Salyan’s quit playing her lyre when the last of the spiders died. Between Vera’s bow and Darnand’s lightning, few of them reached her. Those that did, fared no better than the first.
Venom coated her armor like a thin veneer of oil, burning at her skin where it got through her fur. A drip ran down between her eyes. She caught it with a thumb before it could hit her nose.
Slowly, anxiety replaced her calm demeanor. Kayla’s potion was wearing off.
“Is anyone injured? That is to say, does anyone require healing before we move on?”
“No. let’s move before… let’s just move on.”
Vera took the lead, moving quickly. Aravi tried following, but
the spiders! She jumped when one of the dead ones twitched a leg. Her heart hammered as she tiptoed passed the others.
***
Roughly crafted furniture, moldy sacks of food, and old crates were stacked in any place that could hold it.
This place would have been well stocked, if the food wasn’t all rotten. She wanted to check the crates, but she didn’t want to delay looking for Kayla either.
The path wound over them going back to a waterfall. A crevice led somewhere deeper. Aravi pointed it out to the others in case they didn’t see it.
They squeezed into the narrow opening that went back a short distance before opening up again.
Aravi didn’t see the whole room. All she saw was Kayla, and the Falmer knife at her throat.