Curse of the Chelicerae

Page 4

Wearily, Sinaedh rose to her feet, feeling the kobold stand near her. "kkkkommmme," the overseer said again, dropping a claw-like hand to her shoulder. The other shoulder throbbed with remembered pain that coursed into her chest, constricting a band around her lungs. She knew Seknar felt it as well, for whispered conversations between them as they shared the spiderbane had allowed them to share ideas. Sinaedh found herself viewing the small kobold as a friend, indeed her only friend in this place.

The overseer guided them down a roughly carved tunnel, past openings that sometimes wafted a cool breeze toward them, sometimes away. The tunnel flattened slightly, but became more rough, the walls pinching in close enough in places that Sinaedh brushed against it. Finally, the overseer squeezed her shoulder and turned her to the wall. "Heeerrre," the being rasped.

Sinaedh nodded and reached for the basket she knew would be sitting on the floor, then rose with it cradled in the crook of her elbow. She reached forward gingerly until her fingers contacted the sticky silk she knew would be there. Carefully, she began detaching the mass from the wall of the tunnel, folding it as carefully as she could into the basket. Occasionally her fingers would stumble across a hard mass in the silken threads. These trinkets she dropped into a woven pouch that hung on the outside of the basket.

As she worked, Sinaedh was acutely aware of the overseer standing nearby. A faint rasping click sounded from its head, and she wondered yet again what the creature looked like. Seknar worked nearby in silence that seemed unusual for the talkative kobold, but she realized that he only spoke when the overseers were far from them. He had told her that these beings were related to spiders, but the spiderbane they both used to keep the untamed creatures of the depths away didn't seem to affect the overseers. The sound the overseer made joined with the soft whisp made by others collecting silk and the occasional thud of gems that dropped into pouches. As the tall creature finally strode away, there was no more clicking, and the swish of the slaves' work slowed slightly. A drip of water somewhere deeper in the cave, or the clatter of falling rock were accompanyment to the unusual whispering noise. Once, Sinaedh heard a distant scream, slicing through the tunnel and suddenly cut short. Seknar stepped closer to her and she to him, mutely seeking what comfort they could find.

They toiled for hours, then the overseer returned. The basket and pouch were taken from Sinaedh. "Ressstttt," the overseer commanded. Nodding, Sinaedh and Seknar slid down the wall to sit, leaning against the rough rock of the tunnel.

Another thrall passed among the resting workers, passing out wooden bowls and spoons. Sinaedh whispered, "Thanks," as a ladle-full of stew was dipped into her bowl, but the thrall did not respond. A moment's pause for prayer, wordless but filled with hope, then she dipped the spoon into the bowl, eating quickly. Too soon another thrall walked down the line of workers, collecting bowls and spoons.

"Mes tired," Seknar whispered.

Sinaedh nodded once. "I am also. Rest for now, Seknar. Who knows what will come when we wake."

"Yus have guud rest." She heard a rustle as the kobold shifted on the hard rock. Then wearily, she closed her own eyes and let sleep claim her.

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