‘Are you wondering what they’re made of?’ Arachne called, and Luna dropped the cloth with a start. ‘Everyone does, you know.’
‘Um, yes.’ Luna touched the ribbon again, fascinated. ‘Is it silk? I’ve never seen anything like it.’
Arachne laughed, and again there was that odd clicking noise. ‘Almost. Not the kind you’re thinking, though … Well, then, Alex, if you’re here, I expect you want something, hmm?’
‘Yup. The ball at Canary Wharf.’
‘My, my. That’s tonight.’
‘Invitation was late. Got anything lying around?’
‘Oh, good heavens, Alex,’ Arachne said, and I could hear the exasperation in her voice. ‘Well, at least you’ve got the sense to come here. Let’s have a look.’ There was a shadow of movement behind the curtain, then Arachne emerged, and for the first time Luna got a good look at her.
Arachne is about the size of a minivan, and weighs maybe half a ton. Her body is black, with a cobalt-blue sheen that glimmers slightly when she moves, and she has eight eyes in two rows of four at the front of her head. Each one of her eight legs has seven hairy segments, ending in tips where the hairs are finer and can act almost like fingers. Two mandibles hide her fangs and rustle slightly as she talks, making the clicking sound.
In other words, she’s a gigantic spider. Arachne is quite safe — well, more or less — but she’s every arachnophobe’s worst nightmare, and even people who aren’t scared of spiders are likely to scream the house down the first time they meet a tarantula bigger than their car.
Luna didn’t scream, but the blood drained from her face, and her eyes went as big as dinner plates. ‘Alex?’ she said, her voice very high.
‘It’s all right,’ I said reassuringly. ‘She won’t hurt you.’
‘Alex, she’s a giant spider.’
‘She won’t hurt you.’
‘Alex, she’s a giant spider.’
‘I know,’ I said patiently. ‘She won’t hurt you.’
‘Well?’ Arachne said expectantly. ‘Aren’t you going to introduce us?’
Keeping a careful eye on Luna, I stepped forward. ‘Right. Arachne, this is Luna. She’s still pretty new to all this. Have you got somewhere she could sit down for a while?’
‘Oh, of course.’ Arachne scuttled sideways, and Luna jumped. Arachne beckoned down a side tunnel. ‘You look exhausted, dear. Why don’t you have a rest? Help yourself to something to eat. Don’t worry, it’s human food.’
‘Alex?’ Luna said again, keeping very still.
‘It’s okay,’ I said quietly. ‘Luna, trust me. You’re as safe here as anywhere.’
Luna gave me a look with very big eyes, then took a deep breath and edged across the room. She managed to make it past Arachne without flinching or screaming, and Arachne’s eight eyes followed her as she stepped sideways into the tunnel. She gave me one last nervous look and backed away.
‘Well,’ Arachne said brightly once Luna had gone. ‘She seems nice.’
‘Sorry about that,’ I said. ‘Like I said, she’s-’
Arachne waved a foreleg. ‘Oh, I’m used to it. Now let me have a proper look at you.’
For something so big and heavy, Arachne is a lot faster than she has any right to be. She was looming over me almost before I knew she was moving, one leg on either side of me and eight black eyes looking down from above. This was why I’d wanted Luna out of the room. No matter how well she’d managed to control herself, I thought it would be best if Luna had a little time to calm down before she saw Arachne’s way of having a chat. It’s really not as threatening as it looks; Arachne just wanted to see me properly. She’s very short-sighted, and she’s most comfortable when she can use her sense of touch, which means her favourite way to talk to someone is to have them right between her front legs, under her fangs. I sat down on one of the couches and patted one of Arachne’s hairy legs. ‘Good to see you again.’
‘And it’s nice to meet your friend at last. I’d wondered why you’d been so busy the last few months.’
Despite her looks Arachne smells nice, kind of like incense. Sitting next to her feels almost like being in a herbalist’s. ‘Well, that’s part of the reason we’re here.’
‘That’s a nasty little weaving she has. You’ve been trying to unravel it, haven’t you?’
‘You can see it?’ I said in surprise, then shook my head. ‘Of course you would. Yeah, I’ve had a few tries. Didn’t work, though.’
‘Of course not; it’s grown up with her. The spell’s woven into her pattern.’
‘Any way to take it off?’
‘Not without killing her.’
I sighed. ‘Kind of what I figured. Listen, you have to be careful not to get too close to her. The width of a room is fine, but any closer than that-’
Arachne gave a gentle hissing sound and her mandibles vibrated — her equivalent of laughing. ‘Silly child. A little weaving like that won’t hurt me.’
I looked up in surprise. ‘You can avoid it?’
‘Now, before she gets back, why don’t you tell me why you’re going to the ball? I don’t remember you being one of the Council’s favourites.’
I explained to Arachne then, telling her all about Lyle and his offer, leaving very little out. ‘And Lyle’s not the only one,’ I finished. ‘Some Dark mages want my help too, and they’re tracking Luna. I wanted to ask you a favour and see if she could stay here until I get the chance to talk to some people at the ball. If I’m lucky I’ll be able to clear things up there.’
Arachne sat in silence for a moment. Her opaque eyes looked down at me, showing nothing. ‘You’re in dangerous waters, Alex.’
I shrugged. ‘Mages always want to use diviners for what we know. It’s just my bad luck they’re desperate enough to come to me.’
‘Luck? Really?’
I looked up curiously. One problem with talking with Arachne is that it’s really hard to read her facial expressions. ‘What do you mean?’
‘It’s not luck that’s made every other diviner in these islands vanish.’ Arachne settled herself down slightly. ‘My customers have been running thin the past few weeks. Something is going on, and the careful mages don’t want to be involved.’
I had to grimace at that. ‘And I’m already involved. Great. I don’t suppose you know what it is?’
Arachne rustled a no. ‘I think you should find out. I’ll watch your apprentice.’
I laughed. ‘She’s not my apprentice. But thanks.’
Arachne tilted her head, and a moment later I heard Luna’s footsteps approaching. I got up off the couch and ducked between Arachne’s legs to see Luna enter. Her eyes flickered to Arachne, but the colour had come back to her face. ‘Um. Hi. Uh, it’s nice to meet you, um, Miss Arachne. I’m sorry about before.’
Arachne waved one of her legs. ‘Don’t worry about it, dear. You’re doing very well. Now, Alex, what sort of outfit were you thinking of?’
‘Uh …’ I said. ‘You know what, you decide.’
‘Well, at least you’re showing some sense.’
I rolled my eyes and turned to Luna. ‘I need to look up some contacts. Arachne’s agreed to let you stay here for a little while.’
Luna’s eyes widened just slightly. ‘Stay here?’
‘I won’t be long. These tunnels are warded; no one’s going to be able to find you. Right now it’s probably the safest place you can be.’
Luna looked from me to Arachne, then took a breath and nodded. ‘Okay.’
‘Wonderful,’ Arachne said cheerfully. ‘And while you’re here, why don’t we have you fitted?’
Luna looked at Arachne doubtfully. ‘Fitted?’
‘For a dress, of course. I have something I think would match perfectly with a little work. Why don’t you come over to the fitting room so I can have a proper look at you?’
Luna gave me one last anxious look, then turned to Arachne and smiled bravely. ‘Um, sure. Thank you.’ As I turned to leave, I saw Luna following Arachne through the curtain into the chamber beyond.
I came out of Arachne’s cave into the sunlight, and blinked for a while as the roots closed behind me. Now that Luna was inside, a weight had been taken off my shoulders. It might not look it, but Arachne’s cave is one of the best-protected places in London. Hidden behind the webs and wards, Luna was safe — at least for a little while. I turned and climbed uphill, coming out into the open again, then found a bench to sit on.