Page 16 of All Out of Flux
I tilted my head, offering the Amethyst Spider another smile. “So we’ve paid your flesh tithe, and you’ve already asked us one question. Is it fair to assume that we can start asking you questions in turn?”
The Amethyst Spider leaned into the cushions, crossed his legs, and waved his hand. “Ask, and if I know, then I shall do my best to answer.”
He patted the sofa. Max and I took our seats. Very plush. I could see why Faizan liked it here, and why he saved the VIP section for himself.
“We spoke to your benefactor,” Max started to say. “She’s the reason we even came to see you.”
Faizan stared off into space and took a hit of his pipe, his chest expanding as the embers on the hookah glowed a bizarre, vibrant purple. He exhaled, twin streams of lilac smoke jetting out of his nostrils, more an amethyst dragon than a spider.
I remembered being so fascinated when I saw Vera do something similar once, releasing a wisp of green smoke from between her lips. She claimed that it was the secrets struggling to get out of her body. I’d laughed at the time. Maybe she wasn’t pulling my leg, after all.
“This benefactor you speak of.” Faizan winked. “Does she have two legs, or eight?”
Cheeky. Very cheeky. I winked back. “I think you know that it’s the eight-legged one.”
“Ah. You’re on a mission from Mother Arachne.” He took another puff, exhaled again, a plaintive sigh. “And here I thought that you’d come to diversify. Exercise your versatility.”
Max chuckled under his breath. “Sadly, no. Leon and I are in an exclusive relationship. With the Jade Spider, that is.”
He nudged me with his shoulder, our own little private joke. Faizan clearly took notice, raising an eyebrow, but he said nothing.
“Oh, of course. Vera Loong. A very lovely woman, when she wants to be. But that isn’t why you’ve come to see me, is it?” Faizan showed us another sharp leer, adjusted his vest to show off more of his ridiculous torso. “To gloat about your loyalty to your sweet Auntie Vera, when this even sweeter morsel is freely available to you?”
Max coughed into his fist, one of his little ways of deflecting his embarrassment. Funny how the guy could take off his shirt in a busy club, but couldn’t take some light flirtation. To be fair, Faizan was laying it on pretty damn thick.
“We’re actually here about a different peer of yours,” I said, swooping in to Max’s rescue. “Though we’re pretty sure he’s no longer in the business. Are you familiar with the Quartz Spider?”
Faizan sat up straight. He put his pipe down, more serious and attentive than we’d seen him all night. He looked to either side, a cautious pedestrian about to cross an especially busy street.
“I’ve heard about his — shall we say, exploits. Talk about someone who’s turned from the light. I don’t believe the Quartz Spider was every truly acquainted with our Mother. And now, to hear tell of him dabbling in such dangerous magic? Chronomancy is a powerful craft, but say the wrong words, make the wrong gestures?”
Faizan shuddered. This wasn’t the first I’d heard of the pitfalls of time magic. It didn’t seem all that common in the arcane underground because of how difficult it was to master, no less to practice. No one around to really teach it, either.
Because Faizan was exactly right. If I messed up my blasting hex, it would hurt like hell, but I was always free to try again. Better luck next time. But flub even the smallest workings of time magic? The consequences could be dire. Entrapment in a time loop. Accidental aging by several years, if not decades. Turn instantly into a pile of dust.
“Can you think of any way we can find him?” I ruffled the back of my hair, already frustrated. “Long story short, Vera had to throw us into one of those spider dimensions to keep her home bar safe. Brendan Shum appeared in there with us. But how? It’s like you said. Arachne herself says that he doesn’t have her favor.”
The Amethyst Spider stroked his chin, eyes gazing off into the distance. I followed his line of sight. He was looking at the bar. For a moment I wondered if he was just thirsty.
“Have you gentlemen considered,” he said, “that the Quartz Spider was simply abusing his favorite new flavor of magic? A bitter pill to swallow, but it sounds to me like he’s getting better at it.”
I shook my head. “I’m afraid I don’t understand. How would that even work?”
Faizan pulled out his phone, pointing the lens of its camera at me. “Sit there for a second. Yes. Good. Now step out of the frame. Leave the couch.”
Okay, weird. Max only shrugged. I did as Faizan said, then sat back down when he motioned at the sofa again. He patted the cushions closest to him, indicating for us to sit closer. He dragged his finger across his phone, back and forth. There I wason the screen, on the couch one moment, then gone the other. Back and forth. Appearing. Disappearing.
I slapped my forehead. “Holy fucking shit. He took a snapshot somehow, must have been invisible in the bar when Vera transported us.”
“A simple feat even for a former spider,” Faizan said. “Stealth and camouflage? Child’s play.”
“Then he just hit rewind to leave again.” I rubbed my temples. “Zipped him right back to the safety of the bar while he left us to drown in Vera’s dimension.”
Max raised his head to the ceiling and groaned. “Son of a bitch. That’s it. He’s pulled a time loop on us before. He’s even learned to manipulate elements, change the state of water. Something about the memory of matter.”
At least we knew that Arachne was telling the truth. This had nothing to do with granting her worshippers access to her spider holes. Apparently, the Quartz Spider had cooked up a couple of new tricks. I didn’t fancy the idea of discovering what else he had up his sleeve.
“Thank you, Faizan,” Max said, standing up. “This clarifies a few things. Thank you again. You’ve helped us more than I could have hoped.”
