Tyler sputtered, “We’ve always been above humans. We’re stronger, faster, and smarter”—he searched for more—“and we can’t die like they can!”
“So what?” I snipped. “That’s like saying humans should kill all inferior species on the planet because they can’t keep up with them physically or mentally.” I eased Ray onto his side. I had to drain the water out of his lungs. “Tyler, I suggest you go take your anger out somewhere else while I try and save this inferior human’s life. I’m not in the mood to go around and around with you on who’s a better species.” Tyler spun away as I started rapping on Ray’s back, careful not to break any ribs. As I pounded, water jutted from Ray’s mouth like a hydrant. When Ray finally coughed and quit spitting water, I rolled him back over.
Danny crouched next to us. “I have no idea what you’re doing or what your motivations are in the long run,” he said. “But you can count me in. Ray is a bloody pain in the ass, but he seems to have one hell of a strong soul. By all rights he should’ve been dead many times over.” Danny reached over and took Ray by the shoulders. I let go.
“I know.” I shook my head. “I don’t get it.” Ray was now sputtering and groaning, as well as hacking up a lung. I put my ear down to his chest again. “His heart is beating stronger, but I’m not sure how clear his lungs are.”
“He seems to be taking care of that himself, isn’t he,” Danny said.
Ray groaned. “What the, Hannon?” he rasped. “Did that slimy thing eat me? Am I in hell?” He cracked his eyes open. “Or have I been here all along?”
“That’s not very optimistic of you, Ray,” I said, a ghost of a smile on my lips. “I’d think a guy like you would have his eyes on the Pearly Gates, thinking he’d done his time for the good guys.”
“I think it’s hell because of the giant-ass spider creeping toward us.” He coughed hard, losing his breath for a moment as he ejected more water. “Spiders that big can only have been created by Satan.”
Danny and I sprang up at the same time. It was stupid to think we would be free and clear on this side of the river. If anything, the worst was yet to come.
“That’s not a bloody spider!” Danny shouted. “It’s a freak of nature. Do you see all those eyes?”
I bent down and snatched Ray under his armpits, pulling him backward as quickly as I could. “Yep, and look, he has friends.” Dozens began to flood out of cracks around us, almost simultaneously, like they’d been summoned, which was likely the case. Danny was right. They weren’t spiders; they were some kind of scorpion spider mix. They were totally black, had eight legs, huge glossy spider eyes, thick, coarse hair, and a killer spiny tail that curled above their backs loaded with barbs as thick as my fingers.
They were as big as lobsters.
“They look venomous as hell,” I said, glancing down the ledge, but Tyler and Naomi were nowhere to be seen. “We have to get out of here. If Ray gets stung, it’s all over, and I didn’t just fight a baby Naiad for him to die from a spider bite now. Where are Naomi and Tyler?” I whipped my head around. “She has to get Ray out of here and we have to jump.”
Instead of Naomi, there was a whoosh and Eamon landed in front of us, right as Tyler came bounding around the far corner into view. It seemed the ledge curved around the mountain. Tyler was within inches of one of the killer arachnids. It rattled and scurried back and forth. “Tyler, hold still!” I yelled. He froze instantly. I took a breath in, wondering why we couldn’t scent the bugs. I smelled only rocks. “Eamon,” I said, “where’s your sister?” He glanced at the bugs impassively and didn’t answer. “Eamon! If you’re here, you might as well help us. You can get Ray out of here.” I started guiding Ray toward him.
He turned. “I will not handle the human. I care not if he survives.”
“Then why are you here?” I stopped midstride. “Just so you can be unhelpful?” He stood between us and the Scorpers. I had no idea what they were called, so I was giving them the name they deserved. I was willing to give Eamon a smidgen of time to answer the question since he was in between us and the bugs. I glanced over my shoulder at Danny. “Is there someplace to go behind you?” I started shuffling backward, holding on to Ray, who was still coughing intermittently.
“They’re not interested in me,” Tyler called from across the ledge. “They’re focused on you. I’m going to climb higher and see if I can make a rock slide to knock them off.”
“To answer your question, I came back,” Eamon snapped, “because I still owe you a debt for saving my sister’s life, and after helping you get rid of these”—he gestured to the Scorpers—“I will consider my duties repaid in full.”