“I was listening, Mom.” All those times she’d thought he wasn’t, that he was ignoring her or rolling her eyes, he’d heard, and it’d stuck.
Are you really ready to embrace me?
That voice sounded so much like his father that it startled him. But he knew it was himself. Wow.
Do I really sound that much like my dad?
Terrifying thought, given that he’d spent his whole life trying to be true to himself. Trying to be the complete and utter opposite of his father.
Maybe genes had more influence than he thought.
He came to another room. This one had five pathways to pick from.
Five. Six counting the one he was standing in.
“Okay … give me a sign.”
Nothing.
Ugh! Which way should he go now?
Trust your gut.
He wrinkled his nose at the Malachai voice in his head. Trust his gut …
Yeah, that was easier said than done. But to be honest, his gut was usually right. It was only when he second-guessed himself that he got into trouble. How many times had he done that and then berated himself for changing his mind?
The gut had a brain.
Trust the gut.
“Okay. But if you’re wrong and I get in over my head, I will be pissed.”
Nick opened his eyes and looked at the five different paths. His gut said to take the second one from the end on his left. He headed for it. “You better be right.”
His stomach clenched as he started down the path, waiting for something to jump out and attack him.
As he flew, he ran into something sticky, like a spider web. “Yuck!” Nick pulled at it, trying to get it off his face and bare arms. It was so gross!
Then he froze. What kind of spider would live in this place?
Uh, that thought sent shivers down his spine. He remembered Ash telling him stories about the Greek goddess who was half spider.
Actually, he didn’t remember it.I should have paid more attention.
Why didn’t I pay more attention?
“Um, Spider Goddess? If you can hear me, I’m a good Malachai. I don’t smush your kin. I take them outside when I find them and set them free. We good?”
Nothing answered.
Maybe it was a regular spider. This wasn’t Australia. Maybe things here were normal size.
“Why are you here?”
Nick flinched at the disembodied female voice. “Well, according to everyone who knows me, I’m here to strain their patience and irritate them.”
“Is that supposed to be funny?”
