(2)

The doors into the palace were flanked by two sentries clad in black carapace. The two sentries opened the door at their arrival, which gave birth to a long hallway of marble. Sabrina felt her breathing grow unsteady with every step. She tried to focus on her rhythmic footsteps that echoed throughout the hall; large fires of violet and sapphire burned in basins lining the hall. Thana did not speak to word to her as they walked.

When the two of them arrived at the next set of doors that would open into the throne room, Sabrina faltered. Thana looked over her shoulder and gave her a look of reassurance, then pushed the doors inwards. The doors creaked open to spill out the light from the chamber beyond. A cold wind rushed to meet them, despite the additional fires that burned inside.

Sabrina reluctantly stepped in, guided by Thana who looked about the room with interest. Sabrina saw some of the WC lining the corners of the room. Skinner was at her fathers’ side as he sat atop the throne, the throne that once belonged to the Duchess. The throne room was deathly silent; the WC just watched as they marched their way up the center of the chamber across an emerald green rug. Sabrina looked down at the rug to shelter her anxiety from so many eyes when she noticed a spot of blood, its fresh scent reached her nostrils and Sabrina followed the trail to her left. The blood trail disappeared behind a group of WCs standing off to the side. ‘Whatever bled was dragged’ she concluded.

Thana gave a brief bow when she reached the foot of the throne, the Spider King gave no response. His eyes were marbles of pure onyx, coiling around his temples were spots of black ink. The Spider King blinked, disregarding Thana’s curtsy. Sabrina bowed more assertively causing her hair to hang down over her face. When she rose, her father looked at her, sparkles of light being caught in his glossy eyes; he spoke lightly, but Sabrina detected an avenue of hate behind his words.

“My Princess,” he said dimly, his voice wet with saliva, “I have news from Wetbrook.”

Thana and Sabrina both looked up simultaneously. Skinner looked to be grinding his jaw, one hand on the hilt of his sword. The Spider King gripped the edges of his throne with long pale fingers then rose. As he descended the marble steps to Sabrina, she felt a seed of sorrow begin to take root. Her father stroked a cold hand across her face causing gooseflesh to flow down her spine. As her father blinked, the black dots lining his head seemed to also blink.

“Your mother—has been murdered,” he said, his tongue clicking on certain syllables, he circled Sabrina stroking his hand through her black hair. Sabrina froze unable to register the words. Thana gasp next to her.

“How!?” Thana expelled, and Sabrina felt an icy wind envelop her. Her father sniffed in the air as if to gather composure from it.

“You dare ask me that,” he spat producing droplets of saliva to spray across the floor. “After all of your inadequacies Thana?”

Sabrina began to feel her blood pounding in her temples, she clenched her sweaty fists in balls. ‘Her mother was…dead?’

“You were supposed to protect her,” Thana exclaimed through glistening eyes. The chamber rang with her pained words.

“You dare lecture me!” The Spider King erupted, “Who was it, that let the wizard die, hmm?” Sabrina looked up sharply, Thana seemed to have words caught in her throat. “Who allowed a pathetic boy to soil an entire year’s worth of planning?”

The Spider King hissed in displeasure turning, marching his way up to sit atop his throne. Skinner shifted nervously, his one hand still resting on the hilt of his sword. Sabrina looked at Thana who avoided her gaze, she seemed silenced and tears began to now roll down her cheeks. Sabrina turned to look at her father, feeling her own wrath begin to burn beside his. ‘Was it her fault?’

“You left her behind…” Thana attempted through gritted teeth, and Sabrina saw her father squeeze the hand rest on his throne once again.

“I left her with my entire army and enough Sphene Dust to eradicate a city,” The Spider King announced. There was a lengthy pause. “Step forward my child,” her father ordered. Sabrina staggered forward absently unaware of what she was doing. Her mind seemed detached from her body as she swam through a boiling soup of emotions, unable to simmer on one.

When Sabrina got close, her father leaned forward. She raised her head to gaze into his beetle black eyes as they looked over her hungrily.

“Your mother,” he began softly. “Stayed at Wetbrook to give you a chance Sabrina, to give us all a chance. She stayed to repair the mistake your aunt made.” Sabrina heard her aunt shuffle behind her but remain silent. Skinner had stepped forward to bar Thana’s advance and the WC seemed to all be converging on her.

“The wizard would have united us all child,” her father continued. “We could have taken this city by force and ruled in unity.”

Her father stood as if to get a better look at Thana who seemed to be resisting the urge to attack.

“Incompetence must be punished by death.”

There was a screeching hiss as steel left scabbard, Sabrina glanced around to see Skinner relinquishing his longsword. Its steel shimmered like liquid mercury and then Sabrina realized, it wasn’t steel at all, but silver. Thana retreated from the sword, her eyes wide with fear. The other WC were moving in now to circle her. She crouched low, her fingernails growing to extendable lengths.

Thana hissed when a WC went to strike her from behind, Thana whirled, bringing her claws across the man’s face. Sabrina flinched when she saw the top of the man’s head spin off across the room, his brown hair spinning as blood painted the walls. Sabrina looked back at her father who had a bemused smile on his face.

Thana backed up, trying to reach the doors she had entered from, but the men cut her off. They surrounded her now, keeping their distance, none attacked but all posed ready to flurry her when the time came. Then, unexpectedly, an enormous figure in WC armour suddenly swung his greatsword around in wild arc, cutting two men in half in a single strike. The other WC retreated from him, completely surprised one of their own had turned on them. The large member took a stance next to Thana, his greatsword held out to shield her.

“Thank you, Brock,” Thana said, and the two of them began to walk backward, Brock rotating around Thana as the WC repositioned. Skinner moved in and Sabrina thought, despite his handicap, he seemed the most dangerous one of them all.

Thana and Brock continued their retreat to the door, Skinner moved to strike. Brock deflected the blow and returned with of his own, but Skinner was too fast, easily leaning out of reach of the strike. It appeared to Sabrina that he was only trying to get Brock off balance and swinging, so his men could counterattack. But as Skinner’s men moved in, Thana was there to meet them, cutting them viciously with her claws.

The chamber rang with meticulous clangs as metal hit metal, claws at tore flesh with the sound of ripping fabric, and all the while Brock and Thana moved backward. Sabrina saw her father stand—a wave of cold air hit her as he did. Sabrina looked at her aunt in vain, she wanted to stop her father, stop it all, but fear held her tongue as well as hatred.

“Enough,” her father said when ten strings of webbing came bolting from each of his fingers. The string flew across the room with the speed of an arrow and struck the intended targets with precise accuracy. The webbing her father shot hit both Thana and Brock simultaneously, restraining them. Skinner closed in for the kill, but Brock reacted first.

Brock brought his great sword high over his head to cleave Skinner from shoulder to groin. Skinner rolled sideways avoiding the blow but discovered the strike was not intended for him, instead, it struck the five webbed strings attached to Thana’s waist. It severed the thread and Thana staggered forward, suddenly free of her bind.

“Run!” A deep booming voice issued from beneath his helm. Thana haltered, watching in horror as three WC members plunged their blades into Brock’s back. No blood ran from his wounds as he whirled around cutting the three men in half in a single swipe. Brock’s strength was like nothing Sabrina had seen. Skinner recovered and dashed, planting the tip of his longsword behind brock’s neck before Brock could turn. The blow caused Brock to fall immediately, and Sabrina caught one last glimpse of her aunt, right before she disappeared behind a cloud of red mist.