Cthulhu liked the enchanted habitat, but I planned to get one with one of his kills stashed inside for comfort with spatial magic.
“Why were you there?” I asked the human, stepping in front of him. “Why attack in the Apex Capital?”
He made a strangled noise as Rune’s paralysis venom coursed through his veins.
Rune sighed and walked over, pressing two fingers to his temple. “I’ll dose him with some anti-venom. It’s just not as fun when they can’t move.”
“So, youcanuse anti-venom?” I raised a brow.
She held an index finger to her lips and shushed me.
The man jerked as she moved back, then slumped, breath coming quicker now. His fingers twitched, and finally, he was able to glare at us.
“I’m not telling you anything,” he spat.
I tilted my head, studying him. “Do you need motivation? Normally, I play a game for this kind of thing. I roll my dice, see which method we try first.” I rolled up my sleeve to show him my torture tattoos. “But honestly?” I flicked my gaze to Cthulhu’s enclosure. “My new spider needs training, and what better way than on someone who tried to hurt my mate?”
Rune handed me the habitat with an amused grin.
I brought it close to the man’s face.
“This man,” I told Cthulhu, “tried to hurt Rune. Our pretty little green-haired basilisk almost got hurt.”
Cthulhu lifted his front legs, as if perking up. I opened the enclosure and let him crawl onto my hand.
He moved with smooth, eerie precision along my fingers, and he didn’t bite.
My heart pounded in my chest as I let him.
I usually always carried anti-venom with new venomous creatures, but I hadn’t stocked up on any for fae spiders.
Hopefully, he liked Rune enough not to hurt her mate.
“Did you know,” Rune chimed cheerfully, stepping to the other side of the chair, “that as soon as Cthulhu bites you, he’ll hollow you out from the inside? Roots will grow from your mouth, your ears, your nose, and all your fun little places.” She giggled. “He’ll turn you into a tree-shaped home!”
The human started trembling.
“Hold on,” I said, voice going softer as Cthulhu moved off me and started up the man’s arm. “C’mon, Cthulhu, not yet. Come back to me, buddy.”
The spider actually paused. Then, at my coaxing tone, he turned and scuttled back toward my wrist.
Rune’s eyes sparkled. “He listens to you. That’sadorable.”
“He listens to you, too.” I leaned closer to our captive. “Last chance,human. Why were you there? Whyher?”
His mouth trembled. “We—we were supposed to collect DNA from the basilisk with the venom p-power,” he stuttered. “That’s all I know. They were orders from higher up. Collect a sample and bring it back. Don’t die. That’s it.”
I smiled, tilting my head. “See? That wasn’t so hard. Now, where is the Human Resistance Network located now?”
“I’m not supposed to say!”
“I recognize you, you know,” Rune told him, and a chill zipped down my spine. Even Cthulhu paused. “You came into my room when the humans took me and pumped me full of tourmalyke. Surely you know where they’re hiding. If you don’t tell us…”
He flinched as Cthulhu jumped from me and scampered over his cheek, resting beside his eye. “In the north of the Human Territory! The facility is underground! Fuck! Coordinates are 24° N and 153° E!”
“He’s not lying.” I turned my head slightly, listening to the beat of his heart before lifting my bandage. “Are you lying?”
“N-N-no, of course not!”
