Page 212 of Vasmora

An uncomfortable silence lingered between the two, and Dolion seemed to fidget, glancing around at the webs.

“Hundreds of thousands of people will be infected,” the mage pressed. “And from them, hundreds more spiders will spawn.”

“You think I give a damn about the people?” Branimir snorted. “All of Aethyria could perish, and I’d be just as content.”

Dolion was right when he said how incredibly alike he and Zevander could be. I’d certainly heard his brother say something similar.

“No one would escape Pestilios.” The mage raised a brow. “What few you do care about would fall victim. Whether by infection, or enslavement.”

Branimir glanced back at me, his brows furrowed. He stood silent for a moment, seeming to chew on Dolion’ words. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

“Wonderful. Wonderful!” Dolion hopped and clapped his hands then quickly winced, rubbing his lower back. “I’ll gather the materials. I’ll need to speak with Kazhimyr, as well. Your brother should be made aware, too.”

“What happens if the spider becomes infected?” Despite Dolion’s elation, I couldn’t help but wonder.

“I suspect the connection to Branimir would be severed, as we saw with his spider before.” He pointed toward the hatch above us. “Which is now a statue.”

“So, Branimir would know right away, if the spider were infected,” I clarified.

“Theoretically? Yes. But given the concept of hive mind is fairly new to me, I can’t be certain.” As Dolion prattled on, Branimir held my gaze, his expression unreadable. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get to work.” Dolion finally made his way up the ladder, leaving the two of us standing alone.

“Are you troubled by the request?” I finally asked.

Branimir shook his head. “I knew he would ask.”

“How?”

“I dreamed about it.” He stared off, his eyes unfocused. “I was walking through the tunnels and found Pestilios myself. Only, I didn’t return unscathed.”

“But it won’t be you inside those tunnels, right?”

He shook his head, the furrow in his brow deepening, if such a thing were possible.

“Branimir, if something about this request feels unsettling, perhaps we can find another way.” I squeezed the book in my arms, daring myself to tell him about Morsana and the plan to set her free. As a goddess, it was possible she might’ve had insights into Cadavros’s whereabouts. It could very well have been those insights which had helped defeat Pestilios during the last plague.

“It’ll work. It has to. I won’t risk those I care about.”

I won’t risk it, either. I’d already made up my mind. I was going to figure out how to free her.

“There you are!” Rykaia peered down at us. “I have been searching all over this godforsaken castle for you!”

Branimir quietly slinked off toward the corner.

I lurched after him, but stopped myself when Rykaia waved me up.

“Come quickly,” she urged.

Sighing, I climbed the stairs, catching a glimpse of his bent legs where he sat on the floor, the rest of him shrouded by the shadows. Once I reached the top, Rykaia hooked her arm in my free one.

“C’mon, we don’t have much time!”

“Time for what?” I asked, as she dragged me through the corridors and up the staircase to the main level.

“Zevander is busy with the Corwin fellow you brought along with you. I thought it was the perfect opportunity to steal away for a moment!”

“I thought we were to begin training soon.”

“Yes, yes. That, too.” She didn’t bother to slow her pace, as we followed a maze of corridors and staircases to a door I’d not yet come across. She pushed through to a beautiful loggia that overlooked the distant hills, where the three Corvugons flew, perhaps hunting for some food.