“So they tell me.”
“I should attack you on principle. But you promise I can leave.”
“Sure. If you can find a door.”
She bowed before him. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure … What’s your name?”
“Arachne.”
“Arachne. Nice meeting you. Sorry about your being here. Hope you find a warm orchard to spin in.”
“You are a very strange Malachai.”
Nick would never argue that. “Uh, before you go, can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“I’m looking for a statue I was told had been put here. Have you seen it?”
“No. There’s no statue in the labyrinth.”
Nick gaped. Had he been lied to? “There has to be.”
“There’s not. I’ve been all the way through the labyrinth. No statues exist.”
He’d been lied to. Fury blinded him. “How can I tell Kody that Styxx isn’t here?”
“Prince Styxx?”
“Yeah. He’s the statue I’m looking for.”
“But he’s not a statue.”
Nick blinked as shock ran through him. “Pardon? What is he?”
“Perhaps I should show you.”
8
Nick wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but it definitely wasn’t the pissed-off warrior chained to a wall.
Fury bled from every molecule of Styxx’s body. He glared at him with an uncomprehending stare.
“What’s wrong with him?”
“It’s a spell.”
Of course it was. Nick let out a tired sigh. “Any idea how to break it?”
“No. You’re the one who did it.”
Which meant it was done by Cyprian. Apparently, Arachne couldn’t tell the difference between them.
That actually explained so much.
Like father, like son.
