Beyond the smoke, part of the enormous white body shifted against the darkness. One of its legs moved across the space above Proxima, drawing the retreating lines farther from the planet.
The ships and ruined buildings looked small beneath that enormous body.
Lolth was leaving with her daughter's remains. The bargain had worked; it hadn't made Alex and Mingyue strong enough to follow her into the web.
The last visible threads rose beyond the clouds, and space folded around the white shape.
Alex watched until he could no longer see the leg or the glow of the organ among the strands.
Whatever remained in Lolth's older web went with her. He had not reached it or forced her to show him who could still be saved.
He lowered his eyes to the street where Dorian's fighters were carrying the newly freed soldier toward Selene.
That man was still moving.
Alex drew a deeper breath and immediately regretted it. Pain spread through his right side.
