Page 161 of The Spider Queen

“Is it really a shock to find that Man has manipulated a story, and parts of it were left out?”

“An epic, centuries-old game of telephone,” I said with very little humor. “What will they say about us?”

“Nothing. Even if we lose.”

“How is that possible? History is filled with—”

“Have you ever heard of the Guardian of the Bridge?” he asked. “In all your studies, in any of the stories your parents might’ve told you when you were a child, had you ever heard of me?”

“I’ve heard of Purgatory,” I pointed out.

“But you never believed it was real.”

I took a moment to look around. “When I thought of Purgatory, I thought of a vast gray space, with nothing really there, except, maybe a few floating ghostly spirits. I certainly didn’t expect this.” I waved my hand at the foliage and then turned my face up to the clear sky. If I closed my eyes, I could believe I was on an island paradise.

“When you were Guardian of the Bridge—”

“I’m still Guardian,” Thane interrupted. “I’ve just been…absent.”

“Fine. When you were free, what did you do? What did your days look like? Did you sit on a carved throne and listen to the complaints of your people?”

Thane’s lips curved in amusement. “I’m not a king. I oversaw things, I suppose. Made sure the bridge was secure and the souls found their way to their rightful places. I walked the realm. I encountered beasts and spirits that needed aid. But, as you can see, this is something of a paradise. A tranquil place…or it was, before Xan.”

I swallowed. There was anguish when he spoke of his brother. Anger, too. But mostly, anguish.

“Are you going to tell me how you know where we’re supposed to go? If there’s no map?”

He paused and then finally said, “When the Ebony moon is at the highest point in the sky, the barren tree will appear.”

“Ebony moon? Barren tree? That’s it? That’s all we’ve got?”

Thane made a noise in the back of his throat.

“Who told you this? Cass?”

“Who else?” He smiled slightly. “Come on. We have quite a ways to go before we can stop for the night. Let’s pick up the pace.”

Chapter 11

“Can we please take a break?” I begged.

Thane came to a halt and peered at me, a grin tugging at his lips. “All right.” He handed me a canteen of water, one he pulled from the leather bag around his waist. After I had my fill, I gave it back to him.

“Don’t look at me that way,” I snapped.

“What way?”

“You’re laughing at me.”

“Without a doubt,” he agreed.

“I’m an academic, astudent. I was anyway,” I muttered. “I’m not an athlete.”

His eyes dipped down my body. “You don’t have to be anything more than what you already are.”

I swallowed but held his gaze. Even from a few feet away, I could see the shadows swimming in his eyes.

“How bad is it?” I asked softly, feeling a tremor of desire ripple through me.