Captive Of The Warg, (Wargs of the Outland #2)

Simple Thank You

The spindrath lay like a dead fist, its legs hinged inward. The pedipalps twitched as Reia grasped Bayne's arm and began to pull. His grip was weak and his knuckles a gray-white. Spiders crawled in her belly as she worked to heave him out.

Without questioning the uncanny strength imbuing each jerk of her arms, she finally dragged Bayne free.

She rolled him onto his back, casting the dead Spindrath a wary glare. His lips were blue-tinged, but the color that most alarmed her was the sight of that vicious gash running the length of his long tricep. The skin glowed a venomous red, his brow pale and feverish.

The sound of boots barreled towards her as she leaned in to listen to his breathing. It was more out of habit than necessity for she could hear as well as an owl. His breaths rang ragged and shallow, his heart beating pale and fast. She

Bolrus skidded to a stop beside her. "Will he be all right?"

She turned to stare at him, her shoulder tight. Uncanny to think she'd grown to like this warg and his oafish humor. The first night she'd met him, he'd scorned her with snide innuendos, brandishing fearsome glares. Yet here he knelt beside her now, eyes askance and hopeful.

The sound of the other five wargs struggling in their snares filled the skeletal bower of web and claw branches.

She licked her trembling lips and glanced back down at Bayne. "The fang didn't puncture," she rasped. Which was no answer at all, but she didn't know if spindrath venom was fatal to wargs. Gods willing, only a drop had made it into his blood. The gash was shallow enough. She cleared her throat and prodded the angry flesh gently. "Wormweed might help." But she doubted such a theriac grew in these parts. "We need to get him home." If there was any wormweed to be had, Ania would know where to find it.

Bolrus leaned around her and gave the wargrex's cheek a hefty slap. "Wakey, wakey," he crooned. "Now's not the time to nap, old boy."

"Fok off," Bayne muttered, peeling one eye open.

"Always a grouch when he wakes," Bolrus sniggered.

Reia shoved him away with a scowl. "Go free the others." She waited for Bolrus to leave before she leaned closer. "I said cut off its legs," she hissed, "not kiss the blood thing goodnight."

His eyes were closed again, his lashes soot black against his pale cheeks. "A simple thank you would suffice, human." At least his voice sounded a little stronger.

She shook her head and sliced her palm open with the blade she'd retrieved from the spindrath's mouth. Having cleaned it, of course. Then she ran her welling thumb down his gash, a twinge of pity blooming in her chest as he winced. "Why should I thank you," she replied tartly.

Now he did open one eye to glare up at her. Even lying supine beneath her, he was a magnetic force. "For saving you. Again."

Heat stole into her belly and she sucked her lips between her teeth. A smile kicked up the side of her mouth, belying the scowl she affected. "It's your thanks owed, Warg, not mine. It is I who saved your life."

He sat up, his skin waxy despite his mock glower. "I believe it was my ax which felled the beast."

"Now, now, children," said Bolrus grinning as he joined them again, "leave the flirting for bedtime. We've a spindrath to carve up."

Reia snorted and turned to survey the giant spider. She had all the web she would ever need, but the spidergut was the real prize.

Saska drew up beside her and began pulling the quills out of Reia's back.

Reia set her teeth and bore the sting as each quill was removed.

"Remind me," said Saska, throwing the last quill aside, "never to go hunting with either of you again." She pursed her lips as she threw a glance at the wargrex, too. "Ice bears and spindraths, goblins and aurogs—you two are a dangerous pair.