by Jack Porter
Beneath me, her body tightened up from the neck down. I couldn’t blame her. My fight or flight senses were going haywire, and it was all I could do not to punch the guardian in its furry, flat, multi-eyed face.
Shifting, I put a calming hand on her shoulder. “You can do this,” I whispered.
Taking comfort from my words, Layla held her head a little higher, meeting the guardian’s gaze head on. “Tell me your riddle.”
“If you keep this in your possession, you do not want to share it. If you do share it, then you no longer hold any of it.”
Sweat broke out on my brow. It made no sense to me, but I’d never been any good at cryptic puzzles. I was much more of a state-yourself-clearly kinda guy. But I had faith in Layla. This was her area.
Plus, I did have a backup plan. If she got this wrong, I would fling myself into the beast and crush its disgusting hairy body before those pincers ever had the chance to touch her.
As if the guardian could sense this, it poised itself, ready to attack. I did the same while a handful of seconds ticked by.
“Better hurry,” the tarantula lisped. “Your time will be up soon.”
Outrage bubbled in my stomach. “You didn’t say a damn thing about a time limit,” I snarled.
“Shh,” Layla growled, cutting off the string of insults I was about to fling. “I need quiet to concentrate.”
So, I clenched my jaw and kept my mouth shut. It was the only thing I could do for her at the moment, but I sure as hell gave the guardian a talking to with my glare.
One excruciating minute passed. Then another. The tension in the cramped space was so thick I could have choked on it.
Finally, Layla snapped her head up, butting me in the nose hard enough to make my eyes water. “A secret. The answer is a secret.”
The guardian didn’t move to attack. Neither did it move out of our way. It seemed to be expecting something else.
“More?” Layla huffed out putting her face back down into her hands. “What else could you—oh!” She thumped her fist against the tunnel in understanding. Her hard skull almost knocked into me again, but I had the common sense to yank my head back out of its range. “Of course, all those scrolls in the shrine. You collected them. You’re a creature of knowledge. So...” She drew out the word, which turned on a devastated tone halfway through. “You must want a secret in exchange for the crystal.”
The guardian’s hairs bristled and its odd face twisted into some semblance of annoyance, which was pretty impressive for a spider to pull off.
Layla’s voice changed, becoming laden and dead with the weight of the task sinking into her. “I assume it can’t be something small like the time I took my best friend’s favorite lipstick in high school.”
“The biggest secret you have. And no bluffing. I’ll know if you give me anything less than what I can sense eating you up from the outside in.”
Layla’s words were practically a plea. “Maybe we could be alone when I say it?”
My heart broke for her. I could hear the blatant hope in her voice. Whatever this was, she didn’t want me hearing it. It would be a lie if I said her lack of trust in me didn’t sting, but if this was what she wanted, I’d respect her wishes.
I started to back out the way I’d come, hoping I wouldn’t get stuck, when one long leg darted out and kept me planted where I was, using some sort of sticky silk that I couldn’t break away from to glue me to Layla. Its leg was heavy, and it took all my effort not to collapse with the pressure and crush Layla’s slender form.
Sparkling glee shone in the guardian’s many eyes. “Oh no, no, no! There would be too little entertainment that way. And if I am going to give up my only human meal in a century, it better damn well be worth it.”
Layla’s head dropped, thudding softly against the solid stone below. “Dexter, I-I’m so sorry,” Layla sniffed. Her voice sounded strained as if she were trying to hold back tears. “I want you to know I only meant to protect you.”
“Sorry for what? Come on, Number-Two. It’s me we’re talking about here. Nothing you could say would change things between us.”
“It will though.” I felt the shake of her head and the slight tremor of her body under me. Her tears were an audible thing now as she lost the will to hold them back. They made soft plinks on the stone below us. “It will because I am the one who took the black crystal from the chest under the hot spring. A-and I’m the one who woke up the darkness.”
Twenty-Nine
Understanding rocked my world as I took in her words. It was like someone lifted a veil from my eyes after weeks, no, months without light. Denial sat light on my tongue, ready to explain it all away as a misunderstanding. Ready to believe anything but my Number Two’s betrayal.
But it wouldn’t come out. Suddenly everything made sense. Her concern about me diving to the bottom of the pool. That night I’d found her sitting naked by the pool, her hair wet. The way she’d held the white crystal as if it would give her the black plague, the very night we made love for the first time.
“You went down to the hot spring before me, but how?” My voice was harsher than what I intended to use. Her body stiffened, but she didn’t deny it. “Why, Layla? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was afraid you’d hate me. But you have to believe I didn’t do it on purpose. I didn’t like that look in your eye whenever you talked about the blue light. But I… I felt the call, too, only it wasn’t as you described. It felt evil to me, but I couldn’t deny that I wanted to see what it was.
“I tried to dive down by myself, but it was too deep. Don’t make that noise, Dex, I know it was dangerous. I gave up before getting very far. But when I surfaced, a whirlpool started before I could climb back out, and it sucked me down into the air bubble at the bottom, all on its own. I thought I was going to drown before I popped out onto the floor next to the chests.
“And then I saw all those depictions of the goddesses. That image of the person with Kain’s crystal battling for the fate of the island against the darkness. I didn’t know about Kain, of course, or the name of the other god, Zavier, but I knew it was a battle we couldn’t afford to be a part of. Or at least, that you wouldn’t get a chance to be hurt. In my heart I just knew that Kain’s crystal was meant to be for you. And I didn’t want you fighting anything dark like that. I just thought if I destroyed the dark crystal, it would never be used to hurt you, or make you dark too. I knew by the way it was calling me that it was evil. It spoke to me, told me to take it in my hand, just like with the white crystal on the tapestry. I almost did.”
Layla’s voice was at a whisper now.
“So, you broke the black crystal,” I finished for her. My voice was calmer now as I began to understand her motive. It had chilled me to the bone thinking my trusted co-pilot had betrayed us all. But she hadn’t. Not at all.
She twisted under me until I could just see the puffy red color under her shadowed eyes in the light of my crystal. “I didn’t know my actions would release the darkness. But when that goat-serpent attacked, and then later when you told us of the buck, I knew I hadn’t gotten rid of it. Somehow the darkness was on those guardians, which was different from what you told us of the tapestry. I had set the darkness free. So I thought, if I could just find my crystal, I could help you defeat it. Help clean up the mess I made. Help rescue poor Hannah, who was caught up in my stupid mistake.”
“If what you’re saying is true, that tapestry was more like a prophecy than the instruction manual I thought it was, after all,” I said. “It stands to reason that maybe I was always meant to step into this role, even if the darkness was meant to be contained. So don’t beat yourself up over it. You very likely saved me. Although I like to think I never would have used that dark crystal, we can’t be sure.”
“I should have given you that choice, but I was afraid for you. Not because I thought you would choose evil, but that maybe its power would overcome you.”
I smiled. “And yet it didn’t overc
ome you, my beautiful Layla. You are pure of heart, you know that? How else could you have rejected the darkness so completely? A darkness that has tried to take me several times these last few days.”
More tears slid down Layla’s face, over her temples and into her hair.
“What is in the past can’t be changed,” I said, “but I can tell you I wouldn’t change these last few months for anything. Even if it meant keeping the darkness in its crystal.”
Layla smiled up at me, more relieved tears spilling from her eyes. “Thank you for understanding. For not hating me.”
I used the back of my fingers to swipe the tears away. “Anytime, Number Two. There’s nothing here to make me hate you. Nothing.”
The guardian thrummed its legs in a cascading motion to get our attention. “This is touching and all, but I am busy, and now very hungry. So, take your crystal and get out of my lair before I change my mind about eating you.”
Pulling myself free of the goo with some tugging and brute strength, I touched my guardian cloak and found it sticky with the spider’s webbing. Great, that’s never coming out.
The guardian made a gagging sound like a cat hacking up a furball. The crystal fell, coated in something slimy that I didn’t want to think about. It landed with a solid thwap onto Layla’s neck. Her fingers grazed it, trying to wipe away the slime, and the crystal began to glow immediately.
She gasped. “It’s heating up. I thought the transformation took a little incentive.”
“You’re not transforming yet. That will come a bit later,” I said, unable to keep my eyebrows from waggling suggestively. “Hannah’s crystal didn’t react so strongly to her, though. I suspect that was because her crystal belonged to someone else first. That’s why it took so long for her wings to make their appearance, and why I had to help.”
“Are you saying the transformation will be much quicker for me?”
“Possibly. I’m not entirely sure, but that is likely. So, we’ll want to be ready for when—,” I clamped my mouth shut. Did the guardian know the darkness might take it over? That even now it might be seeking it out because it felt that another crystal had been claimed? I didn’t know. I’d never met a guardian that wasn’t already darkened with that black mist.
The massive hairy black body paused in its rush to leave. It sashayed sideways, hind legs riding up the side of the pipe, to look at me. “I have no intention of allowing Zavier’s power to consume my spirit. You can rest assured that I would sooner die than allow myself to become a raging, mindless monster.”
“Do you have much of a choice?” I asked, hoping I wasn’t being too rude. “Did Kain place the guardians here with powers to protect against Zavier’s power?”
If this spider had more human features, I imagined a wry smile would have graced its mouth. “No. Even he couldn’t anticipate that his brother’s magic would be set loose on the island. However, I have precautionary measures in place should the transformation begin.”
I grimaced, wondering what that precaution was, and only coming up with one answer.
“No, no. Don’t get sentimental on me. It’s disgusting. I have lived far too long for my liking and have fulfilled my duty by relinquishing my crystal. I am ready when the time comes. It would have been nice to have one last snack though. Are you sure you can’t spare one of your arms? You have two perfectly good ones, you know.”
“Er, sorry. I need them both.”
“Stingy.” The guardian turned again and scurried away, the sound of its taps against the stone making my stomach turn.
Thirty
Like with the hot spring, a magic opening appeared before us, but it was farther ahead in the direction we’d been heading.
Backing up, I let Layla go first. She flipped over and crawled on her belly in quick movements. It made me think she was more terrified of the guardian than she let on. I wondered if her fear of spiders was similar to Piper’s fear of rats.
She made it through the secondary tunnel faster than I thought possible, calling from inside, “Come on, Cap. Let’s get the hell out of here.”
Easier for her than me. I was already too big for this space that seemed to shrink with every inch forward. I had to turn to my side and use my feet to propel me toward the opening. My hands gripped the side of the secondary opening, and I pulled myself with all my strength while doing a wiggle motion that allowed me to eventually squeeze myself through the entry.
Layla gave my torso a final tug, and I was all the way through. I found this tunnel was large enough for me to stand in, which I did with a sigh of relief. Being cramped like that for so long had left my feet tingling with lack of circulation.
Not knowing what else to do, Layla and I followed the stone tunnel. We were banking that it would lead us where we needed to go instead of keeping us trapped in the spider’s lair until we eventually went mad. Which could have been a possibility, if the guardian was petty enough about me not giving him one of my arms to crunch on.
A long time passed at an unnervingly sluggish pace. Layla and I didn’t talk much, both feeling the gravity of her long-kept secret. “I don’t blame you, you know,” I said to eat the stiff silence growing between us.
“I know, but the others will. I’m scared they’ll hate me for freeing the darkness. I’ve grown to love them—think of them as life partners even, and it would kill me to know we’d never been the same as we had been. Even if Piper and Megan don’t turn their backs on me, Hannah will for sure, once we find her and she learns the truth. If we find her.”
I realized Layla blamed herself for Hannah’s capture just as much as I blamed myself for letting the darkness slip through my fingers. My fingers squeezed tighter around hers. “We will find her. You heard Yua, we’re catching up with the darkness. And as for the other thing—” I paused, thinking it over. “Well, I’m not going to rat you out to the other girls. You can tell them whenever you’re ready. Or never, if you want. It won’t change our situation so there’s no point in playing the blame game. And I wouldn’t want to be the cause of potentially putting a rift between you and the others, even if I think they’ll understand why you did what you did. For what it’s worth, I think you possibly saved us all. What if the darkness had overwhelmed me after the whirlpool took me down?”
That seemed to settle Layla down. “I appreciate it. I suppose you’re right. I’ll make plans to tell them—after we get Hannah back.”
“Sounds like a good idea,” I replied, meaning it.
“For what it’s worth, though, Dex, I don’t believe you would have used the dark crystal any more than I would have. You are pure of heart too. You wouldn’t dream of causing others harm.”
“Well, maybe I would dream of it, especially now that we know Zavier is behind this dark business. However, I love that you think so highly of me.”
Finally, we reached the end of the tunnel, found the door, and entered the shrine’s main room from the same door we’d exited earlier.
Trippy. Damn island magic.
I squinted and blinked hard, trying to adjust my eyes to the sudden burst of light. Layla did the same.
“Welcome back. I prayed for your safe return and the gods have made it so.” Yua was waiting for us, kneeling by the statue I assumed was the replica of Kain. “Did you find what you came for?”
Layla held up her crystal. I could tell she felt proud to have one of her very own.
Yua cocked her head, a confused expression on her face. “But you’ve not transformed? I sensed crystal use and assumed...” A bashful smile came over her features. “You know.”
“Ah, no. We ran into a bit of trouble and used it for a different reason.” Anxiety gripped my stomach. “There weren’t any visits from the darkness, were there?”
“One. But I took care of it,” Yua said.
I blinked at her. “How?”
She smiled and picked up an item at her feet I hadn’t noticed before, a staff with three large rings attached to it. She twirled it around her
body before resting it lightly at her side. “This is a Khakkhara. Often used in my religion to ward away evil.” She winked, adding, “Or hungry predators when I’m hiking around the mountain.”
“Cool,” Layla breathed, and I had to agree with her. Yua was turning out to be quite the badass.
“Indeed.” Yua smiled softly. “Now come, you’re probably exhausted. I’ll show you to the room you’ll be sleeping in. The others are already out. It’s past midnight.”
Exhaustion hit me like a brick wall, as if her words brought to attention how tired I was. Layla rubbed her eyes like she’d want nothing more than to sleep right where she was.
Layla’s head snapped up as if a thought just occurred to her. “Yua, do these rooms have blankets, cotton ones?”
Yua cocked an eyebrow, obviously confused by the question. “Of course.”
Catching on, I grinned so wide I thought my face would split in two. “And a couple of pillows, maybe?”
Yua’s mouth pursed. “Of course,” she repeated, then shook her head as if we were crazy. “What else would go on a bed?”
“A bed.” Layla and I repeated the word together in a dreamy sigh.
Yua took on a look of knowing before nodding. “Right. I imagine it’s been a while for you guys. Now that I think back, Megan and Piper looked just as excited when they saw their room. Come on, then. I won’t keep you waiting any longer.” She spun on her heel and took off with a spring in her step. I wondered if she enjoyed catering to our needs. Maybe she did, having been alone for so long. Layla and I followed directly after, nearly stepping on her shoeless heels.
We were like two kids who’d been told Christmas had come early. No sooner had Yua opened the door to a lightly decorated, mid-sized bedroom and bid us goodnight with a not-so-stifled yawn, Layla and I had pounced under the covers of a queen-sized bit of heaven.
