system of tunnels and fallen in ceilings that create courtyards. There are fragments of monsters and people, teeth and bits of bones, scattered on the floor like it's part graveyard.
While the rest of Under had a rough and desperate air, this place feels like defeat.
Coming here isn’t winning, it’s the ultimate loss to become such a monster that they survive to make it to the middle.
What does that say about me? I look at my wrist where Joe’s rat-like tail coils around me. What kind of a monster am I to have dragged them along with my need to get home?
I destroyed Michael and took away Joe’s home.
I put Theo in danger, as now everyone can see him, and I’ve awakened his need to eat.
Am I the biggest monster here?
I suck in a breath.No, I will not believe the worst of myself.
Theo, and Joe, and Michael chose to come with me. Michael could’ve killed me after he pulled me out of the puddle. They all had chances to kill me, and they haven’t.
Because I let them fuck me…what woman does that?
I bite my lip as we are led along another corridor. Then the green monster with the hard-shell stops. “You will stay here.”
Here is a dead end in the tunnel with a few bones on the floor.
I shake my head. “No. Why can’t we see her now?”
I don’t want to waste time sitting in a dank cave when we could be getting on with leaving. Every day we stay risks more monstrous changes.
The one with the shark head gives Theo a push into the cave. I can sense the need to fight rising in Theo. If he eats, he will grow big again. And if he eats, will he become hungrier?
“Theo…he isn’t worth it.” I glance at the big monster to see if my words had any effect.
The big monster turns to me. “You are alive because I let you live.”
