The monstrous spider, its body covered in black armor and barbs, retreated a few steps. Before Annan could make out its full form through the shadows, its head suddenly opened, and out crawled the Little Spider he had longed to see—the real one.
"What are you doing here?" Little Spider asked.
Silly Cat looked as if he had seen a ghost.
Who did that cool but caring big-sister voice belong to?!
"You... you..."
No one paid him any attention. Annan and Spider Queen Lolth had eyes only for each other.
"I heard from Blackwatch that you saved them in Subspace, so I went to the Far North to look for you. I followed the clues all the way here..." Annan left out a few unimportant details.
"Didn't Silly Cat say you'd regained your power? Why are you still... like this?"
Annan carefully reached out and cupped Little Spider in his hands. The look on his face made Silly Cat's teeth ache.
What a twisted relationship, meow!
"I arrived a step too late. The divine power I left behind had been taken. I recovered only one-sixth of it, and I was cursed and weakened."
Spider Queen Lolth explained her plan:
She was working with the Ratfolk, using their strength to find the other five portions of her power. In return, she would do the Ratfolk a small favor.
The Ratfolk had no idea their partner was the stin—renowned Spider Goddess herself.
The demons and Ratfolk only thought Little Spider was a Godspawn who could open passages into Subspace and had a few unusual abilities. After all, no one would connect her to the legendary Spider Queen Lolth.
"Should I stay and help you?" Annan asked with concern.
"No. The one who stole my divine power is looking for me too. If