The branches above us began to shudder, rocking the giant fruit. The twittering grew louder. “I… I think… it’s coming from the fruit.”
Above me, a black teardrop the size of a beanbag chair shook—and then it spread open, one… one long, black and hairy leg at a time. The center of the mass twitched—and then a row of ruby-red eyes peered down at me.
“Oh, my gods… they’re not fruit.” And I so got why the souls didn’t travel near the tunnels now.
The giant spider dropped from the tree, hitting the ground on six of its eight legs. Its squeal turned my blood to ice. Another smacked onto the grass… and then another and another. Their sick chorus drowned out the sound of everything else.
Aiden slid down the hill, kicking up loose pebbles and bones as he came to my side. He grabbed my hand as one dropped beside us, fangs gleaming, raised two of its legs and made a fingers-on-a-chalkboard screech.
Shrieking, I jumped back, knocking into Aiden as the huge spider scuttled over the ground. Aiden shoved me to the side and whipped out a dagger. Jerking up, he slammed the blade to the hilt into the center of the spider.
I rolled to my knees and scrambled up, catching the sight of thousands of black legs scurrying across the ground.
Weight slammed into my back, pushing me face-first into the loose dirt and wet grass. Sharp pain sliced across my lip and I tasted blood in my mouth, but that was a nonissue when I felt the heavy, hairy weight of the spider on my back.
Its legs dug through the cloak as it hissed in my ear. Summoning the power that rested inside me, I felt… felt nothing.
Crap.
Digging my knees in, I powered off the ground and threw the spider. It landed on its back a few feet away, legs thrashing in the air as it hissed.
“Gods, I hate—I hate spiders.”
Aiden leaned down, hooking his hand around my arm. He hauled me to my feet and pushed forward. “This would be a good time to use akasha.”
Hundreds of beady red eyes stared at us. “I can’t. I don’t think it works down here.”
With his hands on my back he pushed me up the hill, swearing under his breath. “I can still feel the fire element. Can you?”
Lifting my muddy hand, I was surprised and relieved to find a tiny spark. “Yes.”
“Good. At the count of three, we’ll clear a path to the rocks ahead—” He cut off, swiping the sickle blade at a spider that ventured too close. Legs flew in every direction. “See the break in the rock there?”
I saw it. I also saw about a hundred spiders between us and the slim crack. “Uh-uh.”
“On the count of three, light it up and run. Do not stop. Okay?”
“Yeah.”
“One… two… three!”
Concentrating on the fire element, I extended my hand, as did Aiden. Balls of violet-colored flame hit the ground on both sides, spreading rapidly as they formed a wall.
“Go!” Aiden ordered, pushing me upward.
I scrambled over the ground, not surprised when I saw some of the hairy bastards leaping over the fire. Others rammed straight into it, but they fell to the side, hissing in pain. Aiden grabbed hold of my arm as we climbed the last of the rain-slick hill. Behind us, the spiders overtook the flames. The sound of their legs scuttling across the ground would haunt me right into group therapy. Reaching the top of the ledge, my fingers smacked off rock and I almost cried out in joy.
One of the quicker monsters lurched from below, latching onto my leg. My grip slipped and my heart leapt into my throat as the weight of the spider and the heavy cloak dragged me right back over the edge.
I let out a hoarse shout as my fingers continued to slip, but then Aiden was suddenly there, threading his arms under mine. He threw himself back, powerful muscles tensing and popping under the cloak as he pulled me over the ledge, spider and all. Pulling my free leg up, I twisted and rolled, slamming the heel of my boot into one of the spider’s eyes. Letting out a hiss, the spider slipped off my leg and tumbled down the hill, taking out a few of its friends with it.
Staggering to our feet, we slipped through the narrow crevice just as the mass of spiders breached the ledge and hit the wall.
CHAPTER 22
We traveled for what felt like hours through a cramped tunnel so dark that even my eyes were having a hard time adjusting to it. Aiden sent out a tiny ball of flame every few minutes, but neither of us wanted to risk the light for long—who knew what might be down here? Those spiders couldn’t fit into the narrow crack, but, knowing our luck, they probably had babies that would be more than eager to find us in the labyrinth of tunnel work.
Exhausted and soaked to the bone, we stopped as the tunnel widened into what appeared to be an entrance to a cavern. Aiden inched toward it, peering into the blackness. He held up a hand as I moved forward to check it out.
“Let me see what we got first, okay?” he asked.
I checked my urge to push him aside and help out. “Be my guest. If there’s an Underworld bear inside, let him gnaw on you first.”
Shooting me a wry grin, he shook his head and crept forward, dagger in hand. The tiny ball of flame he sent out was swallowed by the dark. Staying outside the cavern literally took all my self-control.
I leaned against the unseen but probably slimy rock, numb in my soaked clothing. I wasn’t even sure I still had all my fingers. It was a good thing that Aiden loved me and could look past my appearance. I didn’t doubt I looked like last week’s prom queen after a hellish night.
Aiden returned, his daggers sheathed for now. “All clear. We should be good for the night.”
Pushing off the rock, I followed him inside. It was a narrow fit for a few steps, and then it opened into a circular chamber—definitely drier inside, so that was a plus. Rain pelted the rock bed from a few relatively small holes in one part of the ceiling, but the rest was dry and suitable.
There was also something else inside…
Toward the left of the chamber was some kind of natural spring. Well, down here, I wasn’t sure what it was. For all we knew, it could be a vat of acid, but it smelled like…
“Jasmine,” I said.
“I know.” Aiden appeared at my side. He eased the hood back on my cloak and gently smoothed his thumb under my lip that no longer throbbed. “Strange, huh?”
“Everything is strange down here.” Moving closer to the pool of scented water, I held my hand out. Warmth tickled my palm. “It’s heated, but doesn’t seem too hot.”
Aiden had removed his hood. “I doubt we’d get lucky enough for a bath—Alex, don’t!”