The Priestess and the Dragon (Dragon Saga Book 1, Wattpad Version)

Chapter Thirteen

Suzume threw up her hands in a feeble attempt to defend herself. She closed her eyes and waited for the attack that didn’t come. Her skin tingled all over and she opened her eyes to see she was surrounded by a shield of red light. The temple and everything else had disappeared and she was inside the cave once more but she was no longer bound. Her clothes were shredded and she was covered from head to toe in something sticky. At least she had the use of her arms and legs.

The spider was moving back and forth outside the barrier clicking her pincers and hissing at Suzume.

“You shouldn’t have a drop of spiritual energy left,” the spider hissed. Her voice dripped with poisonous intent. “My spell should have drained all of it out of you.”

“Your spell didn’t work very well,” Suzume said climbing onto shaking feet. She tried to gain her bearings. Why am I in a cave? Where are Daiki and Akito? The spiritual shield around her was weak in spots and she could see through a pink sheen to the walls beyond. Not good. She concentrated on the shield and the lighter areas stabilized.

The spider advanced and collided with the shield. Sparks erupted on the spider’s legs and the spider fell back making a horrible screeching sound. At least she can’t get through the shield. Suzume’s head spun. Whatever the spider had done to her it was affecting her still, though the effects were fading. She was beginning to remember things. She remembered her powers and how she had used them against Kaito.

Damn him. He left me here to die in this sticky spider cave. When I get out of here I am going to fry him to a crisp.  

The spider was pacing back and forth in front of Suzume. Her long legs and bulbous body blocking what appeared to be the exit. “You’re nothing but a weak priestess. You cannot hold that shield for long, let alone defeat me.”

Suzume sneered at the spider.  This is not going to be something I talk my way out of. She concentrated harder on feeding energy to the shield, as much as she could without shutting her eyes. She imagined the energy reaching out from her shield and attacking the spider –as she had once done with Kaito back at the temple.  

A weak tendril slithered off of the shield. It was as substantial as a strand of hair. It brushed against one of the spiders legs. The spider screeched and retracted her leg, which was smoking.  

“That tickled,” the spider said and clicked her mandibles menacingly.  

Suzume hid her fear with a smirk. Maybe she’ll think I have a plan if I keep smiling like this. The truth was, she didn’t have a plan. The shield was starting to flicker again, her head was spinning and her knees were bound to buckle beneath her at any moment.

The spider closed in, her fangs were dripping with more of the hallucinogenic poison –Suzume was sure. I cannot believe I am going to die in a filthy cave, eaten by a giant talking spider who puts you into the middle of melodramatic fantasy. Suzume’s knees locked and she fell down scrapping them on the stone floor beneath her. The barrier was fading to a dusty pink. She couldn’t force any more energy to it.

“You never should have left your shrine, little priestess. You should know there are much bigger and badder things waiting to eat you.”

“Thanks for the advice,” Suzume replied –despite her current situation she still couldn’t guard her tongue.

That was when her barrier fell. Suzume scuttled backwards but tripped over something which sent her onto her butt. She looked down to see a human skull staring back at her without hollow eyes.  The momentary distraction was enough for the spider to close the distance. The spider dipped her pincers towards Suzume’s neck. She didn’t even have the energy to fight her off. She was too tired –she used the last of her energy maintaining the shield.  She closed her eyes and waited for the burning sting of the bite. Instead she felt something prickle across her skin. It raised the gooseflesh on her arms. She opened her eyes just as a blue light illuminated the multitude of eyes on the spiders face before flinging her backwards.