by Amy Cross
Chapter Seven
Abby Hart
"Here's the thing," I say, sitting on the stump of an old, felled tree as I try to come up with the right words. "I'm the kind of person who really... wouldn't suit a relationship right now, if that makes sense to you."
I wait for a reply.
"Does it make sense to you?" I ask after a moment. "Dronigan?"
"No," he says with a blank look on his face. "I'm afraid I don't understand. What is a relationship?"
"Let me put it another way," I continue. "I'm flattered that you seem to have these feelings for me, but I can't reciprocate. Not now, not with anyone. My life's in flux, and the thought of being with someone is just way too weird for me to deal with."
He stares at me.
"It's nothing personal," I add with a sigh. "You seem like a... nice guy. Basically. Obviously you've got some issues to work through, the same as the rest of us -"
"What issues?" he asks.
"Well..." I pause for a moment. "I mean, would you say that you're entirely... comfortable in your own skin? Do you know who you are?"
"I'm Dronigan," he replies.
"Yes, but what does that mean?"
"I -" He pauses, and finally it seems as if he might have begun to understand.
"This is all new to you, huh?" I continue. "You're used to having just one purpose in life, and clearly you were very good at that. But now Tor Cliff is gone, it's time to get moving. You can't be planning to just hang around in this dead forest forever, can you?"
"I was thinking of traveling," he replies. "I've been told by numerous reliable sources that there might be other places beyond the horizon."
"Oh, there are," I say with a smile. "There are places you can't possibly imagine. Make sure you go to New York, and London, and the Underworld, and I've heard great things about part of the library. You should also totally check out the world of the Drazi; it's supposed to be pretty crazy. Just steer clear of places like Gothos and Sangreth, there's really nothing much going on there."
"Can I come with you?" he asks.
"I don't think that'd be a good idea," I tell him.
"Why not?"
"I don't think either of us would be comfortable."
"Why not?"
"I just think you need to explore on your own," I continue, scratching the faint itch on my neck where my skin is still healing. "You don't want me cramping your style and influencing the kind of person you become."
"Why not?"
"It just wouldn't be a good route for you to take. I think you should meet new people and visit some different places."
He frowns.
"You'll just have to trust me," I continue, getting to my feet. "But if you ever end up in New York down the line, and I definitely mean down the line, then look me up. Before that, though, you need to experience the dreams of all the worlds that are out there. I can only imagine what different dreams taste like, and I think you're probably gonna be in for some pretty wild times."
"I love you," he says suddenly.
"That's sweet," I tell him, stepping forward and kissing his ice-cold forehead, "but I don't think you really know what those words mean. You met Felix and Nurse Silk, right? They're really in love. It takes time, and I'm pretty sure that once you've been out there in the world, you'll realize that any feelings you have for me are just infatuation. I mean, hell, I helped open your mind to the possibilities of the world, didn't I?"
"You did," he says calmly.
"So really, I'm more like your mother," I continue, before pausing for a moment. "Scratch that. Forget I said anything. I really don't want to be like anyone's mother. Not right now."
"Promise me one thing," he replies. "If you ever need help, no matter what kind of challenge you're facing, you must call for me. Wherever I am, I'll hear you and I'll come immediately. I know you probably think I'm just saying this, but I can assure you, I'll be there for you."
"I promise," I reply, "and thank you. It's good to know that I've got friends out there. I should warn you, though... One day, I might actually take you up on that offer and call you for some help."
"I look forward to it," he says.
"So I'm going this way," I tell him, pointing toward a faint path that runs between the trees. "It's a long walk back to where I come from and this place is pretty cold, so I figure I should get going. Have you made a decision about your first stop yet?"
"I think..." He pauses, before looking in the opposite direction. "I think I shall go this way," he continues. "It looks about as promising as any other."
"Good luck," I reply.
"And to you too."
Once I've started walking, I can't help but feel that maybe I was a little harsh on Dronigan. Given the fact that he's about to venture beyond the dead forest for the first time in his existence, I could perhaps have let him come with me for a while, just until he got the hang of things. Then again, he seems to be kind of fond of me, and I guess I don't want to lead him on. By the time he's got a couple of worlds under his belt, he's going to have forgotten that I even exist, and that's absolutely fine by me.
After a moment, I glance over my shoulder and see that there's no sign of him. He's already well on his way. As I continue walking, I look down at the box in my hands. One day I'm going to have to open it, but not yet. For now, I need to focus on getting home.
Epilogue
According to the Book of Gothos, Karakh was indeed the palace of the spiders. It's a story that stretches back many, many years, to a time before the vampire war; long ago, the world was dominated by three species: vampires, werewolves and spiders. They lived in harmony, more or less, but the spiders in their supposedly infinite wisdom began to grow fearful of the vampires. Tensions developed, attempts to ensure peace ended in stalemate, and eventually a great tragedy was set in motion.
Sitting in my dark little apartment in the heart of the city, I turn to the next page. The Book of Gothos has become my bedtime reading every night, but I've still only scratched the surface of the vast history that these pages contain. When the beast mentioned Karakh and the spiders, I was only vaguely aware of their relevance, and even now I'm struggling to work out where in the book to check for information. After all, it's not as if Gothos thought to include an index.
Spotting movement nearby, I glance across the room. There doesn't seem to be anything, but finally I notice something crawling along the window ledge. Setting the Book of Gothos aside, I walk over and see that there's a small spider making its way through the shadows. It's hard to believe that this little thing could be a de-evolved descendent of the great spiders that once vied for dominance of the world, but at the same time, I know that the Book of Gothos wouldn't lie. Kneeling in front of the window, I take a closer look at the spider and watch its progress.
"So are you plotting something, little guy?" I ask eventually. "Are you part of some great scheme to restore your species to prominence?"
The spider doesn't react. It just continues its journey.
"I should warn you," I continue, "that I've heard some pretty dark things about your species. Some people even think you might be making plans to rise again, but I'm hoping that's not true. I mean, the legend says that you de-evolved permanently, so I guess you don't really have the ability to come up with complex plans."
Ignoring me, the spider continues to crawl along the ledge.
"Karakh," I say suddenly.
The spider stops.
I wait.
After a moment, it starts crawling along the ledge again. Finally, it makes its way through the crack at the edge of the window and heads outside, and I instinctively push the window shut.
Heading back over to the bed, I take another look at the Book of Gothos, but eventually my attention is drawn to the box on my nightstand. If the beast is to be believed, the secret he extracted from my head is contained in that box, waiting to be deciphered and understood. I know that one day I have to take a look, but something tells me that when I
finally lift the lid, I might just set in motion a train of events that'll sweep me along to a place I really don't want to go. Maybe one day something will happen to force me to open the box, but for now I figure I can afford to be patient.
Reaching over to my laptop, I turn up the music. Baba O'Riley is just starting, which seems somehow appropriate.
I should get to sleep. After all, I need to get back to work tomorrow morning. However, I open the Book of Gothos and start reading again. I'll rest soon. Just a couple more pages and then bed, I swear.
Table of Contents
The Betrayal
Into Hell
The Cobweb Man
Oubliette
The Garden of Dead Souls
The Ghost at the Door
Dark Genesis
The Escape
