Page 149 of The Spider Queen
“The prophecy explains how to find the mage who warded my realm. We will find him and release him from Xan’s hold.”
“Xan’s hold?”
Thane nodded. “The mage is under Xan’s control. We must free the mage, and when we do, the spell binding us to this realm breaks.”
“Us? Did you sayus?”
“Yes. Poppy, something happened to you Beyond the Veil—when we were in Queen Aisling’s realm. You’re as trapped as I am, now.”
“Because I chose to stay,” I said in realization. “Because I…did I really turn into a spider? Or was that just a magical enchantment?”
“You changed.”
I inhaled slowly. “Then how am I my human self now?”
“While in Purgatory we can adopt whatever body we choose. However, while Purgatory is charmed, we can’t leave, and we can only project our spider form to certain humans in the mortal realm.”
“You mean Earth,” I clarified. “Like how you were a spider with me when I was in Charleston. It was how you could communicate with Hunter, too, wasn’t it?”
“Yes.” Thane nodded. “We have to journey across Purgatory. On foot. When we find the mage and free him, my kingdom will no longer be enchanted.”
“What happens to our forms then? Will we all of sudden shape-shift into spiders, and be forced to crawl on multiple legs?”
“No. We will retain our human bodies. If we wish.”
“Thank God for that,” I muttered, not at all ready to relive the sensation of having a thorax.
“There are no exact laws to magic. It is not”—he paused to smile—“science.”
“Don’t mock me.”
“I wouldn’t dare.”
I leveled him with a stare. “And then what happens?”
“And then we hope we’re not too late.” His face was grim but determined.
I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes, feeling lightheaded, like there was no way on Earth—pardon the pun—we were going to be able to do this.
I didn’t say anything, and Thane didn’t press me to speak. It was all so…fantastical. But in the short time Thane had been in my life, every belief I held sacred had been challenged.
“Heaven, Hell, mages, spells, wards, charms, enchantments.” I shook my head. “I wonder what kinds of things we’ll discover on our way.”
“It might be better if you don’t know. Otherwise you might refuse to come. And I need you, Poppy. I can’t do this alone.”
Was there ever a woman who didn’t like to hear that she was needed?
I steeled my spine. “Do you want me, Thane? In my own right, and not because I was the one who was able to free you?” I realized I hadn’t truly freed him. Not if his realm was still enchanted.
“Do you want me to lie to you? Because I can. But if I do, you’ll never trust what I say. And I want there to be trust between us.”
“Trust…and lust,” I muttered.
“Lust can turn to love.”
“I didn’t know you were such a romantic.” My tone was snide, nasty, and I instantly regretted it. “I’m sorry. God, I’m sorry. I feel like I have no control over my own mouth anymore. No control over anything anymore.”
“When you…changed, it wasn’t just physical. Your chemical and emotional makeup changed, too. You’re still changing, actually.”
