Her frustration rose as she struggled against the bindings. Now, not only was she feeling claustrophobic, she was feeling a tad homicidal.
If she didn’t talk, she’d scream. If she screamed, she’d probably choke on her own spit and die, which would be embarrassing, even for her. The webbing was everywhere. She had to focus on something other than the panic rising, and as Roan shifted, she realized her chest was pressed so tightly to him she could count the steady, unhurried thud of his heart. The scent of him—smoke, sweat, magic—cut through the rot and silk. And dang he did smell good. How had she not noticed that before they’d been forced together by psychopathic spiders who were probably going to eat them? And how had she not noticed how firm his chest was? Despite the small size of her girls, they were soft, especially compared to him. For some reason, this made her want to press closer to him. Which simply pissed her off more. Being mad was good. That meant she wasn’t focused on being scared. So, Maddie let herself run with the anger.
“Since we’re on the train of ‘I’m going to speak my mind whether or not you want to hear it,’ I would like to point out that this is sort of your fault.” Okay, had that made her sound like a petulant child? A tad. But, he’d ordered her to discuss the guys she’d dated. Joke’s on him, Maddie didn’t date.
“Right,” Roan said, his tone bored. “Because I made the spiders attack us and wrap us in their butt floss.”
“I’m sorry, what did you just say?” Maddie’s voice rose a notch.
“I don’t repeat myself.”
Maddie’s mouth dropped open, but then snapped closed when she remembered he couldn’t see her look of outrage. “When you say things like ‘wrap us in their butt floss,’ you most certainly repeat yourself, sir.Andyou explain.”
Roan let out a huff that was half exasperation, half the beginnings of a laugh, though he did seem to do his best to smother it. “Spider silk comes out of their—look, do you really want the anatomy lesson right now,Nushawani?”
“Honestly, I’d take an anatomy lesson over the existential dread I’m currently experiencing,” Maddie shot back, rolling her eyes though he couldn’t see it. “And for the record, ‘Nushawani’ sounds like a disease you get from licking subway handrails.”
She felt his chest move under her cheek, like he was trying not to laugh. “I already told you, it means ‘new Shaman’ in our language.”
Maddie went quiet for a second, letting that settle over her. She’d been surprised at what the word meant, simply because when Roan called her that, it sounded more like an endearment. She would not admit that she’d been disappointed. “Still sounds like a disease.”
He said nothing, but she could feel the way his body relaxed just a little.
A heavy silence settled between them. Somewhere to their left, something skittered across stone. Maddie tensed, even as Roan pressed a little closer—as if he couldn’t help but want to protect her despite how badly she seemed to irritate him. She tried not to let hope trickle in. Maybe if they were quiet, the spider folk would forget about them entirely, and they’d just rot here, cocooned together for all eternity. Romantic.
Minutes—or hours, it was impossible to tell—slipped by. Maddie’s mind wandered, unwilling and wild: back to Lola and Katy. Were they alive? Had they stopped Azure? Maddieswallowed hard, guilt and fear tangling in her chest. If anything had happened to them?—
The cocoon suddenly shuddered. Maddie froze. A sliver of light—faint, gold, and sticky-sweet—slipped in as a spider folk attendant, silent as breath, eased open a seam in the webbing. The small amount of light allowed Maddie to see that the attendant had slid a small vial through the gap, the glass sticky with nectar that glowed faintly in the dark.
Maddie leaned back and could see Roan’s face, and it was as if she’d forgotten how handsome he was. His rugged beauty was a bit of a shock after having been in the dark. Swirling silver eyes that nearly glowed stared down at her, full of questions she couldn’t quite decipher. His angular jaw was clenched as his full lips were drawn tight across his face. His brow furrowed deep as he continued to stare at her.
“For nourishment,” the attendant whispered, voice both kind and inhuman. She indicated the vial.
“Me first,” Roan barked. His voice felt like a slap. “If that’s poisonous, my body will be able to handle it better than yours,” he explained.
“Thanks,” Maddie said dryly. “Because I really want to be cocooned next to a dead body.” Why was she annoyed that he was actually protecting her and not simply demanding the first drink because he was an asshat?
“Your faith in me is touching,” Roan said, before the vial touched his lips and tilted ever so slightly.
After at least a minute of staring at the shaman, waiting to see if his head would explode or blood would ooze from his eyes, ears, and nose, Roan declared it safe for Maddie.
The servant placed it to her lips so Maddie could sip. The nectar tasted like honey and something wild, a jolt of energy threading through her limbs. She grimaced but drank until it was empty. Although she felt an odd sense of satisfaction, likethe feeling after eating a meal, she didn’t feel any extra strength. She just felt nourished.
“I guess this means they don’t want us dead yet. Perhaps they want to fatten us up before they eat us,” Maddie said, her sarcasm a flimsy shield.
The attendant didn’t respond. The seam was sealed, and they were left in the stifling dark once more.
Maddie licked her lips. “How long do you think they’re planning on keeping us as human cocoons?”
Roan’s tone was flat. “Honestly, I have no clue why they took us to begin with. They have to know this will start a war between them and Kingdom of Claw. Whatever KOS’s reason is, it must be worth risking the wrath of Taras and other rulers.”
“Comforting. You know, I really thought the diplomatic slash religious life would have more wine tastings and fewer death threats.”
He snorted. “There’s much more to it than diplomacy and guiding. We enforce the rules. When Damarians don’t appreciate those rules, they get ticked off with the shaman. We might get a few death threats from the stupid ones.”
That made Maddie pause. She turned her head as much as she could, pressing her forehead deeper into his chest. “What does that mean for me? I’m a human. How could I possibly add any sort of help to your cause and abilities?”
He was quiet for a long time. “It means you’re anewbridge, between magic and people—humans. And between kingdoms. I believe you’re supposed to balance out this new dynamic we have been placed in. Keep the peace when you can. Fight when you can’t.” Roan’s arm shifted, pressing her closer. “Whatever your role, Maddie, it’s important. A shaman can shape the future of a kingdom. Or break it.”
