“I do know who I am.”
“So much to explain, so little time.” He sighed. It sounded to Grouge like the hiss of a snake. “You’re lucky I’m fond of you.”
Ashétyn’s lip curled in a sneer and her bald tail lashed.
“Let’s play a game,” said Necrovar, spreading his arms. “I’ll answer a question of yours, and you answer a question of mine. I promise to tell the truth so long as you do. Does that sound fair?”
“Fine.”
Necrovar smiled. The thin flesh of his cheeks cracked. “Ladies first.”
“What are Spiders?”
“Be more specific with your questions, my dear, or I’ll be tempted to slither through the loopholes in our rules. Are you referring to eight-legged predatory arachnids, or to my novel class of mortal-shadowbeast hybrids?”
“You know what I’m referring to.”
“Manners, manners,” he chided. “S
