Chapter 19:
"Six Months Ago"

March 15, 1915
Zoological Society of London

"Deryn," Alek began, coughing to conceal the mixture of unease and revulsion growing within him, "for the benefit of my sanity, would you consider allowing us to have this conversation somewhere else? Perhaps in a room that isn't infested with these abhorrent creatures?"

"I'm quite fond of the little buggers myself," Deryn chirped with a grin.

Scuttling on the floor all around her were the most enormous cockroaches he had ever seen. They were as long as a man's arm and quick as lightning. Just the sight of them made him want to squeal and make a run for the door, but Deryn would never let him live that down. If he showed weakness here, she'd be teasing him for months, hiding bugs in his shoes and telling everyone at the Society that "his pampered ex-princeliness must never have seen a bug before!"

To Alek's horror, Deryn knelt down and began to stroke one of the roach's shells like she was petting a hound. It was times like these that made Alek question her judgement.

"They're absolutely nightmarish." Alek shuddered.

"Alek, you've been attacked by zeppelins before, and you're telling me these little beasties are too much for you?" Deryn smirked at him.

"I don't see you going around petting zeppelins, though, do I?" Alek began. "And in what world could these…things…be considered little?" He took a step towards Deryn and his boot nearly came down upon one of the hideous roaches. It hissed at him menacingly before scampering away. "For heaven's sake!" Alek stumbled backward in shock. "It hissed at me! Are these part snake?"

"Don't be a dumkopf, Alek," Deryn replied, brushing off her knees and carefully stepping over the creatures on her way toward him. "The lady boffin told me they're fabricated from the life threads of roaches and grasshoppers, with a bit of praying mantis mixed in for aggression. They're called hoproaches."

"Hoproaches?" Alek inquired. "Does that mean that they can-" one of the insects answered his question by jumping a meter into the air and scuttling up the side of the wall.

"Clever name, huh?" Deryn asked.

"I think I'm going to faint," Alek muttered weakly.

"Alek, you're turning greener than a glowworm. I suppose you've seen enough of these beetles for one day. Let's go." Deryn took hold of his hand and led him from the room. The hoproaches hissed menacingly at them as they latched the door behind them.

"I…. am never… going into that room again." Alek panted.

Deryn grinned and, his hand still in hers, led them down the long hallway. "That's a shame. It's one of my favorite rooms in this place."

Alek gave her a worried glance. "I can't possibly fathom how you're fond of those creatures. I hate to admit it, but I was utterly terrified of them."

Deryn suddenly halted. "What's wrong?" Alek asked.

"I used to be. Scared of bugs, I mean." Her voice was unusually soft, and she was staring at the carpet.

"That doesn't sound like you at all," Alek pointed out. "The Deryn I know would probably accept a tea invitation from an insect the size of an elephantine."

"It was back when I was little," Deryn explained. "I used to beg Da to kill spiders whenever they got into the house. But he never would. He'd just pick them right up like it was nothing and set them free outside. I was certain that nothing scared him."

Alek had no idea what to say. It was the first time Deryn had spoken of her father in a long, long while, and he didn't want to spoil anything by saying something foolish.

Deryn continued, as though she sensed that Alek was interested. "He used to tell these marvelous bedtime tales when I couldn't go to sleep. He'd make up stories of silly fabs, like a cow with bat wings or a fish covered in fur. And the best one was about a spider the size of a hound. It barked like a hound, too, and was the most loyal mutt you could ask for. After hearing that story, I loved spiders. If I saw one inside, I'd follow it around, hoping it would lead me to a spiderhound that I could keep as a pet."

"Barking spiders," Alek realized. "That's why you always say that."

She nodded. "At first it was a joke between us," Deryn replied. "Da would find a spider and say, 'barking spiders! Where there's one, there's got to be more!' But then he started saying it for everything, all the time, until I started saying it too. I suppose it just became a habit."

She suddenly seemed to Alek like a little girl, with wet eyes and quivering lips, the loss of her father a fresh wound instead of a forgotten old ache. Without thinking, Alek reached out and touched her cheek. When Deryn met his eyes, her own shone with tears.

"I'm sorry," she began, but Alek pulled her into a hug before she could finish. "You don't have to apologize," he whispered. "I miss mine, too." Deryn nodded against his shoulder, and they stayed like that for a long, peaceful minute.

When Deryn finally pulled away, her eyes were dry again. "I got your coat all wet," she pointed out.

"It was an ugly coat anyhow." Alek replied with a smile. "Now, is there a room full of spiderhounds that I should know about so that I can avoid it at all costs?"

Deryn laughed. "There's no such thing, you bum-rag. And you wouldn't have to worry about them even if they did exist. Fabricated spiders about as dangerous as rabbits."

Alek scoffed. "I find that hard to believe. I've never heard of a venomous rabbit before." For that snarky comment, Alek received an elbow to the ribs.

"Very funny, Alek." Deryn chided. "The real reason that fab spiders aren't dangerous is simple. Boffins do breed spiders to harvest venom for poisons and antidotes and the like, but they aren't daft enough to give them teeth to bite with."

"Wait," Alek replied, curious. "So you're saying that fabricated spiders aren't even capable of biting?"

"That would be correct." Deryn replied. "Honestly, Alek, most boffins are all far too pompous to risk their oh-so-important lives fabricating creatures that could kill them. Venomous snakes, frogs, spiders, they're all fabricated very carefully so that they pose no threat to anyone. Boffins extract the venom from inside the beasties' venom sacs or glands."

"How do you know all this?" Alek wondered.

Deryn scowled. "I may or may not have asked the lady boffin if she would fabricate a spiderhound for me. She then proceeded to give me an hour long lecture on the intricacies of spider fabs as punishment."

"That does sound like something Dr. Barlow would do," Alek smiled. "So I suppose you're not getting your spiderhound?"

"Afraid not," she replied. "But it's all right. After all," she said, roughly mussing Alek's hair, "I already have a perfectly good mutt."

It took Alek a moment to realize that he was the mutt in question. "What? Now that was just obnoxious."

"I thought," Deryn replied smartly, "that my obnoxiousness was one of the many reasons why you're so terribly fond of me."

"Well," Alek said dryly, "you can be sure that your unholy affinity for spiders is not one of those reasons."

…

August 4, 1915
Red Star Chemicals
Research Laboratory Headquarters

Alek ignored the sensation of the spiders' hairy legs as they darted around his hand. One of the creatures scurried up his arm, and its legs prickled horrifically against his skin, but he flicked it back into the cage with his free hand. They can't bite me, he reminded himself. Harmless as rabbits. Yet he couldn't stop his hand from trembling fiercely, and his mind was racing with images of fangs dripping with venom.

Finally, his fingers closed around the key. It had only taken a few seconds to grasp, but it had felt like hours. Triumphant, he yanked his fist from the cage and turned to face Elliot Vost, whose expression of complete astonishment was perhaps the most satisfying thing he had seen that day.

"Give it up. You have nothing left to-" Alek began, but he was interrupted as Count Volger took hold of his arm and, with a frantic vigor Alek had never witnessed from the man before, began examining it for a wound.

"There isn't any time for this, Volger. I'm quite all right," Alek insisted.

For perhaps the very first time in his life, Alek noticed that Count Volger sounded…concerned. "You bloody well aren't! You fool! What were you thinking? You could have died!"

Sullivan appeared both surprised and impressed. "I have to admit, that was the ballsiest thing I've ever seen in my entire life. And I've met Deryn Sharp."

"You said it yourself, Dr. Sullivan." Alek pointed out. "Elliot Vost is far too selfish to risk his own life. He wouldn't dare to fabricate venomous spiders capable of harming him. I've heard that nearly all boffins fabricate venomous creatures without fangs, and I figured that Dr. Sullivan would be one of them."

Dr. Sullivan covered his face with his hands. "I fabricated those spiders, Alek. That's why I knew so much about them. Don't you think I would have said something if they didn't have fangs?"

The blood drained from Alek's face. He suddenly felt extremely lightheaded. "Wait- you're telling me that these spiders were capable of biting me this entire time?"

Dr. Sullivan made a sound that was some combination of a chuckle and a wheeze. "It's something of a pain to alter the life strands of funnel spiders. If you try and remove the fangs, the venom becomes as useless as saliva. Most boffins don't work with them for that very reason. You, Aleksander, are the luckiest, stupidest boy I have ever had the pleasure of meeting."

The Count, who had recovered from his sudden bout of worry, gave Alek the most vindictive glare he had ever seen. "If I had not sworn an oath to your father to protect you, Aleksander, I would beat you senseless. Supposing you had any sense left to beat out."

It was at this moment that Alek realized that Vost had taken advantage of their distraction and made a break for the stairs, briefcase in hand.

"Take one more step and I will shoot you where you stand." The Count aimed his revolver squarely at the center of Vost's back. "I must warn you, I am an excellent shot."

At long last, Elliot Vost truly surrendered. While Volger and Sullivan secured him, Alek unlocked the briefcase, uncorked a vial, and downed it in one gulp. He hadn't started feeling the effects of the gas yet, but he was sure that if he stayed much longer he would begin to notice. He offered vials to Dr. Sullivan and the Count, and they swiftly drank theirs, too.

"I'm going after Deryn," Alek announced.

"I'll take care of my subordinate," Sullivan offered. "After all, this mess is my responsibility."

"I'm coming with you, Alek," Volger declared. "You won't be able to catch up with them without a vehicle, and I hid mine too well for you to find." He stuffed three vials in his coat pocket, one for Deryn, Dr. Barlow, and Edward.

There was no time to disagree.