.

Qanya huddled against the wall; her dark eyes were enormous, and tears
had streaked the make-up on her cheeks.

Purri nodded satisfiedly. "He'll do," she said matter-of-factly to
Qanya. "The Mother should give him to me. It's a choice between me and
Marza, really--" She jerked her head toward the door through which the
dark, pouting girl had gone--"But Marza doesn't really appreciate a
mate. All she cares about is seeing how long she can take to make them
die."

Qanya stared hotly at her. She said in a stifled voice, "You're a beast,
and Marza is a beast, and--"

"Careful!" said Purri lazily. "If you say anything against the Mother,
I'll have to report you." Arms akimbo, she looked scornfully down at the
younger girl's tearful face.

* * * * *

Dworn had been right about the knots Qanya had tied. They were slipping.
He wrestled in silence, hoping for a little more time.... Then he was
sickeningly aware that Qanya was looking toward him, had seen what he
was doing. For an instant he froze.

Qanya said hurriedly, "Anyway, _you're_ a beast, Purri. A greedy one.
You've had two mates already--why didn't you make them last? And I've
not even had one."

"When you're older," said Purri loftily, her back still turned to the
struggling beetle, "you'll understand more. But you ought to know from
your schooling that there are some races that mate for life--and among
them, the males dominate the female. We spiders are above such degrading
practices."

Qanya's eyes flicked momentarily to Dworn, who was wrenching at the
final knot. "Yes, yes, I know," she said. "But I still say it isn't
fair--"

Dworn came catlike to his feet, ignoring the pain of cramped limbs. The
cord with which he had been bound was looped in his hands. With a single
stride he was upon the unwarned Purri; one hand clamped over her mouth,
cutting off outcry, and the other hand whipped the cord tight around
her. She fought with the strength of a man, but futilely. Dworn ripped a
length of fabric from her clothing and improvised a gag; when he was
done, the spider woman could do no more than kick and gurgle a little.

During the brief struggle, Qanya had watched without making a sound,
hands pressed against the girdered wall at her back. As Dworn faced her
now, breathing hard, he saw fear written large in her face.

She whispered, "Beetle, you won't hurt me?"

Dworn hesitated briefly. There was no doubt she had helpe