Page 334 of The Spider Queen
The wine I’d had at dinner had run its course and now I was sober. Sober and very much awake.
I felt the submarine shift and knew the dunes had moved. I dreaded the thought of having to cross the desert again, but at least this time, I’d have companions.
What would I find when I reached the edge of it? Would there be a ship? Would Lucifer be waiting for me?
The real question: did I reallywantto find the last pearl? I knew I needed to. For the sake of my parents. And even for myself. Even if, in the darkest part of my mind, I wasn’t sure I wanted to.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to be free of Lucifer.
When I finally fell asleep, I dreamed of him. I dreamed of us under the Hell moon, the leaves of the Tree of Life falling onto my skin, of passion and starlight, of eternal damnation. I dreamed of fire and ashes, of rising from the earth, reborn into a new body.
Dawn came, and so did I.
There was a quiet knock on the door, followed by someone opening it. I was dressed in brown trousers, a loose, white button-down, and brown boots. Whimsically, I thought I looked like one of Shakespeare’s females, dressed like a boy in period clothing. But it was comfortable and I wasn’t complaining.
“You’re awake,” Meghan said in surprise as she closed the door with her hip. “And dressed.”
I nodded.
“Your hair…it grew. How did it do that?”
I shrugged. “No idea.”
“Looks good,” she said gruffly. “Here, I brought you breakfast.” She set down a small basket covered in a towel.
“You’re a servant now?” I teased.
She glowered. “My brother asked, so…”
I hid my smile. “You love your brother.”
“Of course I love my brother.”
“But you don’t like me, and yet here you are. Bringing me food.”
Meghan clamped her mouth shut, which meant she wasn’t going to refute what I’d said. “Out of sheer curiosity,” I began, lifting the towel on the basket and pulling out a warm bread roll, “why don’t you like me?”
“I don’t trust outsiders.”
I nodded thoughtfully as I tore into the bread. I stuck a piece of it into my mouth. “This is really good. Thank you.”
“It doesn’t bother you?” she asked bluntly.
I met her eyes. “What? That you don’t trust outsiders? It makes sense to me.” I shrugged. “I needed something from your brother.”
“A ship to sail into the sea. We are desert people. We do not venture where we don’t belong.”
I had to swallow before replying. “You’re a warrior. A hunter for your people? You and Dorian venture out into the desert and even into the forests of Purgatory to hunt and bring back food. Right?”
“What’s your point?” Her stance was pugnacious and she was ready to battle.
Leaning back, I shrugged carelessly. “I just wonder how someone as brave as you could be so scared of the unknown.”
“I’m not scared.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You’re not?”
“No.”
