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Fabian’s entire countenance relaxed. From between Felicity and Willa, who were still examining all the trinkets, a single lyre rose toward the ceiling.

The strings began to move of their own accord. A hauntingly peaceful melody washed over us, the notes like ocean waves lurking just around the corner, the scent of salt and freedom just beyond reach.

When Fabian’s eyes began to droop and the music slowed, I took over for him—not plucking the strings, but settling the lyre back onto the ground. His deep, even breathing took over the melody as he slipped back into dreams.

“Um, Rayna?”

It was Willa, scurrying up to me. I lifted my head from Fabian’s shoulder.

“Yeah?”

“Do you remember when you promised to give me cheese every day of my life if I alerted you to any suspicious spiders creeping in to spy on you?”

“Yeah.” I frowned at the mouse. “Are you trying to tell me I don’t give you enough cheese? I’m sorry I haven’t today, but I thought the banana—”

“No,” Willa interrupted. Her beady eyes narrowed at the classroom door. “I’m trying to tell you that several spiders just scuttled in to spy on you now.”

CHAPTER

38

RAYNA

The first thing I thought of was the spiders who had flooded the lighthouse last year, sent by the Good Council to lure us to Hallow’s Perch.

In one quick motion, I was up and out the door, knives trailing behind me in an arc over my head—all of them poised, ready to attack anyone who dared threaten Felicity, Willa, or Fabian still inside the classroom.

Indeed, a line of spiders scrambled up the peeling steps, skittering to my feet and then around and around me. Before I could ask them what the hell they were doing, somebody crashed onto the fading road from the direction of the jungle.

“Come back here right now you horrible, hairy—oh, hey, darling.”

Rodhi saw me, stopped, and leaned against the nearest deserted building with his arms crossed, his mouth pulled up in a much-too-cheesy smile. Twigs and waxy leaves stuck out of his hair at odd angles.

I glanced back down at the spiders with a frown.

“Have you lost their loyalty?” I asked, choosing my words carefully. Pretty sure they’d be pissed if I asked if he’d lost control of them.

“What? Of course not!” Rodhi looked downright offended, his smile snapping away. “I…” He scraped a hand through his hair, pulled out a twig, and tossed it to the side with a grimace. “By the orchid and the owl, here we go.” He pulled in a quick breath. “I sort of have a secret.”

“Another one?”

Rodhi nodded. “And she sort of wants to meet you.”

“She?” I exclaimed.

Rodhi nodded again. “And I wouldn’t say no unless you want spiders in your pants or slugs in your eye sockets.”

I cringed down at the spiders still scuttling around my feet, half expecting to find an army of slugs oozing their way toward me, too. Who could Rodhi possibly be talking about? The only ‘she’ that seemed to frequent his vocabulary was Ms. Pincette, but she’d obviously already met me. And I doubted our Spiders, Worms, & Insects instructor would threaten to send creepers through my eye sockets.

“I guess I can’t say no, then?”

Rodhi shook his head with a wince. I flung a curse in his direction, then turned to peek my head back into the classroom and whispered to Felicity and Willa, “Come on, you two. Want to go on a little adventure?”

“Depends,” Willa said, although she scurried toward me anyway, scattering the spiders at my feet. I picked her up with a crook of my finger and placed her back on my shoulder. “Are there going to be lots of owls?”

“If there are, I’ll keep you safe.” Felicity bounded to my side and snapped her teeth. The effect might have been more intimidating without the pink ribbon flopping around on her bell hat, but Willa seemed slightly appeased regardless.

The mouse didn’t beg for me to turn around, at least.