Page 143 of The Spider Queen
Of course, magic.
I shivered again. I ran my hands up my arms, which were bare. Looking down, I realized I was wearing some sort of nightgown. Black, cuffed at the shoulders. Long and flowing. I slid a finger across the skirt. It felt like nothing at all.
My hand reached out to touch the wall. It was warm, like a living being. I’d expected it to be cool. There was life here, in these walls. Magic had a life. It was an ever-changing thing. Magic wasn’t static. Magic was unpredictable.
How did I know that?
Where had that knowledge come from?
And where the hell was I?
My eyes continued to take in the room as my feet trailed across the black marble. Every now and again, I saw twinkles and flashes of light. Were there diamonds in the floor? When I crouched down to examine them, they disappeared.
I crawled back onto the bed, my eyes straying to the headboard. Like everything else in the room, it was beautiful artistry. Carved black stone etched with arachnids. They looked…alive.
No, that was impossible—
I cut off that train of thought because I lived the impossible.
There was a warm rush of air at my back, and I whirled, wanting to face the unknown, wanting answers. I frowned when I realized it wasn’t Thane. I’d expected him to be here long before now. Disappointment curdled my stomach when I saw the woman. She was diminutive and childlike with cherubic dimpled cheeks, a welcoming smile, and silvery blond hair down to her waist.
“Didn’t mean to scare you,” she said.
“Well,” I huffed on a laugh, “you did. I didn’t hear you come in.”
She chuckled. “You do look terrified. And the doors are silent when they open and close.”
“I just wasn’t expecting—where am I?”
“In a bedroom.” Her mouth lifted into a teasing grin. “But I don’t think you’re asking about that. I’m not the one to answer your questions. I’m supposed to lead you to the bath.” She turned away, and I could either follow her or stay put.
I trailed after her in curiosity.
“What’s your name?” I asked her as she grasped two iron handles on heavy wooden doors.
“Oh, sorry. It’s been a long time since I’ve met someone new; I’ve forgotten my manners. I’m Cass.” She opened the doors and waved me through.
I puzzled over her statement, and then it effectively flew out of my brain when I stepped into the room. The stone floor was cerulean blue—not black—and warm under my feet. In the center was a large square cut out of the floor and water bubbled up like a natural hot spring.
The walls were made up of mosaic tiles, though I couldn’t make out the design. It was bright due to the skylight in the middle of the ceiling.
She watched me with open interest. “Do you like it?”
“It’s stunning.” I breathed. “Are you human?”
Cass paused. “I used to be. But not for a long time.”
“Are you able to…change forms?”
“No. I wish.” She let out a languid laugh. “But I can’t.”
“What are you, then?”
“One who serves Thane.”
Cryptic and mysterious. Delightful.
“Do you need help?” she asked.
