Never

Chapter 34: Consequences and punishments

"But they can still be a negative influence on the princess, they will never be spiders, even if they are raised as one."

This time there was no reply from Hornet, the steel from her weapon aimed at the maid, but she avoided the attack as if it were the simplest task in the world. The half-breed retrieved the needle and this time she threw herself at Ania, but she was again dodged, this time with a huge leap to the side.

"And that's the final evidence" Hornet spoke in a grim voice. "You know how to fight, you know how to defend yourself, you have enough skill to take on any Deepnest guard. You hurt Henry and blamed him for the attack on the eggs! You lured him here to have someone to hold responsible for your act, but you didn't count on Henry trying to defend my children, so your plan -which should have been silent and discreet- ended up being discovered before you could carry it out. It is not true?"

"How..."

"Henry is alive and he can talk."

Hornet again attacked by darting with her needle in front of her, this time despite her speed, Ania did not come out unscathed, the queen managed to make a bleeding scratch on her face. The maid could have countered, but she preferred to back away defensively, seeking pity in the eyes of her ruler, but Hornet's fury would not be easily appeased.

"Please my queen, think about all that we have been through together, how well I have served you all these years."

"I will not give in to your emotional blackmail, what you have done is unforgivable."

Hornet stretched out a strand of soul-impregnated thread and caught Ania, who screeched at the burning sensation it caused. With her prey already attached to her, she prepared to finish her off with her needle, but the spider was still willing to fight for her life. Any contact with Hornet's thread burned, but she endured the pain and cut the thread that had her catch. The maneuver was not free, now she had a pair of legs that were burned by the magical energy, it hurt with every step, but she did not have time to worry about it, her attacker still did not give up from sticking a needle in her gut.

"I did all this for you and the princess! Why don't you get it!" She screamed desperately, dodging the murder weapon.

"For me? For Silky!? Don't lie damn! This was all because of you! Because you are one of those wretches unable to accept someone different! And..." She paused momentarily. "Still that wouldn't have been so bad if you hadn't tried to kill my daughter. If you didn't want to take care of Ren or if she made you uncomfortable with her presence, I would have been able to understand it, I would not have forced you to be her babysitter, I would have managed in some way and perhaps in time you could have tolerated her. We would have found some solution, but you directly wanted to deny her the right to live! There is no excuse for that, that is... Just being evil and selfish."

"I... I'm sorry ... Could we ... Try again?"

"It's too late for that."

This time Hornet attacked with more anger than ever, Ania was unable to defend herself from all the pangs that pierced her body, with effort and all her skill, she prevented her from making any lethal wound, but she would not hold much longer, especially since she did not want to counter, she would never dare to harm her beloved queen. As she could, she managed to escape the rain of pain that her attacker gave her and she went to the exit door.

Crying with pain, fear and sadness, she ran desperately trying to save her life, in the middle of her escape she turned over some furniture and threw some objects at her pursuer in a regrettable attempt to stop her, but there was no major effect than slowing her down a few seconds, a little time, but long enough to get out of the lair.