Hive Queen by Sinclair, Grayson (positive books to read .txt) 📕

the palace itself. Our horses were hitched inside, and several Arachne men and women tended to them with care.

Reina went over to the first stall and led her horse out, a beautiful brown colt with a chocolate mane. As she mounted her horse, she spoke with a shake of her head. “I don’t know. Magnus wouldn’t say. But he felt off to me. Something about him nagged at me, though he was talkative and charming, for a human. But he never answered my question, and I wasn’t about to drag the last of my race into a war when I didn’t even know who we’d be fighting.”

She motioned for us to do the same and follow her. We all climbed onto our horses, and Reina led us out of the stable and down a long stretch of dirt road that led through the center of the city.

Before we’d gotten a dozen feet, the commander of the guard sidled up to us.

“My Widow, please allow me to accompany you.”

She shook her head and craned her neck. “I’m in no danger from these humans, and is that Foard I see? I’m glad he’s back from the farms. Go and spend time with your bonded, Elra. And please give him my best.”

Elra bowed. “Thank you, Widow. I shall.”

I processed what Reina had told us over the last few minutes. Who are Magnus and Aliria? How did she survive the eradication of our species? It was a thousand years ago, so she couldn’t have been alive back then, so where are her parents? There could be more than just us left. I have to find her.

The commander left, and we continued on, past a number of shops and wooden buildings. Dozens of Arachne went about their day. Most wore green cotton tunics, though more and more had their arachnid limbs bare or visible, wrapped around their waists like belts.

“Why do you leave your limbs uncovered? That was always considered taboo.”

Reina laughed. “That may have been so during the time of the Hive, but the times have changed. It’s far more convenient to leave them uncovered.”

“How strange,” I said, scratching my cheek.

Reina let us take in the sights as we rode. We slipped through the city as so many of the Arachne went about their day. Most manned shops in the city, but the city was small, only a few square miles, and as we got to the outskirts, more and more farms cropped up.

There were so many different kinds that it was a little impressive. Chicken, cattle, and even a few pig ranches. Mixed in between grain and vegetable farms. Dozens of them. The Arachne didn’t want for anything that I’d seen.

“I don’t imagine you using human currency, so how do you pay for things?”

Reina shook her head and slowed her horse so we could ride side by side. “That’s true, we don’t. We barter for things we need, trade favors or services in exchange for the things we need. Everyone has something that someone else wants or needs, so it works well for us. Though we only number in the low thousands. I have no idea how it would work if there were more of us.”

I nodded. “It’s the same as the Hive of old. Though do you also barter people?”

Reina’s eyes went wide. “Morrigan’s feathers, no. We would never treat our people in such a way.”

I smiled as relief washed over me. “Good. The old ways were abhorrent. I’m glad to see the Hive can progress unburdened by the past.”

“I don’t mean to interrupt your conversation, Eris. But back on topic, where can we find Magnus and this Aliria? There’s a lot we need to ask them,” Gil said.

“Magnus is owed some retribution from us, and I aim to see it done,” Evelyn said, a grin on her lips.

“I’m afraid it isn’t that simple,” Reina replied. “You and yours did us a favor by returning our spiderlings, but that doesn’t mean we owe you anything. And as I said before, I’m not getting in the middle of whatever Magnus and Aliria are planning.”

“So you’re just going to hide away in your woods like cowards?” Evelyn asked suddenly.

Reina looked over to her and paused for a second or two. “You know, for a human, you’re quite striking.”

Evelyn chuckled. “You threatened to devour my friend earlier, now you want a bite of me? Any other time and I might’ve let you eat me, but business before pleasure.”

“Oh, well,” Reina said with a sigh, speeding up as we took a turn down a wide stretch of dirt. The trees growing thicker as we left the city behind. “You call it cowardice; I call it protecting my species. You want to get involved, fine, but that information isn’t going to come without a price.”

“That’s fine. We’ve got plenty of gold,” Gil said, taking a large bag out of his inventory, and shook it, the coins inside clinking as they shifted.

Reina didn’t even glance at it. “Weren’t you listening? Keep your worthless human money. I have no need of it. No, what I need are assurances.”

Gil stowed his gold away, his face scrunched in confusion, unsure of where Reina was going.

“All right, what do you want, then?” Makenna asked, glancing over at us.

Reina smiled a wicked grin, her four spider limbs curling around her waist. “If I tell you what I know about those two, that would be the same as betraying them in their eyes if they found out, and I won’t go against them without knowing I’m on the right side of things. You want my help, then you’ll first prove yourselves to me.”

We just won’t let them find out, not until we have Sam back, at least. I turned to the others, who were already nodding their heads. Guess we’re doing this.