“You wound me.” He tried to make his genuine hurt sound in his voice, but he suspected that it was just his usual sardonic drawl. “I can do it. It will be my pleasure, Dion. Not here, though: some place of crossed power—” He almost suggested her temple but thought better of it, for all that those leaden monstrosities hogged magical nexii wherever the priests of Armes were permitted to build them. “There is a set of the old stones not a mile beyond the wood. We can do it there.”

The face she made did not betoken confidence, but she shrugged. “Well, I see no other option, and my arm’s getting tired.” Her next words were for the matriarch of the spiders alone.

Nth crouched amid his brethren. He understood that the Men were talking with Mother somehow. He could feel the faint tremors through his belly as they made their sounds, but it was beyond him how such vague sensations could possibly convey anything. Still, Mother was wise.

When they had taken her fang he had been about to launch himself at them, and so had all his siblings, every one. Only a great shout from Mother had stopped them. It was a humiliation, a bitter shame to bear, but she wished to spare her poor children more harm, and a new barb would grow back in time. Hold, she had said, and despite their frantic, fevered rushing back and forth, they had held.

More muted buzzings from the Men now, and he had the sense that they were speaking to each other, but they were such a homogenous group that he could barely tell even how many of them there were, clustered close like that.

Then Mother spoke to him.

Nth, what would you do for me?

For you, Mother, anything. Let me fight these Men. I would die if it would serve you. The answer was automatic, needing no thought.

I have a task that will be harder than dying, Mother said. I will give you some of my wisdom and understanding, and then you must leave me. You must leave the wood for the wide world, and go with the Men where they bid. This is their price, that no others must be harmed by their fire and light and claws. Will you do this for me?

Nth crouched low, knowing only that the Brood who left the forest were as good as dead. This was their place. They had made it their own. The world beyond was the domain of Men and worse things.

I moved in the world once. There are other colonies of my children where I have dwelt. Once I dealt with magi and demon-callers and forgotten, dark gods. And each word brought with it a knowledge, a merest hint of meaning to enlighten him. I do not ask this lightly of you, Nth, but one must go, if these Men are to leave without more cost.