“It’ll be fine, pretty little poison.” I rolled my shoulders, trying to shake off the heavy feeling in my chest. “At least it gives us an excuse to be out alone together for once.”
Her lips curved into a teasing smile. “Idolike spending time with you.”
Warmth wrapped around my heart. I cleared my throat and focused on the path ahead before I did something stupid and dragged her into the nearest alley.
But…would that really be stupid? I believed it would be fun.
We were in the heart of the Apex Capital; the city expanded around us in layers of stone and magic. Tall and small buildings of dark and light stone stretched toward the sky, their windows catching the gleam of the sun. The path under our feet was also made of stone, worn smooth and slightly concave from centuries of footsteps.
The street led to the massive warded market, a five-story building that was nestled on the southeast side of the city. Its arched entryway was carved with scenes of trade and runes.
Inside, stores had rooms everywhere. It was a lot like the humans’ malls, but ours had enchantments and magic. Light poured in from a rune above, colored by wards into soft hues of amber and blue.
Voices of other supernaturals layered over each other as we slipped into the flow of them, shoulders brushing others, and the air thick with the scents of spiced meat, baked bread, potion fumes, hot stone, and ancient magic.
We walked up to the fifth floor.
“Where are we going?” She glanced around the mostly abandoned upper floor. “I didn’t realize they sold venomous creatures at the Market.”
“Most people don’t.” I steered her toward the back. “They keep this place quiet on purpose.”
The arachnid vendor was tucked into the corner near a potion store.
When we walked in, a wide, tiered table lined with terrariums and enchanted glass enclosures greeted us.
A sign read:VENOMOUS & NON-VENOMOUS CREATURES.
Rune gasped, and pure delight rippled through our matebond.
She stepped closer, palms pressed to the glass as she took in the rows of spiders and scuttling, slithering creatures. Some enclosures had bark backgrounds and leaves, while others were dark burrows with faint eyes gleaming from within. Webs shimmered with faint magic, threads glowing in patterns in others.
“Oh myFates,” she whispered. “They’re beautiful.”
I realized then that bringing her here was probably the smartest date idea I’d ever had. Her love for poisons extended to venom, too, after all.
The shop merchant, an older warlock with gray streaks in his dark hair and small gold glasses perched on his nose, glanced up from the ledger he was writing in. “Well, hey there, Zuko,” he said. “Sorry to hear about Victor. Your dad told me. He was a good one.”
My chest tightened as I nodded. “Yeah. Me too. Thanks, Lance.”
Rune’s sympathy shot down the bond again before she wandered near a larger terrarium toward the middle with a littleplaque under it. Inside, a spider the size of my palm crawled along a piece of femur. Its body was dark, earthy brown, and its veins glowed a mossy green. Thick, root-like legs ended in hooked claws that made little clicking sounds along the glass.
“What’s that one?” I asked, drawn to it immediately.
The vendor’s lips curved. “Rare find. Armed earth spider. It’s from the Earth Kingdom in the Fae Realm. Very special boy.”
Rune practically vibrated. “Faespider?”
“Yes.” Lance tapped the glass gently, and the spider turned its oddly expressive face toward us. “Bite causes convulsions, rapid root growth from the victim’s orifices, and hollows them out from the inside so the spider can nest. The victim grows into something like a living tree trunk as they die.”
Rune’s eyes lit with feral excitement. “I’ve never tried anything fae-related before.”
I looked at her sharply. “Yeah, and I’d like to keep it that way.”
She blinked at me in shock and betrayal.“What?”
“I know I’m not the normal one of your mates to say this,” I admitted, narrowing my eyes at the spider and then at her, “but I don’t think you should fuck with fae venoms. I really want this one, but I’m not buying it if you’re going to let it bite you.”
Rune huffed and crossed her arms, lips puffing into a pout. “Toxin, come on.Please?” She blinked up at me, golden eyes huge and lethal.
