My sword responded instantly, and twin lances of flames rolled out from the swords, shooting across the writhing creature's body, spreading out in vibrant fingers, weaving in and out of each other, joining the rope of flames that still encased two of the Jorõgumo's legs, until it had formed a net that encased the spider-spirit's entire body.
She didn't stop writhing and screaming, but she was trapped and not going anywhere.
I collapsed back against the wall and closed my eyes in relief. My head was pounding, and my leg was bleeding, I was aching all over from my encounter with the wall, but hey, I was alive and the spider wasn't dead. As outcomes went, it wasn't all that bad.
"I guess the fact you have only one injury is something to be grateful for," Azriel agreed, voice wry. "However, it would have been nice if you could have remained wound free for a change."
"Tell that to the bad guys who keep attacking me." I opened my eyes. Azriel stood several feet away, his body covered with tiny wounds that gave his skin a bloody glint. Concern rolled through me. "Are you all right?"
He nodded. "I am energy, remember."
"But you're wearing flesh." I pushed away from the wall, took two steps, and gently ran my fingertips across the worst of the wounds on his arm. "If the babies were as venomous as their mom—"
"I will burn off their venom the minute I return to energy form." He gave me a sweet, somewhat lopsided smile. "But I appreciate the concern."
"Hey, I don't want to lose you over something dumb like getting bitten by a damn spider."
"That is not something I would be overly pleased with, either."
Amaya's steel began to vibrate in my hand, and I glanced down with a frown. Both swords were still blazing, but Amaya's flames were beginning to pulse. It was almost as if her strength was faltering.
"It is," Azriel commented. "Which means she's now drawing on your strength to help hold her share of the net."
"Why can't she hold it herself?"
Strength not right, she muttered, the surliness in her mental tones suggesting she was very put out by the fact.
"She's young in demon terms," Azriel commented. "She will get stronger with both age and your continuing merger."