a gesture while the other answers. “The High Father cannot leave the fabric of space and time unattended. Whatever our flaws, they will remain with us for all time.”
“Here, in our exile,” chimes in the other.
I exhale a sharp breath. “You really need an anchor to keep your shit together, dude. Both of you.”
“It is true,” the original Spidae says. “We do not know—or care—about humankind because we interact with them so very little.”
“But they are fascinating,” his brother murmurs, his gaze on my furious expression.
I fight back a shudder. Is this how Aron would be if he had no anchor? “Yeah, well, when Aron’s himself again, maybe we’ll see if we can send someone back from Yshrem to come stay here with you. You need an anchor, you really do.”
“Because we cannot keep behaving as we are?” the one asks, while the other tilts his head.
God, they are so creepy.
“Perhaps we should just pull a human from the other web. The web that sweet Faithful came from,” the first Spidae says, and the look in his eyes grows sly. “They seem eager to serve the gods in all ways.”
The breath explodes out of me. If they’re baiting me, they found the right way to do it. “You fucking bastard, you wouldn’t dare—”
“Faith.” Yulenna’s soft voice makes me go quiet. Her hands tug at my dress, like a child wanting attention. “Don’t. Okay? There’s no need to be upset. I’ll do it.”
At first, I don’t understand what she means. “Do what?”
The two Spidae go completely still, and their attention focuses on Yulenna, not me. “An interesting thread,” one murmurs.
“I see it now,” says the other. “Very interesting.”
Yulenna swallows hard, then lifts her chin. Her thick hair is pulled in a thick braid, and she’s wearing a pale gown with a square fur collar that shows her cleavage and clings to her body in all the right ways. She’s gorgeous, as usual. Her eyes are wide and frightened, but she smiles at me. “I will serve the gods.”
I shake my head, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her away. “Wait, Yulenna, no. You don’t have to do this.”
“I know.”
“You…you really want to serve them? An anchor has to go willingly.” Who would willingly tie themselves to these two? As I look back at them, a third joins, identical to his brothers, this one with eyes so black they look like coals in his pale face. Did I think one was creepy? Three is a nightmare. “You want to stay here?” I hiss at her. “Really?”
She swallows hard. “Not really. I’m kind of scared, actually.” But she gives me a brave smile. “But if you can learn a new world, so can I.”
“Yulenna, no, this is different—”
One of the Spidae glides forward and touches Yulenna’s fat black braid. He practically hovers over her, studying her with fascination. “You would serve us in all ways? The three of us?”
She nods.
“Time out,” I call out, making a T with my hands. “No. Absolutely not. Yulenna, you’re not a whore any longer, okay? You don’t have to do anything like this.”
Yulenna shakes her head, her eyes earnest even as the Spidae hovering over her toys with her braid. “I want to do this, Faith. Here, I have a purpose. I can serve the gods. Once we leave this tower, I’m just an unnecessary whore for a god who is in love with his anchor. I cannot fight in Aron’s army. How long do you think he will keep me around?”
My throat goes dry. I take her hand in mine. “You’re my friend. Aron would keep you as long as I want. You’ve been good to me, and to him.”
She squeezes my hand, and I feel like crying, because I can tell her mind is already made up. “You have been my friend, too. Thank you for making me feel like your equal in all ways.” Yulenna gives me a smile. “But now I must find my own path.”
I swallow hard.
“I can see the guilt on your face,” Yulenna teases. “Don’t. I’m choosing this, just as you choose to be with Aron.”
“If you’re sure,” I begin, but Yulenna pulls her hand from mine and turns to look at the Spidae. One extends his hand to her even as the other plays with her braid.
“I’m sure,” she says, and I hate the tremble in her voice. But she’s brave and strong as she takes the hand extended to her and walks away with the gods.