"Why?"

Banksy didn't understand. He tried to call out but no matter how hard he screamed, he couldn’t make a sound.

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Why?"

The questioned echoed over and over again, ringing painfully in his ears and drilling into his mind. He would have grabbed at his head if he could have moved, but instead he was trapped, floating in the endless sea of white.

"Why didn't you kill me?"

Banksy ignored the question, instead choosing to focus on his own breathing. With each deep breath he was able to silence the voice more and more until it was completely silent. With the noise gone he next focused on finding himself.

But what was a ‘self’ anyway? Was he his face? He wasn’t sure he could accurately describe his own face. Sure, he saw it every day in the mirror, but had he really ever looked at it?

Mouth, eyes, nose, hair. What else was there?

No, no that wouldn’t work. Not at all.

He felt a weight. Where was that weight coming from?

Oh. Wait, no, he knew that weight. It was familiar. Comforting. It was the weight of the rings that adorned his fingers. His fingers, part of his hands. He could feel the residual magic leaking from the rings and spreading through his fingers and into his hands. Hands that were connected to his arms. His arms connected to his chest.

The steady beat of his heart began to fill the silence. The beats rang through him, filling him with feeling until, with a gasp, he broke through the white and came to a rushing stop against the ground.

Retching, he grabbed at his body, holding onto himself until he was sure he wouldn't fade away again.

"Interesting, you shouldn't have been able to do that.”

"I get that a lot," Banksy said shakily as he got to his feet. The ground beneath his feet was covered with spider web, as were the walls and even the ceiling. So much so that they were practically white. Lilith rested comfortably on the wall before him, her many legs fanned out across the web, holding her in place. Beneath her was a single, large web sac. "What is this?"

"This?" Lilith spread her hands wide. "This is my web. Can't you tell?"

"It's a bit messy.”

Lilith smiled. "I admit it is not as elegant as my usual work, but under the circumstances I'm afraid it is necessary. You see, my prey is extremely uncooperative."

"Your prey?" Banksy said as the silk sac began to move.

Lilith leaned down and delicately ran her nail along the web, slicing through the strands and revealing the figure trapped inside.

The Widow Black.

Lilith.

She stared at Banksy with tear filled eyes, her mouth covered by a thick clot of web.

"What are you?" Banksy said softly as he stared at the real Lilith.

"Why Mr. Bank, don't you recognize me? I'm Lilith? The beautiful Widow you’ve come to court. The most eligible bachelorette on the continent." The spider smiled and exposed her long fangs. "Though I have been known by name names. For the time being… you may call me Aranhi."

"What did you do to her?" Banksy said, nodding his head to Lilith.

"This poor, sweet girl was so lonely when her husband died. I simply filled the void in her heart. Isn't that right, my dear?" Aranhi reached down and gently stroked Lilith's cheek, dragging her nails ever so softly across her flesh. "And in return, I simply took what was owed to me."

"And what was that?" Banksy said, his eyes beginning to scan the room.

"At first, only a space to live." Aranhi gestured to the room. "A place inside of her lonely heart that I could fill with the whisper of encouraging words. Of course, I quickly outgrew these pathetically small confines. She would have withered away without me, you see. It's only fair I should get more, don't you think?"

"You took her body."

"Clever boy!" Aranhi clapped her hands together. "Not completely. Well, not yet. You see, first you begin with their mind. Once you control their mind you can control the body. In time she would have completely belonged to me. Of course, you and your friends have ruined that up for me. Such a shame. Everything was so close to completion."

"What was the plan then?" Banksy said, desperate for more time as he tried and failed to come up with a strategy.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"My plan? Oh, it's the same as many others. I would have beautiful children and live happily ever after.”

"These beautiful children," Banksy spat out the words. "Any chance that they would feed on the men you abducted."

"You are clever! But no, not all of them. Only those with magical powers. My children could only be fed the best, of course. Those without power would simply be my thralls. After all, what is a queen without servants?"

"But now your plan is ruined."

Aranhi sighed dramatically, lifting up one hand to her cheek. "Very true. How terribly vexing. But not every plan will work out. That is life, after all."

"So, you have no reason to hold onto Lilith anymore, right?”

"I wouldn't say that." Aranhi's arms reached down and lightly rested around Lilith's neck. She rested her chin on Lilith’s head. "I have grown very accustomed to this body, you know. Beautiful and wealthy? How could I ask for more? Leaving it is going to be so difficult for me. Even if my plans are ruined and this identity is compromised, the body is still a perfectly fine host.”

"Really? Because it seems like she's been trying to kick you out."

"Perhaps you are too clever for your own good," Aranhi laughed. "You are right, though, she is very much a fighter. The sneaky girl even managed to leave you one of your precious rings to escape without me even realizing it."

"Maybe you're not as clever as you think you are.”

"Perhaps not. I didn't believe she would offer her own life just to end mine. Quite daring. For a moment I feared you would do it."

"I'm not much a fan of killing."

"That is quite unfortunate for you," Aranhi said. "Because I very much enjoy it. As such, killing you will probably be the highlight of my night."

"But you won't."

"Oh, won't I?" Aranhi suddenly sprung forward and landed in front of him. Lifting herself up to her full height she stared down at him. He could see his reflection in her many, many crimson eyes. He forced himself not to take a step back.

"No, you won't," Banksy said with a clear voice. "Because you need me."

Aranhi loomed over him for a moment longer before pulling back. She waved her hand for him to continue. "I am interested. Explain."

Banksy pointed behind her to Lilith. "You’re being delusional. You know she’s actually useless to you. Even if you break her will completely, it doesn’t matter. You said it yourself, her face is famous. There isn’t a city you can go where you won’t be recognized.”

“You are bold to call me delusional, but I suppose you are not wrong, if I am being honest.”

“Speaking of honesty my friends will already have signaled for help. This land is between Dumas and Voy. Even if you deal with us you won't be able to handle two armies closing in from two sides.”

Aranhi was close again, her face only inches from his. "You're not a noble. That much is clear. Who are you? Really?"

"I'm just a thief. And I'm good at avoiding the law."

Aranhi held her position for a moment longer before pulling back. Her legs drummed rapidly against the ground. "You still have yet to explain why I need you."

"Because, I'll let you into my head, just so long as you get out of hers.” Banksy thrust out his hand. “Deal?"

Aranhi froze. Behind her Lilith began to wildly shake her head from side to side. Even through the webbing he could hear her scream. He didn't look at her and kept his eyes firmly on Aranhi.

"You would give your life for hers?"

"…I would." Banksy answered after only a beat of hesitation.

"Why?"

Banksy faltered, his eyes flicking to Lilith before coming back to Aranhi.

"Because..." Banksy swallowed hard. "Because it's the right thing to do."

"Shame. I suppose in the end you are not that clever after all," Aranhi let out of a soft laugh and took his hand. "You have a deal, Nathanial Bank."

As she began to squeeze, so tight her nails dug into his skin and blood began to seep out, Banksy leaned to look around her at Lilith.

"Don't worry, it will be alright," he said with a smile.

"No, it won't."

Aranhi's voice was the last thing he heard.

xXx

In his own mind it was much easier to find himself and in a matter of seconds Banksy was standing in large room. Along the walls were locks of every type imaginable and some that Banksy knew only existed in his mind. He smiled as he ran his fingers over the nearest one. He remembered it. It was the first lock he had ever cracked. He had found it in a burned-out building, the remnants of a door. It was simple with only two easily positioned pins. Even so, he had spent hours working on it, listening to every little click and clank, feeling every slight vibration.

"What a strange room," Aranhi said as she appeared at the far side of the room, slowly slinking down the wall. "You have a very unique mind."

"I wouldn't know. I don't make a habit of entering another person’s mind. I keep my stealing to things, not people," Banksy said as he turned to face her.

"People are things. You just haven't realized it yet.”

"Not here." Banksy gestured around the room.

"Ah, ah, ah." Aranhi waggled her finger. "Don't forget, this place belongs to me now!"

She reached towards him, her arm stretching out only to stop as her fingers met a resistance. Pausing, she reached out again, this time with a slower movement. Her hand went flat against the invisible obstruction.

"What is this?" she snapped, pushing against it with more force, but failing to break through.

"This is my mind," Banksy said as he walked over to the barrier, stopping just in front of Aranhi.

She reached back and slammed herself against the barrier, her teeth bared as she clawed at the nothingness, but she was able to move no closer to Banksy. Hands curling into fists, she started to back away, but was only met by another barrier.

"What have you done?" Aranhi slid left, then right, but she was completely trapped on all sides.

"Exactly what you did to Lilith," Banksy said. "I've trapped you. Just another spider in a jar."

"You think this can contain me?" Aranhi took a calming breath. "How long do you think you can hold out against me? Days? Months? Years? Long have I lived, Mr. Bank, and I have broken minds far greater than yours.”

"Maybe so," Banksy's voice was soft, but confident. "But have you ever dealt with someone as obsessive as me? Someone as fanatical as me? You said it yourself, didn't you? My mind is unique. I can crack any safe in any kingdom and I can fix it up so it will never open again. Can you escape any safe? Somehow, I doubt it."

Aranhi's eyes widened and Banksy saw a feeling he knew very in her eyes. A scream escaped her lips as she began to violently slam herself against the barrier, but Banksy already knew it was a vain effort. The trap he had built around her was based on a kinetic lock. The more force that was applied to it, the stronger it became.

Closing his eyes, he lifted up his hand and pressed it flat against the barrier. With a deep breath he began to build.

"What are you doing?" Aranhi screamed as the barrier began to compress and the walls turned opaque. "You cannot do this."

"Yes, I can," Banksy said as the barrier abruptly shrunk down to small cube, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. "Only I can."

Eyes slowly opening, he stared down at the eternity lock that was resting lightly in his palm. Bringing up his other hand he did something no thief should ever do and purposely triggered the security spell. With a series of metallic clunks, the device sealed up and Banksy smiled at it grimly.

"Enjoy eternity," Banksy said as he closed his eyes and fell backwards. When he opened his eyes, he was back in the real world again.

Clutched tightly in his fist he felt the now eternally sealed eternity lock.