I’m surprised to hear this—that Aron’s anger is over me. That he’s demanding to see me. Wasn’t the whole purpose of coming here to find out where Aron’s other Aspects are? Wasn’t that the whole goal?
“Tell me what you need from me,” Aron says, his voice deadly calm. “I know you have her hidden away somewhere in this tower. Tell me what you need to return her to me.”
“Well, you can ensure me that you will not harm her after we’ve gone to the trouble of saving her.”
“You know I would never—” More thunder, but it dies just as quickly. “I need her back, my old friend. I need you to return her to me.”
“Mmm.” There’s a long pause, and I wonder if I should enter the room. Just before I decide to step forward, the Spidae speaks again. “What if I told you that you could have another anchor? Surely the raven-haired wench would suit your needs.”
I stiffen, horrified. That fucking bastard. Is the Spidae trying to replace me? I’m convinced now more than ever that the fates—the spider gods—are toying with us, holding information over our heads and using it to confuse.
“I want no other anchor. I need no one but Faith. She is mine.”
“Any anchor will belong to you, Aron—”
“Faith is MINE.”
I wait to hear more thunder, but instead, all I hear is a faint, eerie chuckle. The Spidae laughs. “Have you fallen in love with a human, Aron? After all this time? How many Anticipations have you gone through and never given your heart? Such a thing has never occurred before. You know no good can come of a mortal pairing with a god.”
Silence.
My heart pounds in my chest, and the only sound is that of my quick breaths.
“What if I told you,” the Spidae says, “That to ascend to your place in the Aether you must destroy her?”
I hold my breath. Is that their game? Turn us against one another and see which one of us breaks first? But if so…the Spidae has to know I’m listening. He has to know I’m here. He knows what I chose.
“Impossible,” Aron says after a moment.
“Is it?”
“You spin lies to confuse me.”
Fuck yeah. You tell ’em, baby. I silently fist-pump, wishing I’d had the balls to go back and give the Spidae hell for throwing so much misery on me.
“Fate is a tangled web,” the Spidae agrees, amusement in his voice.
“Just let me know she is safe,” Aron says, and there is such weariness in his tone. “Nothing else matters but her.”
“She is safe. I do not keep her from you to play games.”
There’s a long, slow exhale of breath.
Aron was…holding his breath? He was that worried about me? Does he not realize that I was just upstairs chatting with the other Aspect?
I clutch the football to my chest. He really does care for me. He might even love me, in his Aron-ish way.
“You know you cannot take her with you, Aron,” the Spidae says, and his tone is surprisingly gentle.
“I am an Aspect and she is my anchor. That is all that matters.”
I can practically hear the scowl in his voice.
The Spidae laughs once more. “Yes, well, your anchor awaits you, my lord of storms.”
64
Before I can step inside the room, Aron’s rushing out. He nearly bowls me over, and I stagger backward, about to lose my balance.
Aron doesn’t let me, though. He grabs me and crushes me against him, his big arms wrapping around me. “Faith!” A moment later, he claims my mouth in a hard, brief kiss, and then runs his hands all over my body. “How…do you hurt? Are you well?”
I’m shocked at how out of sorts he is. He looks as if he’s just seen a ghost. I was just upstairs, though. “I’m fine. A little tired and hungry, but…why are you so freaked out?”
To my surprise, he drags me against his chest again and holds me close, his expression fierce. “You’ve been gone for days. I thought—I thought they’d sent you back to your world.”
Days? Huh? I pull free of Aron’s grip—not the easiest task—so I can look him in the eye. “What do you mean, I’ve been gone for days? I was sleeping upstairs next to Yulenna. I went looking for you and ran into one of the Spidae and we had a brief conversation. That’s all. I don’t think I’ve even been awake an hour…”
My words trail off because he’s shaking his head, his expression furious. Thunder