The Spider Queen

Chapter 2

"You did what?!" Thalia screamed, making me flinch. I glanced at the shut door of her bedroom, wondering how long it would take for the guards to rush in, panicked. "How could you agree to this? What were you thinking?!"

I sighed, patting the bed for her to join me. She ignored my gesture and continued to pace.

As if it was her who'd just signed a death sentence for herself.

"I didn't have a choice. Her Majesty offered to pardon my family and restore house Loomcroft to its prior standing. I couldn't say no to that. You, of all people, should understand how important it is for me."

"Ari, I get it. I really do. But your family has done nothing for you in the past few years. They didn't think of you when they plotted the revolt, and they didn't consider the consequences their decision would have on you and your brother. They didn't take care of you. I did. Yet you're leaving me? Now of all times, too."

My anger spiked; I gripped a fistful of bed covers, crumpling the soft fabric in my palm. How could she be so selfish? I didn't agree to this because I wanted to leave Arachna and marry the Snake King. Who in their right mind would do that out of free will? No, this was a transaction. A gamble. If I made it back—somehow and whenever—I'd be free of all the promises to Thalia and her mother, my family would return, and I would no longer have to live with this clawing guilt.

I was the only one whom the Queen spared. No one from my family or the sympathizing clans made it out but me. Yes, I wasn't involved in the planning of the coup, but neither were all the kids that ended up in the mines alongside their parents. My friendship with Thalia got me the ticket out of the punishment, but it didn't relieve me of the responsibilities that followed. I was the last of my family tree, the sole heir to my crumbled house. I knew logically that it wasn't my duty to pay for my parents' mistakes, yet it felt exactly like that. I had been the princess's lady-in-waiting before the revolt, but after, it was all that was left of me. I had no free will, no choice, just the debt that my parents had involuntarily left for me to pay.

If I could bring them back somehow, maybe I would get my life back. Maybe, if I wasn't chained to this castle and Thalia, I could actually find who I am outside of the past. Maybe I could breathe like a free person again.

"This wasn't my choice," I said calmly. The princess stopped and stared at me. A deep line lay between her brows, and the dark circles under her eyes made her look older. She looked pained, defeated. Scared. My heart clenched, realizing that. She wasn't acting out just out of selfishness. She was worried about me. As was I. "Thalia, I couldn't say no. Just think about it. If I pretend to be you in this marriage, the war will halt, and so many lives will be spared. And my family..." I looked away, searching for the right words. "If my family's status was restored, I'd get a chance to choose how I want to spend my life. I could even travel to the sea. We'd always dreamt about seeing the big water, remember?"

Thalia pursed her lips, and her jaw locked. I realized then that I'd said something wrong. She stared me down for a long moment before silently turning away and walking to the door.

"Even if you can travel anywhere, I can't. You won't be just leaving the castle or Arachna; you'll be abandoning me," she said, gripping the doorknob, still facing away. "After all I've done for you, I thought you'd treat me differently. I guess I was deeply mistaken."

I opened my mouth to object, but no words came out. What could I say to that? This was a ridiculous claim, yet it was partially true. Even if I suddenly got a chance to leave this place, she'd stay confined to the Spider Queen's castle forever, at least until her mother passed the throne to her. According to the Queen, it was too dangerous for Thalia to go anywhere. She was a chosen one, after all.