*
Setting my unease aside, I moved with Clover to the door and cautiously peered inside.
A flash of movement from the corner of my eye was the only warning I had before the spider attacked. I barely managed to drag Clover back before a massive black, hairy limb thrust through the opening. It slammed into the floor, missing her by inches, and the stone beneath it cracked from the impact.
Just how strong was that thing?
Clover, uncaring of the danger, grinned. This wasn't the genuine smile she'd flashed me earlier; it was sharp with bloodlust—something I never expected to see on a cleric. She bounced her mace in her palm.
“Feisty fucker, aren't you? Good, so am I.”
Hefting her weapon high, she brought it down onto the spider’s leg. A sickening crunch echoed off the walls, and the spider shrieked, reeling back from the blow. I took the opportunity to analyze it before the leg disappeared into the shadows.
Adult Giant Spider
Level 4
Hit Points: 35/40
Mana: 0/0
Status: Broken Leg, Enraged
About what I expected. The spider towered over us, but Clover didn't flinch.
“Your mate was smarter; she took my paladin hostage.” She grinned and raised her mace for another strike, but the spider jumped aside. Instead of retreating, as I anticipated, it lunged forward, its maw open wide, venom dripping in fat, glistening globs.
Only then did I notice how Clover had edged past the doorway, likely when she broke its leg. It couldn't fit through the door, but now there was enough room for it to bite.
I shoved the thought aside and slid in front of her, swinging my sword in a wide arc. The blade cut through the spider’s mouth, spraying blood and venom as it screamed.
It stumbled back, hampered by the broken limb, and I pressed onward, aware of Clover following closely behind. I steadied my sword and thrust forward, driving the point deep into its body.
The spider’s natural armor slowed the strike, but once I broke through, the blade sank in. It tried to retreat, its legs scrambling for purchase, but Clover slammed her mace into its head. The spider jolted, stunned, and I seized the opening. Planting my feet, I pushed all my strength into the sword and began to cleave the spider in two.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
Every inch was a battle, the creature’s sturdy hide holding strong, but even that had its limits. Pouring more mana into my sword, I doubled down on Chosen's Blessing until it glowed from within the spider’s body.
Not giving it a chance to recover or flee, I ripped my sword the rest of the way through its form.
Its Hit Points flashed to zero, and with a final, piercing shriek, the spider slumped to the floor. I paused, scanning the web-covered walls. Were there more lurking in the shadows, or was the fight truly over?
Clover relaxed, lowering her mace. “That should be the last one. The shriek it let out earlier was a call to battle for all its offspring. The only things left are the egg sacs, and we can burn those tomorrow. For now, though, I vote we make camp in the other room. We can shut the door, so even if some hatch tonight, they can't get to us.”
I nodded and followed her back to where we'd come from. When the door shut behind us, I finally allowed myself to relax. We were safe, at least for now.
“Hand me your supplies and I'll start on dinner,” Clover offered, reaching for my pack. Instinctively, I stepped back, memories of charcoal-flavored Rock Snake assaulting me.
Maybe I wasn’t quite safe yet.
Carefully moving the supplies out of her reach, I shook my head and smiled, hoping it didn't show any of the dread working through me.
“It's alright, you made dinner last night, so now it's my turn. You can set up your bedroll if you want.”
She shrugged and did so. “Have it your way.”
The easy compliance shot relief through me, and I sighed. Crisis averted, for tonight at least. I'd have to come up with an excuse for why she couldn't cook tomorrow, but that was an issue for Tomorrow-Frederick, not Today-Frederick.
Today-Frederck had dinner to cook, after all.
Before I could get started, a glob of spider guts slipped off my arm onto the floor with a wet smack. Clover paused in pulling out her bedroll and snorted. “Let's get you cleaned up before you handle anyone’s food.”
I nodded, relieved at the prospect of being free of spider gunk. I hadn't had time to think about it before, but with the fighting over and the adrenaline fading, that numbness was wearing off. Sticky blood worked its way under my armor, and my stomach rolled when a wave of its stench slapped me across the face. I didn't expect monster guts to smell pleasant, but rancid ogre farts were not what I had in mind.
Clover wrinkled her nose, catching the same scent. “I'd insist on this even if you weren't cooking, for that smell alone.”
She waved a hand, magic flowing out to slide against my skin and armor. The gunk and guts disappeared in a blink, the smell leaving with it, and I sighed. “Thank you.”
She repeated the spell on herself and shrugged. “Of course, Darling. After all, you asked nicely. With that voice of yours, I dare say you could be dangerous with the word ‘please’.”
I raised a brow. “How could that be dangerous?”
A wide smile stretched her lips, and when a flirtatious spark warmed her eyes, I knew I was in trouble. Sure enough, she sauntered closer and trailed a hand down my chest with a hum.
“I have a weakness for attractive, kind men who stand their ground. Then you add in your voice, which can drop into a downright sinful rumble whenever you wish?” She leaned in, breath brushing my cheek. “You could get away with a lot with certain words, said in the right tone.”
Her proximity and the lingering floral scent around her scattered logic to the wind. A knot wedged into my throat and I swallowed hard, hoping the molten heat stirring low in my gut would remain unnoticed.
Clover's eyes swam with promise and slowly, I realized something. “You're not just teasing anymore…”