said Human,
<That’s why the rumor of hope is so slim,> said the hive queen.
<That’s the part of himself that he hates,> said Human.
<That’s the part of himself that he fears,> said the Hive Queen.
said the Hive Queen.
Grief and anguish for his friend welled up in Human and spilled out into the web that bound him to all fathertrees and to all hive queens, but to them it tasted sweet, for it was born out of love for the life of the man.
<Yes, he would choose to die so she could live.>
<Better, though, if he would bring her into Valentine and then choose to live. That would be better.>
Even as she said it, the despair behind her words came out like ooze and everyone on the web that she had helped to weave could taste the poison of it, for it was born of dread for the death of the man, and they all grieved.