Page 326 of The Spider Queen

The submarine opened into an even wider space. Tents were popped up along the sides, allowing a walkway. It looked like an underground market. People were yelling and holding up anything from fabrics to food.

Different aromas hit me—along with emotions. These people were human through and through. Their needs bled out into the air. I stopped walking and bent over, clutching my stomach. Nausea roiled through my belly and sweat prickled my brow.

“Girl?” the woman snapped.

I threw up on the ground.

The woman called for someone to bring me water. A crowd formed as people came to me, wishing to lend aid. I didn’t know how to tell them to back away, to give me time to get my barriers up. I clutched my head when I felt their emotions combat with mine.

Closing my eyes, I willed the walls into place. Suddenly, my mind was quiet once again. I opened my eyes to find the market area had gone silent and everyone’s attention was on me.

The blonde’s gaze flickered like blue flames. “Come on,” she said, in a tone much nicer than she’d spoken to me before. “You need to rest.”

I forced my chin up and walked through the throng of people that had gathered. It was hard to have any sort of pride when I was covered in scorpion blood and vomit.

The market area recovered quickly, and soon it was back to business. I followed the woman out of the market down through a hallway. The submarine was bigger than I could’ve ever imagined. How long had they lived here? How did they live here, and why?

The ground rumbled and the bulbs cemented to the ceiling wavered.

“The dunes shift,” the blonde said. “Every now and again the ship shifts too. We’re probably buried thirty feet below the sand now.”

“Buried?” I croaked.

She looked at me over her shoulder and grinned. “We usually have to wait a few days before we’re able to leave.”

“Why do you live here?” I demanded. “The desert is a nightmare. The heat, the scorpions, the insanity—”

“Our ancestors who came before us learned how to channel the energy of the desert. Those of us born here are different.”

The woman stopped in front of another heavy iron door that she pushed open. “Your room.”

I stepped inside the chamber. Red fabric draped from the walls and ceiling. Instead of a bed, there was a plush pile of pillows on the ground in the corner.

“Bathroom is through there.” She pointed to another door. “Clothes will be brought to you while you bathe.”

She turned to leave.

“I—thank you.”

The woman paused, surveying me. “Meghan.”

“Meghan.” I nodded and gave her a tremulous smile that she didn’t return.

“My brother will want you to dine with him.”

I nodded. I didn’t care whom I ate with as long as I ate.

She closed the door and I was left alone.

Chapter 24

I didn’t take any time to explore my surroundings, as beautiful and decadent as they were. I immediately went to the bathroom, wanting—needing—to get clean. The water was already drawn and steaming in the huge wooden tub that was big enough for three people. Though it looked inviting, I hesitated to jump right in. I needed to take stock of my body—and more importantly the broken snow globe.

How was I supposed to find the final pearl if my magical transport was destroyed? And what happened to the other two pearls? Did the base spit them back out? Were they rolling around at the bottom of my bag? Had I lost them somewhere in the desert?

Heaviness settled over me as I slowly removed the bag from my shoulder. I looked down at the shirt I was wearing—it was smeared with purplish goop.

The scorpion’s blood.