Page 120 of The Spider Queen
“You’re sweet to worry about me,” I said with a laugh, swiveling back around.
“Someone has to—”
“Ahh!” My foot slipped on a slick stone and I fell. But Hunter was there, and his quick reflexes saved me from plummeting down hundreds of stairs. He pulled me into the side of his body, held onto me as we both stumbled into the wall.
“That was close,” Hunter breathed against my hair.
“Too close.”
“Maybe we should focus on not falling down the stairs.”
“Good plan.”
Hunter released me, and when I was steady enough, I began to descend the stairs again. “To think we were worried about doing this during daylight, outside, with wind.”
“Focus, Poppy. And watch your steps.”
I kept my eyes on the stairs, concentrating on being safe. The torchlight was doing something to my vision, making it spotty and fuzzy. I felt something happening, and knew we needed to reach the cave soon.
After what felt like another hour, the stone staircase’s steep incline began to level out. Excitement burned in my stomach. Was this it? Had we finally come to the cave where I’d go through the final test and free Thane?
In my anticipation, I picked up speed—and then collided with an invisible wall. I bounced off and landed at Hunter’s feet.
“Um.Ow,” I moaned. “What just happened? I think I broke my nose.”
Hunter crouched down next to me and took my chin in his hands. “Your nose isn’t bleeding, so I think you’re gonna be okay.”
“What the hell?”
“I think we just encountered a ward.”
“Do you know how to break it?”
“No.” Hunter went forward and placed his hand on the invisible wall and peered closer. “Nothing looks out of the ordinary on the other side—which means it’s something really terrible.”
“How do you figure?” I asked.
“Some wards are designed specifically to keep people out, and some are meant as a warning. We have to go through this ward to get closer to Thane, ergo—”
“Ergo, all ye trespassers beware?” I asked in my best pirate voice.
“Exactly. Unfortunately, we won’t know what we’re dealing with until we break the ward.”
“Which neither of us knows how to do,” I pointed out.
I can break the ward,came Thane’s voice in my head.
Have I been sharing my brain with you this whole time?I asked him.
The Veil between us is no longer—
Oh God, don’t mention the Veil.
Fine. But it’s the reason I’m tapped in to you without you consciously being aware of it.
You mean I’m just an open vessel right now?I seethed in anger. Would I never have any sort of privacy ever again?You’re like a brain parasite.
Careful.
