“You will remain by my daughter’s side until I have—”

Bells rang out to interrupt the Spider King. The Throneroom grew silent as the bell continued to chime.

‘Bing, bong. Bing bong.’

“Skinner,” The Spider king said coolly. “care to explain why I hear the city bells ringing. Do your men struggle to rule over the naked peasants?”

Members of the WC in the room trained their eyes on Skinner, fear eclipsing their stony faces. Skinner raised his chin to address the King that sat atop his throne. Sabrina watched from afar.

“That’s not the city’s bells, your Grace,” Skinner announced. The Spider King gave a wide nod, but Sabrina caught anger flash across her father’s face.

“Oh—please forgive me, Skinner. Care to explain why there are any bells currently ringing in my city!” The Spider king slammed a clenched fist down in his hand rest, causing the metal throne to ring like the bells outside. As the sound reverberated around the room, the surrounding WC winced, but Skinner stood vigil, chin raised high.

“I will investigate this new phenomenon, your Grace,” Skinner said turning on his heels.

The Spider king flashed to his feet; arms outstretched. Webbing shot across the room like an arrow and struck Skinner in the back. Sabrina went to rush forward but overruled her instinct to prevent her father. Skinner was pulled off his feet to land at the base of the throne; Skinner didn’t call out or groan as he landed heavily against the ground.

“You have failed me for the last time, Skinner.” Said the Spider King dancing down the carpeted steps to Skinner. Sabrina saw the hate in her father’s eyes suddenly shift to greed. Skinner began to rise to his knees silently.

“Wait. father.” Sabrina called out slowly. Sabrina approached, finding it extremely easy to emulate her father’s greed for Skinner’s flesh. Despite Sabrina’s eyes being fixed upon Skinner, who was now getting to his feet—spider silk still attached to his back, Sabrina could see her father’s grin extend from ear to ear.

“You deserve a much sweeter meat than this spoiled old man.” Her father spat. “You do this worm an honour, allowing his flesh to touch your lips.”

Sabrina kicked the legs from under Skinner, hard. This time Skinner did let out a yell as shin met shin. Her father laughed, then Sabrina placed a barefoot on Skinner's exposed neck. She felt the muscles in his throat try to push back against Sabrina’s foot in vain, her painted toes curling around to nip at his skin. Skinner’s eyes rolled to the colour of peeled eggs, then his hands that clutched her ankle went limp and fell.

“I want him fresh and alive when I return.” She said maintaining her choke on the unconscious Skinner. Her father giggled in surprise.

“Going somewhere, Princess?”

There was an extended silence, say for the bells that continued to ring. ‘Bing Bong. Bing Bong.’

“Those bells are hurting my head,” Sabrina said, only now releasing her foot from Skinner's neck. “I’m going to pull apart the person ringing them.”

“The flesh of man has made you strong.” Her father laughed.

“You have my leave and my promise—” Her father gave the string still attached to Skinner’s back a tug, sending him to swing across the room. “—Skinner will remain alive in captivity till you return.”

Sabrina saw members of the WC drag Skinner away, his legs trailing across the ground as each man hooked an arm.

“This is Thana’s work.” Her father said, his upper lip curling. “If you encounter her again. Lead her to the sewers in the west wing. There, you will have the greatest advantage.”

Sabrina did not argue or pose any objection. She knew it would not serve to question her father and only serve to raise suspicion. Her father was right about a lot of things, especially about how much stronger she felt after feasting on the flesh of man. She wasn’t sure why this was the case, perhaps the flesh of man had some property animal flesh did not.

Sabrina would have confirmed to her father, that this too, was the doing of Thana. Thana had warned Sabrina of an incoming attack at dawn, knowing full well the implications the light would have on her father. Unlike Vampires who were fatally sensitive to sunlight, Spiders and Arachne were simply hindered by the light. It still, however, gave Thana an advantage. If Thana had convinced the people of Leeside to attack the city at night, her father could have quenched the rebellion himself.

‘Clever girl’ A voice whispered in her head, Skinner’s voice.

“I will return father,” Sabrina said. “And if Thana tries to confront me…I will return to you with her head this time. I will not fail you again.”

Her father approached her, and Sabrina felt the air grow chill around her. He embraced her with long, cold arms, sniffing her scent as he buried his face in her hair.

“You are your mothers’ daughter.” He said to her. “She would be so proud of you.”

Sabrina grit back the wave of sorrow that usually followed when thinking about her mother, a person she would never meet. She pulled free from her father’s iron grip and began to make her way down the long corridor that led from the throne room. Her father's eyes burned the back of her head; she sped off into a dash.

Outside the air was intoxicating, the sun hot despite only just risen above the city walls. Sabrina recoiled back from its rays at first, then stubbornly charged against it. It would burn her exposed skin she knew, but she could endure a few hours of the torture before the pain drove her mad.

‘Bing Bong, Bing Bong.’ The bells continued to ring and to Sabrina’s surprise, these were indeed not the city bells—the bells that hung suspended in the central tower, but instead the church bells. Sabrina could see many members of the WC anxiously dashing around the streets together, their swords drawn and thirsty. This was Thana’s plan: to disrupt the silent hold her father had over the city. The bells only served to ruffle up the people of Leeside, at the very least, cause them to peer out their windows, and when they saw the first signs of rebellion, they might be tempted to take up the call.

Sabrina wanted to find her aunt and given the sun that was now bleaching most of the city streets, she had a good mind where not to look. She bolted off in a gust of wind, picking the more shaded streets to guide her. The city’s church was her first destination.